Buckwheat, Quinoa & Rice Salad with Clementine, Tuna & Tomatoes
Pseudocereal (so͞oˈdō-sîrˌē-əl) n. Any of several plants, that do not belong to the grass family but produce fruit and seeds used as flour for bread and other staples.
I never encountered this word before until I bought some quinoa and buckwheat from the world market. Both are very nutritious and gluten free. I'm still finding out different ways to cook the quinoa and there seems to be a vast world behind this ancient pseudocereal from South America. On the other hand, I am familiar with buckwheat because I like torta di grano saraceno or buckwheat cake which is one of the typical cakes of Alto Aldige in northern Italy.
Because we went from winter straight to summer since last week, I had been preparing more cold salads for lunch to enjoy under the olive trees. After being stuck indoors all throughout winter, the kids developed this unshakeable indoor allergy. It's picnic everyday in our household.
The
juice of the clementine gave the salad a wonderful slight scent &
taste. Tomatoes and basil are THE ingredients in summer salads. I
already have a long pot of basil plants ready for the spring and summer
plates. And our tomato project is still under deliberation. We had
maintained tomato patches the past summers but we often ask ourselves if
it is worth all the gardening work or should we just be more practical
and buy them?
Buckwheat, Quinoa & Rice Salad with Clementine, Tuna & Tomatoes
Ingredients:Serves 4
- 150 g. or 1 cup buckwheat, quinoa & rice mixture
- 120 g. cherry tomatoes, quartered
- bunch of basil, finely chopped
- 120 g. canned tuna
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt & pepper
- 3 tablespoons capers
- 1 clementine, juice only
- Boil a pot of water. When the water starts to boil, add some salt & the buckwheat, quinoa & rice mixture. Cook for 12 minutes or until mixture is cooked. Immediately add cold water to stop the cooking. Drain. Transfer to a big bowl.
- Add the tomatoes, capers, tuna & basil.
- Squeeze the juice of one clementine.
- Season with salt & pepper. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.
