Moroccan Style Quinoa
Submitted by cruiseagent
Moroccan style quinoa with chickpeas, turnips, carrots, Brussels sprouts, and cumin served couscous-style with vegetables mounded over toasted quinoa and hot broth ladled over the top.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
3 hrsREADY
4 hrsThis vegetarian dish borrows the presentation of a traditional Moroccan couscous but swaps in quinoa for the grain. A mound of toasted quinoa gets hollowed out on the plate, filled with tender chickpeas and chunky vegetables, then drenched in hot, cumin-scented broth. It’s a complete protein-packed meal in a bowl.
The chickpeas cook from dried with a strip of kombu (seaweed), which helps soften them and adds minerals to the broth. Two hours of simmering before the vegetables even go in means the chickpeas are creamy all the way through, not chalky in the center.
Toasting the quinoa in a dry pan for 10 minutes before simmering is the step that separates this from bland boiled grain. It deepens the nutty flavor and keeps the grains fluffy and separate instead of clumping together.
Chef Tips
- Soak the chickpeas overnight for the most even cooking. Quick-soaked chickpeas cook unevenly and some will stay hard.
- The double rest after cooking the quinoa (5 minutes covered, fluff, then 5 more minutes) is what makes it light and separated. Don’t skip either rest.
- Reserve the chickpea cooking liquid and use it as stock for the vegetables. It’s full of flavor from the kombu and long simmer.
Variations
- Add a pinch of saffron or turmeric to the vegetable broth for a more traditional Moroccan color and flavor.
- Swap Brussels sprouts for zucchini or butternut squash for a different seasonal take.
- Stir harissa paste into individual servings for a spicy North African kick.
Ingredients
Directions
In a 3-quart pot, bring chickpeas, kombu and soaking water to a boil.
Cover, reduce heat to medium and boil for 2 hours.
Add water as necessary so that water just covers the chickpeas.
Remove 2 cup liquid from the pot and set aside in a 2-quart pot.
Place onions, carrots and turnips on top of the chickpeas and add enough water or stock to just cover vegetables.
Add salt, garlic, bay, cumin, pepper and olive oil.
Cover and bring to a boil.
Reduce to light boil and cook for 40 minutes.
Add Brussels sprouts and cook an additional 10 minutes.
Adjust seasoning.
While vegetables and chickpeas continue to cook, add 2 c. water and salt to the stock in the 2 quart. pot and bring to a boil. Heat a thin pan, add oil and, while stirring continuously, toast quinoa for 10 minutes.
Add to boiling stock, cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes.
Remove from heat.
Allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Gently mix from top to bottom with a damp wooden spoon.
Cover pot and allow to rest for another 5 to 10 minutes.
Serve by placing a large mound of quinoa on each individual plate.
Flatten the mound in the center and fill with vegetables and Pour ½ cup of hot stock over all and serve hot.
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