Quinoa Pilaf With Sweet Peas and Green Garlic

Quinoa’s grassy flavor is beautifully complemented here by the sweet vegetables that are appearing in farmers’ markets.

Ingredients

• ⅔ cup quinoa
• ¾ cup shelled fresh peas (1 pound unshelled)
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 leek, white and light green part only, halved, cleaned of sand and sliced thin
• 1 bulb green garlic, tough stalk cut away and papery shells removed, sliced thin
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
• 1 tablespoon chopped chives
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, or a combination of parsley and tarragon
• Freshly ground pepper

• Nutritional Information

  • Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

    295 calories; 9 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 43 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 11 grams protein; 17 milligrams sodium

  Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
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4 to 6 servings

Preparation

1. Bring a medium pot of lightly salted water to a boil and add the peas. Turn the heat down to medium and simmer until tender, 4 to 10 minutes, depending on the size and freshness. Place a strainer over a bowl and drain the peas. Measure out 2 cups of the cooking water (add fresh water if necessary), return to the pot, add salt to taste, bring to a boil and add the quinoa. When the water comes back to a boil, cover, reduce the heat and simmer 15 minutes, or until the quinoa is tender and, in the case of white quinoa, displays a thread. Remove from the heat, drain through a strainer and return to the pot. Cover the pot with a clean dish towel and return the lid. Let sit 15 minutes.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-low heat in a wide, heavy skillet and add the leek and sliced green garlic. Add a generous pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until tender, fragrant and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the quinoa and peas to the pan and toss together with the remaining olive oil for about 2 minutes, taking care not to mash the peas. Add the fresh herbs, grind in some pepper, taste and adjust seasoning, and serve.

• Advance preparation: You can cook the peas and the quinoa up to a few days ahead (though the peas will lose much of their sweetness) and keep in the refrigerator.

About 1 hour