Keen on quinoa: top this versatile grain with a spicy seafood stew - Food: Weeknight

Sunset, April, 2003 by Charity Ferreira

A quick-cooking, high-protein grain from Peru, quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is available in many supermarkets right alongside rice. Its mild, nutty taste and fluffy but chewy texture make it a good foil for spicy foods. Complement quinoa with the Peruvian flavors of potatoes and seafood in tomato sauce. A salad of sliced avocados, tangerines, and radishes drizzled with a simple vinaigrette makes a refreshing starter or side dish. After dinner, try a tropical banana split: coconut ice cream, sliced bananas, and caramel sauce.

Spicy Seafood Stew

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 50 minutes

NOTES: To have quinoa and stew ready at the same time, start quinoa once you've added the potatoes to the stew (step 1). Small squid (calamari) are sold cleaned and cut into rings at many specialty stores and seafood markets.

MAKES: 4 servings

  1 tablespoon olive oil
  1 onion (8 oz.), peeled, halved, and thinly slivered lengthwise
  2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  1 can (32 oz.) diced or crushed tomatoes
  8 ounces red or white thin-skinned potatoes (about 1 in. wide),
    scrubbed and quartered
  1 or 2 fresh hot green chilies such as jalapenos, rinsed,
    stemmed, seeded, and minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
 12 ounces shelled, deveined shrimp (31 to 40 per lb.), rinsed
  8 ounces tilapia or other white- fleshed fish,
    rinsed and cut into 1-inch chunks
  4 ounces fresh or thawed frozen calamari rings
    (optional; see notes), rinsed
  2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
    Cooked quinoa (recipe follows)

1. Heat oil in a 5- to 6-quart pan over medium-high heat; add onion and garlic and stir often until onion is very limp, 8 to 10 minutes. Add tomatoes, 1 1/2 cups water, potatoes, chilies, cumin, chili powder, and salt; increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until potatoes are tender when pierced, 20 to 25 minutes.

2. Stir in seafood, if using. Cover and simmer until shrimp and fish are opaque but still moist-looking in the center of thickest part (cut to test), 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in cilantro. Spoon quinoa onto rimmed plates; top with stew

Per serving of seafood stew: 262 cal., 24% (62 cal.) from fat; 32 g protein; 6.9 g fat (0.8 g sat.); 19 g carbo (4.4 g fiber); 823 mg sodium; 156 mg chol.

Cooked quinoa. In a 3- to 4-quart pan over high heat, bring 3 cups water to a boil. In a strainer, rinse 11/2 cups quinoa under running water; drain thoroughly. Add quinoa and 1/4 teaspoon salt to pan with boiling water. Adjust heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook until water is absorbed and quinoa is tender to bite, 20 to 25 minutes. Makes 5 cups; about 4 servings.

Per serving: 238 cal., 14% (33 cal.) from fat; 8.4 g protein; 3.7 g fat (0.4 g sat.); 44 g carbo (3.8 g fiber); 156 mg sodium; 0 mg chol.

Go with the grain

Here are other ideas for using quinoa in fast, balanced meals.

* Try the versatile grain as a side dish in place of couscous or rice.

* Combine cooked quinoa with cooked vegetables for a cold or warm salad.

* Toss quinca with a little balsamic vinegar and some chopped herbs to serve alongside meat, chicken, or fish.

* Use quinca as a bed for saucy mixtures of meat or vegetables.