By Eve Fox,
Serves 4
1 cup quinoa, rinsed well
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion or 1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
1 jalapeno chile, finely diced, seeds removed (if you like spicy food, you can double this 鈥� I'm just a wimp about heat so I cut it in half)
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Roughly 2 cups (3 ears) of corn kernels 鈥� they can be fresh, frozen or cooked
1/2 cup chopped cilantro or fresh sage
1/4 pound feta cheese, cut into small cubes
4 Bell peppers
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1. Bring the water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil then add the quinoa, stir, cover and simmer over low heat until the grains are tender and you see the little curly "tail" of the germ appear, roughly 15 minutes.
2. While the quinoa is cooking, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F., and put another good-sized pot of salted water on to boil 鈥� this will be used to soften the peppers (see step 3 below) so make sure you can fit them all in.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large frying pan and saute the onions or scallions and chiles over medium heat for about 2 minutes, then add the garlic, cumin, corn, and spinach and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes or until the spinach is wilted. Then add the cilantro, quinoa, and feta and toss it all together. Give it a taste and add salt and pepper to your liking.
4. Slice the peppers in half lengthwise without removing the tops or stems, then remove the membranes and the seeds. Simmer them for 4-5 minutes in the salted water until they are tender to the touch of a knife or fork but are not too soft. Arrange them in the baking dish (or dishes) and fill them with the quinoa mixture 鈥� don't skimp! Drizzle the remaining tablespoon of oil over the peppers and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until heated through and lightly browned on top. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.
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