Quinoa, farro offer alternatives to same old sides

Potatoes, rice or pasta.

Those three basic, go-to side dishes tend to get a little boring after a while, no? Sure, you can dress them up, but why not just take them out?

Quinoa and farro are currently the most popular among the breath-of-fresh-air alternatives. They’re increasingly appearing on Las Vegas restaurant menus, and this is one thing (well, two, actually) that you should try at home.

Of the two, quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wa) is the more widely known. Generally used as a grain alternative, it’s actually the seed of a plant that’s a relative of green leafy vegetables.

“It’s really popular — more and more popular in the last two to three years,” said Joanna Gorman, a registered dietitian at University Medical Center.

Quinoa is becoming known, she said, as an alternative to gluten-bearing grains and because of its healthful properties.

“It’s a complete protein,” Gorman said. “That means that it serves up all nine of the essential amino acids,” a point that is particularly important to vegans and vegetarians who don’t get protein from animal sources.

Kim Canteenwalla, executive chef and co-owner of Honey Salt in Summerlin, said he has used quinoa for about 10 years and serves dishes containing both the red and white varieties at his restaurant.

“I guess I was led into it from the health factor, but I really enjoy quinoa itself and how you can enhance it,” he said. “And that fact that people are so into it, and it’s healthy, it’s working for us.”

On his lunch menu, he serves quinoa with grilled chicken breast. For his dinner menu, he mixes red and white quinoa with beluga lentils and tosses them in a light vinaigrette, then adds avocado, fennel and blood orange.

“It’s a big seller,” Canteenwalla said. “It’s the go-to sort of healthier dish at lunch and dinner.”

He also cooks red quinoa, dries it on a sheet pan, then fries it to get a crackling sizzle and adds it to tuna tartare for a nice bit of crunch.

At Border Grill at Mandalay Bay, executive chef Mike Minor makes quinoa fritters with gluten-free flour, egg yolk and green onions, fried crispy and served with a Peruvian chili sauce.

“They’re nice and light and pillowy inside,” he said, “and kind of crispy on the outside. I always tell people this is a great source of protein, it’s the highest-protein grain in the world.”

He also makes quinoa cakes and serves them with a Hawaiian tuna ceviche.

“I like using it because it’s something that’s kind of off the grid,” Minor said of quinoa. “It’s just a great alternative, and not something you’d typically find in a Mexican restaurant.”

At Ferraro’s Italian Restaurant and Wine Bar on Paradise Road, executive chef Mimmo Ferraro uses farro, an ancient grain that’s said to have sustained the legions of Rome.

“I use a lot of farro,” he said. “It’s a healthy alternative. The world — some of the world — seems more health-conscious than it used to be. We like to offer as many healthy choices as possible.”

To that end, besides serving farro with his osso bucco instead of the traditional risotto Milanese, he uses it in a new vegan/vegetarian dish with roasted vegetables and sauteed greens.

It’s the texture and flavor that attract him, Ferraro said.

“I like the nuttiness of it,” he said. “You can turn it into a side or you can turn it into a meal. I don’t think it’s ever boring. It goes with everything — protein, vegetables, sauces, even with just a nice marinara sauce.”

Vincenzo Granata, general manager of Panevino off Sunset Road, said the restaurant serves both quinoa and farro, the former generally in salads, the latter most closely associated with soups.

“Quinoa is very adaptable to things,” he said. “It virtually acquires the taste of whatever you put in it. It’s a very gentle food to deal with.”

Additionally, he said, “some guests are fixated on their protein intake. When they come to the understanding that quinoa is one of the few plant foods that has a complete protein and amino-acid requirement, that is very appealing.”

But he is even more fond of farro.

“I love farro, it’s one of my favorite grains, just because of its earthiness,” Granata said. “It’s something that really recalls or reminds us of comfort food from Italy, from the specific area of Umbria.”

K.C. Fazel, executive chef of Tender Steak & Seafood at Luxor, said he also uses both alternatives — at home as well as in the restaurant.

“I like the texture,” he said. “I like how they can really work well with so many different dishes — fish, chicken, pork.”

In the restaurant, he serves farro with a wild-game plate and also uses a classically seasoned version as a side dish to salmon.

Quinoa he soaks overnight in tomato juice and stock.

”And that kind of blooms it up a little bit,” he said. “I char some corn, add some quinoa to that, cook it with tomato and stock and some basic herbs and season it up with thyme and bay leaf. It really comes out with a nice flavor.”

The chefs said they see a wider use of the alternatives.

“I only see it climbing,” Canteenwalla said. “I only see it getting bigger. I see it getting more mainstream, beyond Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s. I think you’ll start to see it at Smith’s and other supermarkets.”

QUINOA AND ROASTED PEPPER CHILI

2 red bell peppers

2 poblano chilies

4 teaspoons olive oil

3 cups chopped zucchini

1½ cups chopped onion

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika

½ cup water

1/3 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

1 14½-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes with chipotles, undrained

1 15-ounce can no-salt-added pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup low-sodium vegetable juice

Preheat broiler. Cut bell peppers and chilies in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet and flatten with hand. Broil 10 minutes or until blackened. Place in a paper bag; fold to close tightly. Let stand 10 minutes. Peel and coarsely chop.

