Quinoa Salad With Corn and Basil

Quinoa Salad With Corn and Basil

Part green salad, part grain salad, this dish is substantial enough for dinner yet light enough for the hottest days of summer. Quinoa and corn kernels boil together to form a hearty base, and are then tossed with the ingredients typically found in pesto. But instead of mashing the elements together to form a paste, they remain coarse so every bite has texture and is different from the last: whole leaves of basil and arugula, chunks of Parmesan, pebbles of toasted nuts. Embellish the salad further, if you like, with avocado, raw crunchy vegetables like cucumbers, or another protein like prosciutto or grilled shrimp.

Yield: 6 servings

Salt

1 cup quinoa

3 cups fresh or frozen, unthawed corn kernels (from 3 ears of corn or one 16-ounce bag)

1 garlic clove

2 lemons

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup toasted walnuts or almonds

2 ounces Parmesan

1 (5-ounce) container of arugula

1 ½ loosely packed cups basil leaves, torn if large

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the quinoa and cook for 12 minutes. Add the corn kernels and continue to simmer until the corn and quinoa are tender (and a thin white tail appears on the quinoa), another 3 to 5 minutes. Drain through a fine-mesh sieve, rinse with cold water until cool to the touch, then shake and stir to drain well.

Meanwhile, finely grate the garlic into a large bowl. Finely grate the zest of 1 lemon, then halve the lemons and squeeze in ¼ cup juice. Add the olive oil. Coarsely chop the nuts. Coarsely chop the Parmesan into small pieces no larger than ¼ inch.

Add the quinoa and corn to the bowl of dressing and  stir to combine. Add the arugula, basil, walnuts and Parmesan and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt.

TIP: Used Farro.....added thinly sliced red radish as well. Fantastic salad and a base for adding proteins if you like

We really enjoyed all the textural elements in this salad! I added a cup of edamame at my husband suggestion and found it worked well. One thing the recipe doesn't mention and perhaps most know it already but it is vital to rinse quinoa for a few minutes under running water to avoid the bitter taste if you don't. I will plan to make this again but may add just a touch of sherry vinegar as I love it.