Quinoa Risotto with Prawns & Tomatoes

Quinoa seems to be one of these ever popular "super foods" that have come into the spotlight in recent times. Or maybe that's just me being slow on the uptake. Either way, I quite adore quinoa, and love it's versatility. At home we have used it as a replacement for rice/pasta, in salads, in burgers, and I am eager to try a recipe I've seen for quinoa sushi. 

I came across a recipe for quinoa risotto in a magazine, and found it again online. You can view the original recipe here. I've stuck to the recipe for the most part, but added a few extra vegetables. 

Quinoa Risotto with Prawns & Tomatoes (Serves 4)

Ingredients:

250g punnet of cherry tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tsp caster sugar

1 onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 long red chilli, finely chopped

1 1/2 cups quinoa

1 tbs tomato paste

1/3 cup white wine

2 1/2 cups chicken stock

1-2 cups diced mixed vegetables

20 or so cooked prawns, peeled

dried or fresh oregano

Preheat the oven to 160°C., and place the tomatoes (cut side up) on a baking tray. Drizzle 1 tbsp of the olive oil over the top, and sprinkle over the sugar and some salt. Place in the oven and cook for about 25 minutes, or until soft.

In a large saucepan, heat the remaining olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion, and cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly until soft. Add the garlic and chilli, and cook for another few minutes. Add the quinoa, and stir to coat the grains, then add the tomato paste and wine. Simmer for a minute until the wine is evaporated.

I used tricolour quinoa (a mix of white, red and black) as that was just what I happened to have in the cupboard. It makes it so much more colourful and fun!

Add the stock and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until the quinoa is tender. Add the vegetables a few minutes before the quinoa has completely absorbed the quinoa and allow to soften. Stir through the prawns and cook, then finally add the tomatoes and oregano. 

The addition of the mixed vegetables to the tricolour quinoa made for a very colourful risotto!

Remove from the heat, season and serve!

I love this healthy twist on a traditional risotto. I've made it quite a few times at home now, and it's always turned out well. Quinoa is also great to cook with - do you have any quinoa recipes you love?

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Reanna

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