Three times good Grains

Ingredients

1 cup of forbidden – black – rice (we got it at Safeway) with 1 ¾ cups water

1 cup of bhutanese rice (we got it at Safeway) with 1 ½ cups water

1 ½  cups of quinoa (we got it at Whole Foods) RINSE this first in a fine mesh sieve,  till water runs clear. Then with 2 ¼ cups of water.

2 tbsp olive oil

1 ½  tbsp vinegar

1 bunch of spring onions diced

1 small bunch of parsley, washed and minced

1 cup of dried sweetened cranberries

optional (we did not include this today)  you can add raisins, dates, nuts of all kinds.

salt and pepper to taste

What to do

In a large pot  combine all the grains and the water. You have to wash the quinoa first because it naturally has a bitter coating – to deter nibbling rodents - . If you rinse it properly that coating will be removed.  Bring the water to a boil, keep it on high for about 3-4 minutes. Turn the heat as low as possible and cover the pot. Leave it  on until all the water has been absorbed.  Turn it off and let stand for 5 minutes. In a large bowl,  mix the olive oil and the vinegar, add the onions, parsley and cranberries.  Add the three grain mix and serve as a side dish to almost anything.

This recipe was inspired by last week’s article in the food section of the Washington Post about complex whole grains and also by the traditional ‘cereal grain dish’ sometimes served at the occasion of Chinese New Year!

This is the 8^th recipe of Mr. Welsh’s  Class Cooks 2005-06,             January 26, 2006