2/3 cup quinoa
3/4 cup shelled fresh peas (1 pound unshelled)
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 leek, white and light green part only, halved, cleaned of sand and sliced
thin
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon chopped chives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, or a combination of parsley and
tarragon
Freshly ground pepper
1. Bring a medium pot of lightly salted water to a boil and add the peas.
Turn the heat down to medium and simmer until tender, 4 to 10 minutes,
depending on the size and freshness. Place a strainer over a bowl and drain the
peas. Measure out 2 cups of the cooking water (add fresh water if necessary),
return to the pot, add salt to taste, bring to a boil and add the quinoa. When
the water comes back to a boil, cover, reduce the heat and simmer 15 minutes,
or until the quinoa is tender and, in the case of white quinoa, displays a
thread. Remove from the heat, drain through a strainer and return to the pot.
Cover the pot with a clean dish towel and return the lid. Let sit 15 minutes.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-low heat in a wide, heavy
skillet and add the leek Add a generous pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until
tender, fragrant and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the quinoa and peas to
the pan and toss together with the remaining olive oil for about 2 minutes,
taking care not to mash the peas. Add the fresh herbs, grind in some pepper,
taste and adjust seasoning, and serve.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings.