I certainly have been enjoying quinoa ever since I came across it a little over a year ago and one of the things that I like most about it is its versatility. By itself quinoa makes for a great side dish and I commonly use it to make quick salads but it also works really well in soups and even in porridge . In the most recent edition of Food and Drink I came across a new way of using quinoa, risotto style, which sounded particularly interesting. I did not really expect the quinoa risotto to get as creamy as the rice version but I figured that you could not go wrong coating quinoa in melted parmigiano reggiano. Keeping it nice and seasonal this risotto includes baby artichoke hearts and it is topped off with a meyer lemon pesto in addition to some shrimp. This dish has a few steps and takes a bit of time to make but it is pretty straight forward and it is well worth the effort! I really enjoyed the way the quinoa worked in risotto form and it was nice and creamy and yet it had a light feeling to it. The meyer lemon pesto added a burst of citrusy freshness that cut through the creaminess of the risotto nicely, cleasing your palate for the next bite. Overall this was a wonderful spring dish!
Baby Artichoke Heart Quinoa Risotto with Shrimp and Meyer Lemon Pesto
ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1/2 pound shrimp (shelled and deviened)
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1 batch quinoa risotto (see below)
- 1 batch meyer lemon pesto (see below)
directions
- Heat the oil in a pan.
- Add the shrimp and saute until cooked, about 2-3 minutes per side and set aside.
- Add the white wine, deglaze the pan and mix the wine into the risotto.
- Serve the risotto with shrimp and meyer lemon pesto.
Baby Artichoke Heart Quinoa Risotto
ingredients
- 8 baby artichoke hearts (stems trimmed)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion (diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (chopped)
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 3 cups chicken broth (or vegetable)
- 1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano (grated)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- salt and pepper to taste
directions
- Peel the leaves from the artichokes until you get to the paler tender inner leaves. Cut the top third off and discard and cut the artichoke in half. (Tip coat the artichoke hearts in lemon juice to prevent discolouration.)
- Heat the oil in a pan.
- Add the artichoke hearts and saute until tender, about 6-8 minutes.
- Add the onion and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the quinoa and stir to coat with the oil.
- Add the wine, deglaze the pan and stir while simmering until it is gone.
- Add 1/2 cup of the stock at a time and stir while simmering until it is gone. Continue until the quinoa is tender.
- Add the parmigiano reggiano and butter and stir to help it melt in.
Meyer Lemon Pesto
ingredients
- 1 meyer lemon (cut into pieces and seeded)
- 1/2 cup basil (packed)
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts (toasted)
- 1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano (grated)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
directions
- Place everything into a food processor and blend.
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Foy Update - Garden Cook Write Repeat says
Do you intentionally put these things up right before dinner? Man that looks delicious.
Melissa says
WOW, that looks really really good.
Anonymous says
I love the arrival of the new Food and Drink magazine. I recognized this recipe before I even read a word of the post.
LDH says
Hi Kevin,
You really have some wonderful looking recipes here. Many with ingredients I am unfamiliar cooking with. (I perused several of your posts) I had to Google Quinoa to learn more about it. I could learn lots here!
Thank you for stopping by my place and leaving your comment!
Kindly, ldh
Anonymous says
This looks SO good. You are making me hungry!!! Love your photography too… Will definitely be coming back here…. And I am thinking this is going to be dinner sometime this week.
The Duo Dishes says
That pesto is where it's at! That would be nice for the spring.
Cherine says
this looks divine!!
Rosa's Yummy Yums says
That dish is fantastic! So colorful, well-presented and refined looking!
Cheers,
Rosa
Joanne says
I love finding new non-arborio rice risottos (always gotta have a twist on a classic!). This looks delicious and like a celebration of what will hopefully turn into a full-blown spring!
S. says
so here's what I'm sure must be a silly question…but I just wanted to make sure! When making the lemon pesto you put the chopped/seeded lemon into the food processor peel and all?
Thanks! This one looks really good! bookmarking it!
Silke says
This looks amazing! I've bookmarked it so I can make it soon… Looks delicious!! 🙂 Silke
Nina Timm says
Combining two of my favorite ingredients in one recipe is ingenious….artichokes and shrimps…together must be heavenly!
bunkycooks says
This looks incredible! I will definitely be trying this recipe.
