Five Grain Salad

Photo by Steven Freeman. Reprinted from Emeril at the Grill, HarperCollins Publisher, New York, © 2009 MSLO Inc. All rights reserved.

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked wild rice (scroll down or click here for cooking directions)
• 1 cup cooked amaranth (scroll down or click here for cooking directions)
• 1 cup cooked quinoa (scroll down or click here for cooking directions)
• 1 cup cooked millet (scroll down or click here for cooking directions)
• 1 cup cooked brown Jasmati, brown basmati, or brown jasmine rice (cooked according to package)
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 1 cup fresh orange segments
• 1 cup diced fennel (small dice)
• ½ cup diced radishes (small dice)
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh fennel fronds
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Combine all ingredients in large bowl. Refrigerate, covered, for at least 1 hour or as long as 3 to 4 days before serving. Remove from refrigerator and serve at room temperature.

Wild Rice

Ingredients

(Makes 2 cups)

• ½ cup wild rice
• 1 ½ cups water
• 1 tablespoon butter
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

Directions

1. Combine ingredients in medium saucepan and bring to boil. Stir, cover pan, and reduce heat to simmer. Cook until all liquid has been absorbed, 50 to 55 minutes.
2. Remove pan from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes.
3. Fluff rice with fork, adjust seasoning if necessary, and use as desired.

Amaranth

Ingredients

(Makes 1 ½ cups)

• 1 cup amaranth seeds
• 1 cup vegetable stock or canned low-sodium vegetable broth
• Pinch of salt

Directions

1. Place small saucepan over medium-high heat, and add amaranth. Toast until it begins to pop, 4 to 5 minutes.
2. While amaranth is cooking, bring stock to boil in medium saucepan.
3. Add amaranth and salt to stock. Cover pan, reduce heat, and simmer until all liquid has been absorbed, 7 minutes.
4. Remove pan from heat and set aside, still covered, to steam for 7 minutes.
5. Pour amaranth into bowl and use as desired.

Quinoa

Ingredients

(Makes 2 cups)

• 1 cup vegetable stock or canned low-sodium vegetable broth
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup quinoa

Directions

1. Combine stock, salt, and pepper in medium saucepan and bring to boil over high heat. Add quinoa, cover pan, and reduce heat. Simmer quinoa until all liquid has been absorbed, 12 minutes.
2. Remove pan from heat and let stand, still covered, for 5 minutes.
3. Fluff quinoa with fork, and use as desired.

Millet

Ingredients

(Makes 2 cups)

• ½ cup hulled millet
• 1 cup vegetable stock or canned low-sodium vegetable broth
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Place small saucepan over medium-high heat, and add millet. Toast until it has a nutty smell, 4 to 5 minutes.
2. As soon as first grain pops, remove pan from heat and pour millet into bowl. Add cold water and swirl to wash millet. Then pour millet into fine-mesh sieve and rinse under cold running water for another minute or until water runs clear.
3. Bring stock to boil in medium saucepan. Add millet and salt and pepper to taste, reduce heat, and simmer, covered, until all liquid has been absorbed, 20 minutes.
4. Remove pan from heat and let stand, still covered, for 5 minutes.
5. Fluff millet with fork, and use as desired.

Quinoa Salad

(Makes 4 servings)

Image Courtesy Curtis Stone.

Ingredients

For the quinoa:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 shallot, finely diced
1 clove garlic, finely diced
2 cups uncooked quinoa
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

For the vinaigrette:
¾ tablespoon shallots, finely diced
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped

For the salad:
½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
½ cup English cucumber, peeled, seeded and small diced
¼ cup red bell pepper, medium diced
1 cup baby arugula

Directions

Heat medium saucepan over medium high heat, add olive oil and sweat shallot for 2 minutes stirring constantly. Add garlic and cook for additional 2 minutes. Add quinoa and stir to coat with shallot and garlic, then add in stock and bring to simmer.

Reduce heat to simmer gently for about 15 to 20 minutes or until quinoa is tender but not mushy. Remove quinoa from pot to sheet-pan to cool. Once cool, fluff quinoa with fork and reserve.

To make vinaigrette, place shallots and vinegar in medium mixing bowl. While whisking, slowly drizzle in olive oil. Add parsley and season vinaigrette with salt and pepper to taste. In separate large mixing bowl, combine cooled quinoa, tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, and arugula and toss to mix. Drizzle in enough of vinaigrette to lightly coat and season salad to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate covered, then transport in cooler. To serve, spoon the salad onto 4 serving plates and serve immediately.

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1/2 cup diced red peppers
• 1/2 cup diced green peppers
• 1/2 cup diced tomatoes (or halved cherry/grape tomatoes)
• 1/2 cup cucumbers
• 1/2 cup pine nuts
• 1/4 cup diced scallions
• 1/4 cup sliced Kalamata olives
• 3 ounces feta cheese
• 4 ounces bottled or homemade Greek-style salad dressing

Ingredients for optional homemade dressing

• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 t minced garlic
• 1/2 t basil
• 1/2 t oregano
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cook the quinoa according to the directions on the package. (Tip: Use chicken stock instead of water for added flavor.) Transfer cooked quinoa to a large bowl and let cool.

While quinoa cools, chop peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, scallions, and olives.

After quinoa has reached room temperature, stir in all chopped ingredients. Add the crumbled feta cheese and the pine nuts.

If you’re making your own dressing, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients.

Pour dressing (bottled or homemade) over quinoa mixture and toss well.

Cover the salad and allow to flavor in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. Serve cold.