Quinoa Salad with Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Sweet Potatoes & Shallots

Here is a festive take on a typical salad around here; I've done lots of quinoa and other grain-based salads, and lots of salads with roasted vegetables, and lots of salads with fruits and nuts. This one has them all, plus some pretty lively seasonings. 

It was made for a large family gathering, but it's not too fancy to be what's for dinner, and I would think leftovers would hold fairly well. Not that we found out, of course.

6 servings
allow 1 hour 20 minutes for advance cooking
allow 30 minutes to cool vegetables
allow 10 minutes to finish assembling the salad

Cook the Quinoa:
1 cup raw quinoa
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt

Put the ingredients into the rice cooker; turn on and cook. Let cool.

Roast the Vegetables:
500 grams (1 generous pound; probably 2) sweet potatoes
6 to 8 large shallots
300 grams (10 ounces) Brussels sprouts
3 or 4 tablespoons mild vegetable oil
salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375°F. 

Wash and trim the sweet potatoes, and cut them into bite-sized chunks. Put them into a large shallow baking tray and toss them with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Put them into the oven to roast.

Meanwhile, peel and trim the shallots, and cut them into fairly large slivers. When the sweet potatoes have roasted for about 10 minutes, toss them into the sweet potatoes along with another tablespoon of oil.

Wash and trim the Brussels sprouts, and cut them in halves or quarters according to size. Toss them into the roasting vegetables when the sweet potatoes have been roasting for about 20 minutes (i.e. 10 minutes after adding the shallots). Season generously with salt and pepper and continue roasting the vegetables for another 30 to 40 minutes until they are done to your liking - it is a good idea to stir them at least once in the middle of that time.

When the vegetables are roasted, allow them to cool to somewhere between slightly warm and room temperature.

Make the Dressing:
1 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons mild vegetable oil
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon fine hot red chile flakes
salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 or 2 cloves of garlic
the juice of 1 1/2 large limes

Measure the oils and seasonings into a jam jar or small bowl. Peel and mince the garlic finely, and add it. Juice the limes and add the juice to the other ingredients. Mix well or shake together until well blended.

Assemble the Salad:
2/3 cup roasted salted peanuts
2/3 cup dried cranberries

Loosen and break up the cooked quinoa in a large mixing bowl. Add the roasted vegetables and toss to combine. Mix in the roasted peanuts and dried cranberries. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat it in the dressing. Transfer the salad to a large serving bowl and serve.





Last year at this time I made Orecchiette with Brussels Sprouts & Parmesan. 

Posted in: Ontario Food