Cara says
I've been doing a lot of quinoa too lately but have yet to try it risotto-style. I'll have to do that! I am also way jealous that you came across baby artichokes – I've been on the lookout for a couple weeks now with no luck.
Sarah Naveen says
Beautiful click and this looks absolutely delicious..
Phoo-D says
This sounds wonderful! I have a lot of quinoa on hand and will have to try it risotto style.
Sari says
Thank you for your comment on my blog. You have some delicious looking recipes here. I'll definitely come back to give some of them a try! 🙂
I discovered quinoa just a few months ago and I'm in love. This recipe looks wonderful.
Elizabeth says
This looks mouth watering and I don't even like shrimp that much! I never thought of cooking quinoa risotto style!
Lynda says
Lovely photo and the recipe sounds great. I will certainly try it!
pita bread says
Seems everywhere I turn, somebody mentions quinoa. Well, am glad I turned this way, because this risotto with shrimp looks simply delicious.
figtree says
What a great idea! I look forward to trying this. Quinoa has become very popular in my hse!
Kira says
I think this recipe incorporates all of my favorites into one dish. Looks great!!
nithya at hungrydesi says
great use of quinoa! i had some quinoa cakes awhile back that were really good. will have to try this.
Cristina @TeenieCakes says
Everything you make looks so good and beautiful!
Evie says
This looks excellent. I love both quinoa and risotto. Good idea!
Eleanor Hoh says
I also love the versatility of quinoa. To eat it hot and cold, it's so light and nutty. Even guys will eat this when I bring as pot luck. I'm in awe how you post so often and still have a life. Wonderful stuff you're making and so inventive.
Anonymous says
Oh Kevin! This is one divine creation! Really! I love everything about this dish! Everything!
Debbie says
I can't wait to give this a try. YUM!
Kevin says
S.: Yes the whole meyer lemon, including the peel, goes into the food processor. The meyer lemons peel is thinner and softer than a lemons peel and it is definitely edible and packs a ton of flavour.
Chyrl D says
My fresh artichoke selection is poor. Is it possible to substitute jarred artichoke hearts in place of the fresh?
papawow says
That looks amazing! Too many quinoa recipes end up more closely resembling gruel than anything edible. Thanks for sharing!
Choosy Beggar Tina says
This is the kind of meal that I adore! I was ogling that recipe in Food&Drink (mostly because I'm a sucker for how lovely scallops always look) and yours looks just as tasty!
Monica says
Where can you find Meyer lemons in New Jersey? Anyone know? Would there be a way to make this with a regular lemon instead – perhaps zest it, peel it, and use the flesh and the zest but not the pith?
Kevin says
Chyrl D: I think that jarred would work as well!
argas says
What an amazing meal…I will try this pesto really soon!
Kevin says
A meyer lemon is a cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange and it is a bit milder and sweeter than a lemon. I have heard it said on several occasions that you can replace meyer lemon juice with equal parts lemon juice and mandarin orange juice. For this pesto I would also use healthy amounts of zest from both of them as well for even more flavour.
Chef Fresco says
We love quinoa! And with shrimp thrown in – what a yummy dish! I just want a bite now!
Gail says
Sorry about the question in the last post, I should have read the comments beforehand. :O
Lauren L says
This is fantastic! I have been eying it ever since you posted it and finally made it…Even with all of the substitutions I had to make. I had to use store bought pesto with lemon and orange added in. That came out nicely but a bit thin since I couldn't get my hands on any basil (the depressing part of living in a rural area) but it tasted fantastic. I used canned artichokes in the risotto – that worked well also. I just added them in after the onion and garlic was sauteed. Thank you for sharing this!
erinrosee says
Made this the other night and it was delicious!!! I had to make some substitutions in the pesto, which didn't turn out quite right, but I'll defintely try it again when I find some meyer lemons. The only change I made to the rest of the recipe was the addition of leeks in the risotto, which I highly recommend. It was fantastic! And I couldn't believe how much I had for leftovers! I used it as a side dish the next night for me, my roommate and a friend, and had enough for lunch the next day! Time consuming, but well worth the effort! Glad I stumbled across this blog! I'll be trying many more recipes.
Gloria Baker says
Only to say you when I saw this I think look fantastic, delicious!!!