Quinoa Salad with Fresh Hearts of Palm (Ensalada de Quinoa con Chonta)

Ingredients

• 0.5 cup flat parsley packed
• 0.5 pound hearts of palm fresh (see cooks' note, below)
• 0.3 cup olive oil 
• 1 cup quinoa 
• 0.5 cup onion red finely chopped
• 0.3 cup red-wine vinegar 

Equipment

• bowl
• whisk
• pot
• sieve
• kitchen towels

Directions

1. Wash quinoa in 3 changes of cold water in a bowl, draining in a fine-mesh sieve. Cook quinoa in a medium pot of well-salted boiling water, uncovered, until almost tender, about 10 minutes.
2. Drain in sieve, then set sieve over same pot above 1 inch of simmering water (water should not touch bottom of sieve). Cover quinoa with a folded kitchen towel (not terry cloth), then cover with a lid (don’t worry if lid doesn’t fit tightly) and steam until tender, fluffy, and dry, about 15 minutes.
3. Let stand off heat, without lid but still covered with towel, 5 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, soak onion in a bowl of cold water 5 minutes, then drain well and pat very dry.
5. Trim ends of hearts of palm, then cut crosswise into very thin slices with slicer.
6. Whisk together vinegar, oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Toss quinoa, onion, hearts of palm, and parsley with dressing.
7. Concha y Torro Terrunyo
8. Casablanca Valley Sauvignon Blanc '07
9. •You can substitute 1 (1/2-pounds) chayote for the fresh hearts of palm. Pit the chayote and cut into matchsticks (2 cups). •Quinoa can be cooked 1 day ahead and chilled. Bring to room temperature before proceeding.•Quinoa salad can be assembled 1 hour ahead.
10. Calories 101, Total fat2g, Saturated Fat 0g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 877mg, Carbohydrate 17g, Fiber2g, Protein 4g
11. Nutrition Data
12. See Nutrition Data's complete analysis of this recipe ›