In the Andean city of Cuzco, I watched as the street vendors prepared humitas, yellow-corn tamales wrapped in cornhusks and steamed the same way Mexican tamales are made. As the vendor quickly formed smooth mounds of the cornmeal, I couldn’t help but think of how I would mold meatloaf. Then I remembered the main ingredient from my meal the previous night: quinoa. I decided to marry the two in this signature dish. It’s full of protein and absolutely delicious—the perfect alternative to the same old meatloaf. Serve 6–8
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 medium jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
11/2 cups cooked quinoa (see note below)
1 pound ground turkey
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 large egg, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease an 81/2-by-41/2-by-21/2-inch glass loaf pan.
2. In a heavy medium skillet heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and jalapeño and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add cumin and cook for 1 minute more. Transfer to large bowl.
3. Combine in the large bowl cooked quinoa, turkey, basil, chives, tomato paste, egg, salt, and pepper, and mix thoroughly.
4. Transfer to prepared loaf pan. Bake 1 hour, turn the oven off, and let meatloaf rest for 10 minutes more. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Slice and serve.
Note: To cook quinoa, place 1/2 cup quinoa in a fine-mesh sieve; rinse and drain well. In a medium saucepan, combine 1/2 cup quinoa and 1 cup water or any type of stock. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until all of the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. The quinoa is done when all the grains have turned from white to transparent and the spiral-like germ of the grain is visible. This portion yields 11/2 cups cooked quinoa.
Make-ahead tip: Quinoa can be cooked a day ahead and stored, covered, in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Excerpted from Nirmala’s Edible Diary by Nirmala Narine. Photographs by Diana Delucia. Copyright © 2009 by Nirmala Narine. Excerpted by permission of Chronicle Books. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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