Last weekend I made quiche for a brunch and while it was good, it wasn't great; the recipe needed work. But then when I thought about the stick of butter that was used in the crust, and the 12 ounces of heavy cream that were used in the custard, not to mention the cheese that was stirred into the custard, it occured to me that perfecting a quiche recipe is not the way to go at all. Better to work on perfecting a salad -- a salad so good that you crave it.
Also, a salad that you can take to work for lunch, preferably one that you can make beforehand and happily eat for a day -- or two or three. My rate of packing a lunch for work becomes much higher if I'm not making a salad each day. This was my lunch for three days this week and it held up suprisingly well.
Mango is the star of this salad as far as I'm concerned. Quinoa in of itself wouldn't hold my interest but makes an excellent foil for the mango and spicy dressing. Watercress has a peppery leaf which also adds an element of contrast. Watercress's other virtue is that the sturdy leaf holds up so well. Four days after it was made the leaves were not at all wilted. I don't tear or cut the leaves either which I think helps in preventing wilting.
Roasting the peppers for this is a step I skipped because it would have increased the preparation time and roasting peppers is a pain. However, roasted peppers absorb the dressing better. On the other hand, unroasted peppers add a nice crunch.
The recipe is adapted from Raising the Salad Bar and the original recipe used chickpeas rather than quinoa. Raising the Salad Bar is a terrific book full of excellent inspiration. As I leaf through it I find myself drawn to almost every recipe.
Quinoa, Watercress and Mango Salad with Lime-Curry Vinaigrette
serves 3-4
1 cup quinoa, rinsed thoroughly if not using pre-rinsed quinoa
1 mango, diced
1 red pepper, roasted, seeded, ribs removed, and diced (or skip the roasting)
1 bunch watercress, stems removed
Lime-Curry Vinaigrette
2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon honey or brown sugar
4 tablespoons canola oil
Salt and pepper
1. Whisk the vinaigrette ingedients together and set aside
2. Put quinoa, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1 1/2 cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover pan and cook for 13 to 15 minutes, until water is absorbed. Turn off the heat and let the quinoa sit until it has cooled completely.
3. Toss the quinoa with enough dressing to moisten. Taste for salt and add if needed. Add the watercress, mango, and peppers and toss, adding enough additional dressing to lightly coat. Grind a little black pepper over all, taste again for seasoning. Serve.
What a beautiful mix of awesome flavors. and hey- that quiche was DELICIOUS!! hush. :-D
Posted by: Elkizabeth | February 28, 2009 at 06:23 AM
This looks amazing. It is so good to see colorful food in the middle of this long winter. Thanks for the inspiration.
Posted by: Tim | February 28, 2009 at 07:25 AM
ohh. that lime curry sounds so good!
Posted by: Heather | February 28, 2009 at 08:24 AM
i love quinoa. this is a good recipe that can easily be varied with different beans and spices. http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Quinoa-with-Grilled-Zucchini-Garbanzo-Beans-and-Cumin-242997
Posted by: michaela | February 28, 2009 at 08:25 AM
Yum. I'm definitely going to try this.
Posted by: Kelly | February 28, 2009 at 10:33 AM
I am not ashamed to admit my fondness for Rachel Ray who uses "canned" [=jarred] roasted peppers in her dishes. Why wouldn't that work for this?
Posted by: Baltimore Lurker | February 28, 2009 at 11:24 AM
Looks delicious, and knowing it can hold up over a few days seals the deal. I love a hearty salad for lunch at work. I keep a big glass bowl in my desk for that and soups. Desk lunches are much nicer if you have a proper place setting instead of plastic.
Posted by: Kitt | March 01, 2009 at 12:38 AM
The quiche was delish!!! And now I know what you did with the leftover mango!
Posted by: pigtown*design | March 01, 2009 at 08:43 AM
That sounds like a great salad. I haven't been baking quiche, but I did spend a week trying to iron the bugs out of a recipe for Tarte Tatin. Maybe it's time for a salad week. :)
Posted by: adele | March 01, 2009 at 12:36 PM
Oh wow... it's colorful and looks so delish :)
Posted by: Selba | March 01, 2009 at 05:27 PM
salad sounds excellent
i really want to try
all i need is some mangos and limes and watercress
and i'll be at whole foods tomorrow
it could happen
Posted by: claudia (cook eat FRET) | March 02, 2009 at 07:12 AM
Fabulous combination!!! It looks so fresh!!
Posted by: Jennifer | March 02, 2009 at 04:42 PM
What a nice, summery salad -- and one we can actually make in the middle of winter! I love quinoa and am really trying to incorporate it into my diet more often.
Posted by: Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) | March 02, 2009 at 05:53 PM
This looks great. I love trying new recipes with quinoa as it seems to be one of the new super foods. Thanks for this!
Posted by: angelaineurope | March 04, 2009 at 02:22 PM
I just love fresh salad with cooked grains, and this one has all of my favorite flavors tossed in. It's just so lovely for a bright and cheerful.
Posted by: Susan from Food Blogga | March 04, 2009 at 07:17 PM
I am loving Quinoa lately - great to find another recipe to use it!
Posted by: finsmom | March 05, 2009 at 07:09 PM
This salad looks great! I love that cookbook and have tried many salads but not this one. The cover recipe (the avocado & arugula one) is nice, but my favorite might be the pesto chicken BLT salad. Probably one of the least healthiest in the book, vs the one you've cooked here which is so good for you :)
Great photos too, thanks for sharing.
Posted by: KT | March 11, 2009 at 05:37 AM
I made this (with a few adjustments) and it was fantastic. Thanks for the idea!
Posted by: angelaineurope | March 15, 2009 at 04:25 AM
Amazing colors! Some dishes are almost too beautiful to eat. Almost! I will try very soon...
Posted by: Dirk | March 16, 2009 at 05:17 AM
Love this blog! im going to add it to my fave blog list on my blog.
Christina
www.takebackthetable.blogspot.com
Posted by: Christina | March 16, 2009 at 01:32 PM
This looks excellent. I'm going to have to give this one a try!
Posted by: inadobo | March 24, 2009 at 10:24 AM
So many nice textures.. I bet the semi-crunchy quinoa goes great with creamy mangoes.
Posted by: Jude | March 24, 2009 at 11:14 PM
That quiche sounds delicious...I have gotta try this... right away M gonna get the ingredients from www.myethnicworld.com.
Posted by: Dawn Smith | March 29, 2009 at 09:59 AM
I've wondered about that cookbook. Maybe I'll give it a go!
Posted by: RecipeGirl | March 31, 2009 at 08:12 AM
I'm trying this tonight as a test recipe for Passover!
Posted by: zahavah | April 03, 2009 at 12:39 PM
ooh mango is my favorite fruit! This sounds like such a refreshing meal!
Posted by: Olga | April 20, 2009 at 08:53 AM
The salad looks delicious..sounds like a lovely way..all i need to get some of the ingredients...right away i'm gonna get the ingredients from www.myethnicworld.com and try it this weekend...thanks.
Posted by: Dawn Smith | May 29, 2009 at 10:55 AM
I'm bookmarking this—am looking for a good quinoa recipe to use up my stash.
Posted by: maggie (p&c) | June 12, 2009 at 05:32 AM