Yesterday’s work from home lunch. I adapted this from the avocado, quinoa & broad bean salad from the Ottolenghi book Plenty. Fresh broad beans are always difficult to track down in Berlin so I subbed edamame. Adding the broccoli makes it feel more substantial, and I’ve reduced the lemon juice, garlic and cumin too. This makes a generous four portions, and it keeps for a couple of days.
Quinoa, broccoli, edamame, avocado, radish salad
200 g quinoa
500 g water
1 cup frozen edamame
400 g broccoli, chopped into bitesized pieces
A few radishes, finely sliced
1 perfectly ripe avocado
1 lemon
1 clove of garlic, peeled and with the core removed
75 ml evoo
0.5 tsp ground cumin
Salt
Place the quinoa in a saucepan with the water and a decent pinch of salt, and cover with a lid. Bring to the boil and then lower the heat to medium-low and cook for 9-10 minutes. At the end of cooking check that all the water is absorbed, if not adjust the cooking time. When all the water is absorbed, turn off the heat but leave on the hot stove with the lid on and steam for another 5 mins. Spread the quinoa over a large tray, or place in a big bowl and allow to cool.
Add the chopped broccoli and edamame to a pan with a bit of water covering the bottom. Season with salt, place a lid on the pot and place over a high heat. When boiling, cook for 2-3 mins or until the broccoli is just tender. Drain and allow to cool.
Top and tail the lemon, and set it upright on a chopping board. With a sharp knife gently cut the skin and the pith off all the way around. Slide your knife in close to the membrane between segments and lift out the flesh, putting it into a bowl. Repeat until you have all the flesh removed and squeeze any remaining juice from the membrane into the bowl. Remove any seeds. Chop the garlic into chunks and grind in a mortar and pestle with a pinch of coarse salt until you get a paste. Add this to the lemon and mix. Slice the avocado thinly and gently toss in the lemon and garlic mixture.
In a large salad bowl toss the quinoa, cooked edamame and broccoli, radish, and avocado mixture together along with the evoo, cumin, and salt (I find just shy of 0.5 tsp of salt is good). Serve at room temperature.
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