Aug 31, 2015 in gluten free quinoa recipes, gluten free recipes, quinoa recipes, quinoa salad recipes, recipes, salad recipes, vegan quinoa recipes, vegetarian quinoa recipes, epicurious, outofthekitchen. Read the original on: Wendy Polisi
This post appears in the Personal Touches in the Kitchen challenge.
This is a sponsored conversation brought to you by Epicurious. All opinions are my own.
There are some things I never order in a restaurant.
One of them is quinoa.
After two cookbooks and some 800 quinoa recipes to my credit, the appeal just isn’t there.
When I’m eating out I want something special. When you eat as much quinoa as I do, it becomes more staple and less special.
There is one place I make an exception and that is George’s at Alys Beach simply because they know how to make something I eat so often feel special.
As part to the Epicurious series “Personal Touches in the Kitchen”, I was asked to share with you an experience I’ve had as a diner that transformed the way that I do things in the kitchen.
Immediately George’s came to mind.
George’s is a cozy restaurant across the street from the beach in the upscale community of Alys Beach, Florida. It is neither pretentious nor fancy, but rather the comfortable kind of place you find yourself going to again and again.
The recipes were crafted with love by the original owners, Ann and George Hartley. One of the most interesting things about the menu is that it is divided into a Behave section and a Misbehave section. No matter what your mood or dietary restriction, it is easy to find something delicious at George’s.
When we are in the area, we try to make it in for lunch at least once
a week. When the weather is nice, I love sitting outside on the front
porch or in the courtyard. Afterwards, we will take a stroll to the
beach.
The service is exceptional, and when in residence Ann always took the
time to stop by an chat. The personal service, casual atmosphere and
exceptional food make George’s a stand out in an area known for its many
great restaurants.
I have to confess that I actually tried the quinoa by accident, when my husband suggested we split the Dab Salad as an appetizer.
I had never heard of such a salad – which is a long plate with a dab of each of the day’s chalkboard salads – and couldn’t resist.
I didn’t know it would become an obsession of mine.
There is something wonderful about a plate filled with so many different textures tastes. Everything from hummus, to tomato salad, potato salad, pickled cucumbers and more. I’d never before thought to make so many different salads and enjoy them all together, but since we’ve been going to George’s, this has become my favorite way to eat. (Though admittedly, I typically go with just three or four different salads at home for the sake of simplicity.)
I was shocked to find that one of my favorite parts of the Dab Salad is
the Rice and Quinoa Citrus Salad. One bite and I knew I had to get the
recipe to share with you. When I asked for the recipe, Ann, with her
typical warmth, ran to the kitchen to make a copy for me. We had spoken
many times, but that day I learned about the chef that inspired her and
her husband (Yotam Ottolenghi) and about the story behind the
restaurants logo. I found myself getting a bit inspired too.
I love everything about this recipe. The bright notes of the citrus,
the bite of the arugula garnish and the texture of the pistachios. It
does make a lot, so if you are cooking for one you might want to
consider making a half recipe.
The original recipe called for Bhutanese red rice, which I wasn’t able to find. I settled on black rice instead. I would have loved to have used the dried apricots that the recipe called for, but again I wasn’t able to find them. I found dried mango to be a lovely substitute.
Learn more about how exceptional dining experiences and personal touches transform the way we do things in the kitchen on Bon Appetit’s Out of the Kitchen Series.
Rice & Quinoa Citrus Salad
Lightly Adapted with Permission from George’s at Alys Beach
Ingredients
Instructions
Want to meet purveyors who are making a difference with their customers? Check out BonAppetit.com’s “Out of the Kitchen”, an ongoing exploration of the relationships that build and sustain the food industry. See how hyper-local food markets operate and how their focus on quality and service keep customers coming back for more.
Read the original on: Wendy Polisi
Blogger, Recipe Developer, Cookbook Author and Homeschooling Mom to three.