Steamed beet with black quinoa

Enjoy all the health benefits of cooked beets along with the protein and other nutrients of quinoa in this easy-to-make, colourful dish which can be used as a meal in itself, as well as a side dish. Despite the ease, once again, this is slow cooking, with preparations requiring planning and time.

Steamed beet with black quinoa

                                                                               Yield: 2 - 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 medium-sized beet, stalks removed

1 bay leaf

2-3 cups water

Hydrating celeriac

1 large sweet white onion

1 hydrated celeriac with stalks and leaves attached

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon ghee (clarified butter)

½ cup  black quinoa

¾ cup water

Dressing

2 tbsp. chopped celeriac stalks and leaves

2 tbsp. chopped cilantro

3-4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

¼ teaspoon brown sugar

sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Preparation:

1. Thoroughly wash whole celeriac. Immerse celeriac in a deep container of cold water to hydrate. (It is preferable that this is done the day prior to making this recipe.)

2. Thoroughly wash beet. Place whole beet root and bay leaf in steamer basket in a pressure cooker. Add 2-3 cups water. Bring the pressure cooker to a boil (following instructions in your manual). Reduce heat to medium and cook beet for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave pressure cooker to rest until the safety latch is released. Remove beet to an air-tight container to cool. Discard bay leaf and pot liquor.

3. Meanwhile, rinse quinoa. Bring ¾ cup water to boil in a small pot. Add quinoa. Return to the boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Simmer, covered, for 15 - 20 minutes. Turn heat off, leaving quinoa to cook and absorb the remaining water.

4. Cut away ¼ of a large sweet white onion. Peel. Chop into a small dice, producing approximately ½ cup.

5. Cut away ¼ of the celeriac (the root only). Peel. Chop into a small dice, producing approximately ½ cup. Add to onion dice.

Diced steamed beet root

6. Slip skin off beet. Cut beet into small dice.

Sauteing onion and celeriac dice

7. Heat olive oil and ghee in saute pan over medium heat. Add onion and celery root dice. Saute until onion turns translucent. 

8. Fold 1 cup cooked quinoa into the onion and celery root mixture. Heat through.

1 cup cooked black quinoa

Black quinoa, onion and celeriac

9. Add diced beet. Raise heat to medium. Cook and stir for 5 minutes. 

10. Turn out into a serving dish. 

Steamed beet root with black quinoa

Dressing:

Snip away two stalks with leaves from celeriac. Chop into small dice. Chop cilantro. Add to diced celeriac leaves and stalks. Add vinegar, brown sugar, sea salt and pepper.  Stir. Serve as an accompaniment in a small bowl.