Quinoa Salad with Smoked Fish
Servings
2Serving size
2 1/2 cupsThis recipe can easily be multiplied and makes very good leftovers.
Ingredients
| 3 cup Water (divided) |
| 1/2 cup Quinoa, uncooked |
| 4 tsp. Olive oil (divided) |
| 1 small (about 8 ounces) Leeks (sliced crosswise; keep white and green parts separate) |
| 2 Tbsp. Dried sweetened cranberries (chopped fine) |
| 1/4 cup, chopped Hazelnuts or filberts |
| 4 ounces, boneless Fish, whitefish, mixed species, smoked (skinless; flaked) |
| 1 Tbsp. White wine vinegar |
| 1/8 tsp. Salt |
Instructions
Simmer the quinoa for about 15 minutes, or until the water has evaporated. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 10 minutes.
Add 3 teaspoons of olive oil to the quinoa and fluff the quinoa to keep it from sticking together. Re-cover and let stand for another 5 minutes.
Remove the quinoa to a bowl to cool. When the quinoa is nearly room temperature, place the bowl in the refrigerator to chill.
Place 1 tsp. of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the green part of the leeks and cook, stirring frequently, for 3-4 minutes or until just wilted.
Add the white part of the leeks, the cranberries, and the hazelnuts, and reduce the heat to medium. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, for another 5 minutes.
Add the leek mixture to the quinoa, as well as the smoked fish, the white wine vinegar and salt.
Fold together gently and chill.
Print Recipe
Would you like to print or download the document?
Special Diet Information
Click on the icon for information.
Lactose
This recipe is safe for those who are lactose intolerant.
Recipe Notes
This is a great summer picnic recipe with a terrific balance of flavors: smoky fish, sweet leeks, and cranberries, savory quinoa, and some sharpness from the vinegar. It is best made the night before to allow all of these flavors to blend together.
First off, you want to make sure that the smoked fish you select is not made with chemicals. There is a lot of great smoked fish on the market, and when you look at the package it should not have any preservatives or nitrates.
Second, there can be a wide variation in the amount of salt. Select a fish that is lower in sodium: 2 ounces of fish at about 300 milligrams of sodium. That is actually pretty common, with a lot of smoked fish having less salt than you might think (a lot do have way more than you want, however).