Toasted Red Quinoa with Pickled Vegetables

Photography by Dave Bryce. Styling by Keith Recker. Food and recipes by Curts Gamble, Station. — Photography by Dave Bryce. Styling by Keith Recker.

1.5 cups red quinoa

1 cup red wine

1 cup chopped onion

½ cup chopped scallions, just the whites

¼ c pepitas

¼ cup olive oil

¼ tsp crushed pepperoncino

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

½ tsp ground turmeric

½ cup chopped pickled beets

½ cup chopped pickled carrots

(We like the pickled veggies from Scratch Food and Beverage)

Instructions

In a dry cast iron skillet, toast 1.5 cups red quinoa over medium high heat. Continue stirring for 2 or 3 minutes after the grains begin to pop, then turn off heat and decant into a heat proof bowl to cool.

Add olive oil, onions, pepitas and spices to warm skillet, and cook until onions are tender. Decant into a heat proof bowl.

Put the toasted quinoa back into the skillet. Follow cooking instructions on package. Stir frequently to prevent scorching, particularly as the water is close to evaporating entirely. At that point, if the grains are still quite tough, add another ¼ cup water, and keep stirring. When water has evaporated, add red wine and stir until cooked away.

Add cooked onion mixture and stir until well blended. Add chopped beets and carrots until well combined. Let the dish rest in the skillet, covered, for a few minutes before serving. Drizzle with olive oil prior to eating – or with chili oil if you like spicy foods.