Quinoa, Avocado and Sweet Potato Timbale with Roasted Tomatillo Dressing

related articles

A winter dish from vegan chef Tal Ronnen's cookbook The Conscious Cook: Delicious Meatless Recipes to Change the Way You Eat. (One of The Daily Green's Best Vegetarian and Vegan Cookbooks of 2009!)

INGREDIENTS
For the Quinoa 1 cup quinoa, cooked in vegetable stock according to package directions and cooled to room temperature
1/2 jalapeño, minced
1 tablespoon minced
fresh cilantro

For the Sweet Potatoes
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Tortilla Strips
Canola oil
2 corn tortillas, cut into 1/4-inch strips
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lime
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the Dressing
2 tomatillos in olive oil, skins removed
3 tablespoons plus
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon light agave nectar
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

To Serve
2 avocados, diced
microgreens

PREPARATION

1. Make the quinoa:
Place all of the quinoa ingredients in a medium bowl and toss to combine.

2. Make the sweet potatoes:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a small bowl, toss the sweet potatoes with the oil, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes, or until soft in the middle and lightly browned; be careful not to let the sweet potatoes burn.

3. Make the dressing:
Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. In a small bowl, toss the tomatillos with 1 teaspoon of the oil. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes. Transfer to a food processor; add the vinegar, cilantro and agave nectar, and pulse to combine. With the motor running, pour in the remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a thin stream. Continue blending until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Make the tortilla strips
Pour 2 inches of oil into a small, heavy pot and heat until the oil shimmers. Add the tortilla strips and fry until crisp and browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with the Cajun seasoning.

5. Assemble the salads:
Place a 3-inch ring mold in the center of one of 4 salad plates. Fill with 1/4 of the quinoa mixture and press down with a spoon to pack the mold, smoothing the top. Place 1/4 of the sweet potato pieces on top of the quinoa and press down gently. Top with 1/4 of the avocado and press down gently. Carefully remove the mold. Repeat on the remaining salad plates.

6. Carefully place 2 tortilla strips parallel to each other about 1 inch apart on top of each timbale. Place 2 more tortilla strips perpendicular on top of those. Top the timbales with the microgreens and drizzle the dressing around the timbales.

COMMENTS ()