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add zucchini, onion and garlic; saute 4 minutes. Stir in chili powder, cumin and paprika; saute for 30 seconds. Add roasted peppers and chilies, ½ cup water and remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until quinoa is tender.

Serves 4.

— Recipe from Cooking Light

LASAGNE QUINOA

1 cup onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

¼ cup olive oil

1 pound ground beef or veggie burgers

2 8-ounce cans tomato sauce

1 can peeled tomatoes or 4 roma tomatoes, chopped

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons oregano

¼ pound mozzarella cheese, crumbled

¼ pound Parmesan cheese, grated (plus extra for top_

½ pound ricotta cheese

3 cups cooked quinoa

To make sauce, saute onion and garlic in olive oil until browned. Add beef; cook until browned (or add veggie burgers).

Add tomato sauce, tomatoes, salt and oregano. Simmer.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix cheeses. Put a layer of sauce in the bottom of a 13-by-9-by-2½-inch baking dish, following with a layer of quinoa and a layer of cheese.

Repeat two more layers, ending with sauce and extra Parmesan cheese on top. Bake about 35 minutes.

Serves 6 to 8.

— Recipe from the Quinoa Corp.

FARRO WITH WILD MUSHROOMS AND HERBS

2 cups semi-pearled farro

Kosher salt

2 tablespoons (or more) olive oil

4 cups (about 8 ounces) assorted fresh mushrooms (such as chanterelle, porcini, lobster, maitake and crimini), cut into 1-inch pieces

Freshly ground black pepper

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

Cook farro in boiling salted water until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain, let cool and set aside. (Farro can be made two days ahead. Cover and chill.)

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers (the oil needs to be very hot to crisp the mushrooms).

Working in batches, add a single layer of mushrooms to skillet. Cook, turning once, until crisp and cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate; season with salt and pepper.

Bring broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add farro and cook, stirring often, until heated through. Season farro with salt and pepper. Add butter and stir vigorously to combine and create a creamy texture. Add mushrooms, parsley, chives and thyme; stir just to evenly incorporate.

Serve immediately.

Serves 8.

— Recipe from Bon Appetit

PORK WITH FIGS AND FARRO

2 cups water

2/3 cup uncooked farro

1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick

1½ tablespoons olive oil, divided

¾ cup minced onion

1 garlic clove, minced

½ cup chopped dried figs

¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1¼ teaspoons kosher salt, divided

¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

1 teaspoon sherry vinegar

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 (1-pound) pork tenderloins, trimmed

Combine first 3 ingredients in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 20 minutes or until tender. Drain; discard cinnamon stick.

Heat 1½ teaspoons olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion; saute 6 minutes or until tender. Add garlic; saute 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Combine farro, onion mixture, figs, parsley, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper and the next four ingredients (through egg) in a medium bowl.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Slice pork lengthwise, cutting to, but not through, the other side. Open halves. Place pork between sheets of plastic wrap; pound to ¼ inch. Top pork with farro and leave ½-inch border. Roll, starting with long side; secure pork with picks.

Sprinkle the pork evenly with ¾ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet. Add pork; cook for 6 minutes, browning all sides. Place pan in oven; bake for 15 minutes or until a thermometer registers 145 degrees. Remove pork from pan; let stand 5 minutes. Slice.

Serves 8.

– Recipe from Cooking Light

FARRO, AVOCADO, CUCUMBER

AND CHERRY TOMATO SALAD

1 cup uncooked farro (or spelt)

4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

¼ teaspoon fresh grated lime rind

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

¾ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

2 cups red, orange and yellow cherry tomatoes, halved

1¾ cups chopped seeded English cucumber (about 1 small)

¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves

¾ cup sliced peeled avocado (about 1 small)

Place farro in a large saucepan; cover with water to 2 inches above farro. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain well.

Combine oil, rind, juice, vinegar, salt and pepper in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Add farro, tomatoes, cucumber and cilantro; toss gently to coat.

Place about 1 cup farro mixture on each of five plates; garnish evenly with avocado. Serve immediately.

Serves 5.

— Recipe from Cooking Light

QUINOA AND PARSLEY SALAD

1 cup water

½ cup uncooked quinoa

¾ cup fresh parsley leaves

½ cup thinly sliced celery

½ cup thinly sliced green onions

½ cup finely chopped dried apricots

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon honey

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

¼ cup unsalted pumpkinseed kernels, toasted

Bring water and quinoa to a boil in a medium saucepan. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Spoon into a bowl; fluff with a fork. Add parsley, celery, onions and apricots.

Whisk lemon juice, olive oil, honey, salt and black pepper. Add to quinoa mixture and toss well.

Top with seeds. Serves 4.

— Recipe from Cooking Light

Contact reporter Heidi Knapp Rinella at hrinella@review journal.com or 702-383-0474.