The Dish: Marathon Food -- Quinoa Salad

Quinoa Salad with Roasted Beets, Asparagus & Shrimp
Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 lb. raw shrimp
1 bunch asparagus
3 bunch assorted baby beets
1 bunch spring garlic
2 cups dry quinoa
4 cups chicken stock or water
6 cloves of garlic
6 sprigs of fresh thyme
¼ oz. fresh basil
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
½ cup whole almonds
¾ cup olive oil
kosher salt
black pepper

Procedure:

Wash 2 cups quinoa
Toast quinoa in a sauté pan @ 350 for 15 minutes
Bring stock or water to boil in a medium sauce pan, add toasted quinoa and stir
Turn heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes
Turn heat off and steep for an additional 15 minutes
Transfer to a clean bowl and refrigerate uncovered until cool
Cut 1 ½ -2 inches off bottoms of asparagus
Blanch asparagus for 1 minute in salted water, drain water, cool asparagus in a ice batch for 5 minutes, drain water, refrigerate
Cut stems off beets, season with salt, pepper and olive oil
Roast in a small baking dish with fresh thyme and garlic @ 350 for 30-35 minutes covered
Cool, remove skin, quarter beets
Roast almonds @ 350 for 10 minutes
Cut ends and tops off spring garlic, blanch in salted water-refrigerate
Cook shrimp in salted water for 4-5 minutes until cooked-refrigerate
Lemon Vinaigrette-add ¼ cup lemon juice to a small mixing bowl, wisk in ½ cup olive oil, ½ tsp. salt, pinch of black pepper & julienne basil
Cut asparagus on the bias, cut shrimp lengthwise, cut beets in quarters, cut spring garlic in 1 in. pieces
Prepare salad by adding cooked quinoa, bias cut asparagus, shrimp, beets, almonds, and spring garlic in a bowl
Add vinaigrette and mix lightly-place in serving plate or bowl and serve

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