Savory Amaranth Topping
Not only are amaranth greens nutritious and tasty, but the cooked seeds also make an excellent porridge. In the following, we use this ingredient as a base upon which we create a savory topping that makes a wonderful replacement for ground meat. Note that the amaranth seeds will be quite sticky just after cooking, and that you may want to let this topping rest for a day or two in the refrigerator. Over this time the gooey mouth-feel will disappear. ¾ cup olive oil Heat ½ tablespoon olive oil in deep saucepan over medium heat. Stir in amaranth seeds to coat with oil. Add stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the liquid has been absorbed and the grains are tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let sit for at least 5 minutes. Heat another tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet. Sauté minced garlic for about 30 seconds, then add in the thyme, mushrooms, black pepper and balsamic vinegar. Stirring frequently, cook until most of the released mushroom moisture has cooked away, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and coarsely chop. Heat oven to 300° F and toast sesame seeds in a pan until lightly browned, abut 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool. Mix together the cooked amaranth, chopped cooked mushrooms, grated carrots, and toasted sesame seeds. Make a vinaigrette from the remaining olive oil, sherry vinegar, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Stir into amaranth-mushroom mixture. To make Amaranth Nachos (illustrated), simply layer corn tostada chips with the amaranth topping and cheese. Heat in a 350° F oven until the cheese is melted and has begun to turn brown. Feel free to also layer in cooked black beans. We used Quelites con Frijoles leftovers (see above). Serve with salsa. Archive |
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