Fresh & Fast Vegetarian_ Recipes That Make a Meal - Marie Simmons [87]
To cook pilaf-style Heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in a medium skillet. Add ½ to 1 cup chopped onion and cook over medium heat, stirring, until the onion is golden, about 5 minutes. Add 1½ cups medium- or coarse-grain bulgur and 1 grated garlic clove (optional) and stir to heat and coat the bulgur with the oil. Add 2 cups water and ½ to 1 teaspoon coarse salt and bring to a boil. Cook, covered, over low heat until the water is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Let stand, covered, off the heat for 5 minutes.
COUSCOUS
Although we think of couscous as a grain, it is a pasta made from durum wheat semolina mixed with water and salt and rubbed into tiny pellets. (The larger pellets are called Israeli couscous.) Traditionally, couscous, a Moroccan specialty, is steamed over boiling water in a specially designed pot called a couscousière. The package directions on the couscous available in our markets tell us to simply soak it in boiling water until all the water is absorbed. The problem with this method is that it reconstitutes the couscous but doesn't really cook it. The result is raw-tasting. My solution is to heat the couscous in boiling water for a few minutes and then let it stand in the boiling water until all the water is absorbed. This brief cooking creates a slightly lighter, fluffier couscous.
Basic Preparation
Couscous Stir 1 cup whole wheat couscous and ½ teaspoon coarse salt into 2 cups boiling water and cook for 2 minutes. Let stand, covered, off the heat for 10 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork. Do not stir.
Israeli Couscous Cook in a specific measurement of water (see the package directions). Or cook it like pasta in plenty of boiling salted water until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and toss with olive oil that has been heated with 1 grated garlic clove until sizzling or with chopped onion that has been slowly cooked in olive oil until golden. For Sources, see [>].
FARRO
Farro, or emmer wheat, is a round, chewy fat grain with a mild flavor reminiscent of barley. It is excellent in soup or salads, as a side dish or as a main and is especially satisfying with a vegetable or bean sauce. Imported from Italy, farro is available in many upscale markets, specialty markets and health food stores and is more expensive than other grains. For Sources, see [>].
Basic Preparation
Cook farro in plenty of boiling salted water, like pasta. If the label reads "semi perlato," or pearled, most of the bran has been removed, and the grain will cook in 20 to 30 minutes. To be on the safe side, begin tasting after 15 minutes of cooking. 1 cup dry farro yields about 3 cups cooked.
QUINOA
Quinoa (pronounced "keen-wah") is often lumped in with grains, but botanically it's more closely related to beets and spinach than to wheat or other grains. Native to South America, quinoa was considered the "mother grain" by the Incas. An excellent source of protein, these tiny beads are quick-cooking and a boon to the vegetarian kitchen. They are tasty, with a pleasant, nutty flavor and a great little crunch. Quinoa comes in tan, red and black varieties, with the tan and red being most prevalent.
Red quinoa is the same as the tan except for its rusty brown outer layer and slightly earthier taste. Preparation—rinsing and cooking—is the same as for the tan. You can use the two colors interchangeably in recipes or use half tan and half red for an interesting contrast. Found mostly in upscale markets and health food stores, red quinoa is sold either in bulk or in 12-ounce boxes.
For Sources, see [>].
Basic Preparation
To rinse Unlike other grains, quinoa must be rinsed to remove saponin, the naturally occurring bitter-tasting compound