Quinoa with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Corn

Chewy bits of sun-dried tomatoes compliment the nutty flavour of quinoa to a tee in this simple but nutritious grain side dish that is fancy enough to compete with the main dish, much like my signature Quinoa Soup. No introduction is required.

Quinoa with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

1 cup of quinoa
2 cups of water or vegetable stock
2 tablespoons of butter or olive oil
6 - 8 sun-dried tomatoes
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 shallots, minced
1 large jalapeno pepper, diced
1/2 cup of corn
1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon of ground coriander
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
1/4 teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper
2 - 3 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley
2 - 3 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese (if desired)

Rinse the quinoa well in a fine strainer. Soak in two cups of water or broth overnight.

Soak the sun-dried tomatoes in warm water for 15 - 20 minutes. Drain, squeeze out excess liquid and chop into small pieces. Heat the oil or butter in a medium pot over medium heat. When hot, add the shallots and garlic and stir and fry for a few minutes. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and jalapenos to the pot, and stir and fry for another few minutes.

Now add the spices, corn, quinoa and soaking liquid, bring to a boil, immediately reduce the heat to low, and cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed.

Let the cooked quinoa sit for five minutes, add the parsley and Parmesan (if using) and fluff with a fork.

Serves 4.