The Quinoa, Asparagus, Swiss Chard, and Sorrel Buddha Bowl is a feature dish on The Dirty Apron’s deli menu, and in our new Vibrantly Vegan class. It’s packed with nutrition, flavour, and texture.
Vibrantly Vegan was born out of demand. Vancouverites are increasingly looking for a flavour-first approach to healthy fare and a range of diets. Our goal is to develop dishes that even dedicated carnivores will find delicious and satisfying, and bust the myth that you have to go hungry, or sacrifice taste, to eat vegetable-forward.
The Buddha Bowl screams West Coast; it’s a one-pot wonder highlighting local and seasonal sorrel, zucchini, Swiss chard, and garlic, with nods to Asia and Peru. That’s why we’re featuring it during Fresh, Local and Wild—Celebrating Canadian Cuisine from Coast to Coast, a week of Canuck-inspired cooking classes starting June 26, 2017 in celebration of Canada’s 150th anniversary of confederation. These courses highlight global cultural influences, a mix of culinary traditions, and iconic flavours—everything that makes Canadian cuisine diverse and delicious.
The Dirty Apron’s Quinoa, Asparagus, Swiss Chard, and Sorrel Buddha Bowl
Serves four.
Ingredients
1⁄2 zucchini, thinly sliced
4 sticks of asparagus, cut in 1⁄2 lengthwise
2 leaves Swiss chard, finely torn
2 green onions, chopped
1⁄4 leek, ¼-inch sliced rounds—white part only
1 clove garlic, slivered
20 millilitres soy sauce
250 millilitres cooked quinoa (see recipe below)
6 sprigs Italian parsley
30 millilitres toasted sunflower seeds
30 millilitres toasted pumpkin seeds
125 millilitres sorrel, loosely packed
1 lemon, juiced
2 radishes, thinly sliced
250 millilitres deep-fried quinoa (see recipe below)
Quinoa
Yield: 600 millilitres.
Ingredients
250 millilitres quinoa
375 millilitres water
25 millilitres salt
Method
Place quinoa in a bowl, and wash and rinse until the water runs clean.
Place quinoa in a small pot and add measured water and salt.
Bring to a light simmer over a medium heat.
Once at a simmer, turn the stove to low, cover the pot with a lid, and cook quinoa for 15 minutes.
Afterwards, turn heat off and let sit with the lid on for another 15 minutes.
Deep-fried quinoa
Ingredients
1 cup quinoa, cooked
1 litre canola oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
Heat canola oil in a suitable pot for deep-frying to 350 Fahrenheit.
Prepare a baking tray with paper towel and have a fine mesh strainer on hand.
Once oil has reached 350 Fahrenheit, place cooked quinoa into the oil and deep-fry until golden brown and crunchy.
Remove from oil and place onto a baking tray lined with paper towel.
Season with salt and pepper.
Buddha Bowl Method
In a sauce pot over medium-high heat, add olive oil, zucchini, and asparagus.
Once they start to brown, flip over and add slivered garlic and leeks.
Season with salt and pepper and continue to sauté, occasionally stirring for approximately one minute.
Add the quinoa to the pan, carefully folding into the sautéed vegetables.
Turn off the heat and add the soy sauce, Swiss chard, Italian parsley, sorrel, green onion, and lemon juice.
Fold together and season with salt and pepper.
Just before plating, add one-half of the deep-fried quinoa, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds.
Plate and garnish with slivered radishes and the remaining quinoa.
Try it at home. Get more recipes.
