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Quinoa Cocottes

17/11/2023

Here’s how to prepare delicious quinoa cocottes, a nutritious and versatile dish that can be personalized according to individual tastes. This version is a vegetarian base that can be enriched with other ingredients as desired.

Ingredients

  • 200 g of quinoa
  • 500 ml of vegetable stock
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
  • 100 g of fresh spinach
  • 2 eggs
  • 100 g of grated cheese (such as Parmesan or Pecorino)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Herbs to taste (for example, thyme or rosemary)
  • Butter or oil for greasing the cocottes

Preparation

  1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
  2. Rinse the quinoa well under running water to remove the saponin, which gives it a slightly bitter taste.
  3. In a pan, sauté the chopped onion in the extra virgin olive oil until it becomes transparent.
  4. Add the quinoa to the pan and toast for a couple of minutes, then pour over the vegetable stock.
  5. Let the quinoa cook according to the times indicated on the package (usually about 15 minutes), until it has absorbed all the liquid and is soft.
  6. In the meantime, wash and cook the spinach in a pan with a little water, or use pre-cooked spinach.
  7. Once the quinoa is ready, combine it with the spinach and let it cool slightly.
  8. Stir the beaten eggs and the grated cheese into the quinoa with the spinach. Season with salt, pepper, and chopped aromatic herbs.
  9. Grease the cocottes with butter or oil and fill each with the quinoa mixture.
  10. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the surface of the cocottes is golden brown and crispy.
  11. Let it cool for a few minutes before serving.

Trivia

Quinoa is not a true cereal, but a seed that belongs to the same family as spinach. It is highly valued for its nutritional qualities, as it is rich in proteins, fibers, and minerals, and is also gluten-free, making it an excellent alternative for those with intolerances.

This recipe is versatile and allows for many variations. You can enrich the mixture with different vegetables, such as mushrooms or peppers, or you can add spices like curry or paprika for an exotic touch. If you are not vegetarian, consider also adding pieces of cooked ham or bacon for a more intense flavor.

Quinoa Cocottes