A Bitten Word Recipe
[UPDATED: Check out the new recipe!]
A few weeks ago, Zach found himself in Colorado Springs, Colorado, for work. When he wasn't on the clock, he checked out some of the great stuff the city has to offer (Pikes Peak! Manitou Springs! Garden of the Gods!)
And he even managed to squeeze in a couple really good meals in the Springs. (Thanks, Yelp!)
The best meal was at Shuga's, a charming, unassuming restaurant in an old house on the south end of downtown Colorado Springs. It was casual and inviting, and the menu was perfect, filled with simple, excellent sandwiches, soups and salads. Zach had a sandwich that was sort of a grilled muffuletta -- salami, prosciutto, roasted red pepper, olive tapenade -- topped with warm goat cheese. It was delicious!
But what was really memorable was the special side dish that day: Quinoa with Apricot, Pear, Red Onion and Cucumber. Served cold, it was the perfect summer side. The apricot and pear gave the quinoa a nice sweetness, while the onion cut through with a welcome sharp note. And the cucumber kept everything light and summery.
So we decided to try re-creating the dish at home.
It didn't go so well.
The prep for this dish is easy. If you're not familiar with quinoa, it's a great thing to keep on hand in your kitchen. It cooks and eats like a grain, but it's actually a protein! You cook it similar to rice: put in boiling water, turn the heat down, cover and simmer.
So we made our quinoa, chilled it, diced all the fruits and veggies, mixed them in...and it was bland. Really bland. How could something with such nice ingredients -- and so colorful and beautiful! -- taste like such a dud?
We added salt and pepper, which helped a little bit, and parsley, which helped a little more. But the whole thing was still dull, dull, dull -- nothing like the one at Shuga's.
One big thing we realized is that we shouldn't have used fresh apricots. Dried ones would have packed much more flavor. (You'll see in our recipe below we call for dried apricots.) That would improve things, but we're still not sure.
So why are we even posting about this? Well, we're sure there's still something here worth exploring. The dish at Shuga's was so tasty! Any guesses about what we might be missing here? Any ideas for improvement?
Anybody want to go to Shuga's in Colorado Springs for a taste test?
[UPDATED: Check out our new and improved Quinoa with Apricot, Pear, Red Onion and Cucumber!]
Quinoa With Apricot, Pear, Red Onion and Cucumber
Inspired by Shuga's in Colorado Springs, Colorado
INGREDIENTS
2 cups quinoa
1 medium Asian pear
1 medium red onion
1 medium or large cucumber, peeled and diced, with seeds removed
1 cup dried apricots
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped fine
salt
pepper
DIRECTIONS
In a large saucepan, boil 4 cups water. Add quinoa, cover and reduce heat. Simmer 15 minutes, or until quinoa is light and fluffy. (If there's too much water, remove the lid and return the heat to high until the quinoa has absorbed the water.)
Remove quinoa from heat, drain and rinse with cold water. Place in refrigerator and cool for 20 minutes (or, sealed in an airtight container, up to two days).
Finely dice pear, onion, cucumber and apricots and place them into a medium microwave-safe bowl. Add 1/4 cup water, cover, and microwave 90 seconds to 2 minutes, just to soften the fruit and vegetables.
Drain fruit and vegetables, and rinse with cold water. Add to quinoa, along with parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Serve salad chilled or at room temperature.
