Cheesy Chipotle Quinoa Bake

by Susan Hanna

Here’s another delicious recipe from the vegetarian cookbook Evergreen Kitchen. Cook onion, garlic, chipotle peppers and sauce and then add passata, tomatoes and quinoa. Cover and bake until the quinoa is cooked. Stir in pinto beans, corn, cheddar cheese and cilantro. Top with more cheese and broil until the cheese is golden brown and bubbling. Garnish with pickled red onions, scallions and more cilantro.

Serves 6-8.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

La Costena canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce are additive free, as are most brands of passata. Unico or Blue Menu diced tomatoes and pinto beans are additive free, as is Green Giant frozen corn. Make sure the cheddar does not contain colour. For more recipes using all-natural ingredients, visit Eye For a Recipe.

Ingredients:

Pickled red onions

• 2/3 cup (165 ml) boiling water
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) granulated or cane sugar
• 1 tsp (5 ml) fine sea salt
• 2/3 cup (165 ml) apple cider vinegar
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced

Quinoa bake

• 2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped (2 cups/500 ml)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo, minced + 1 tbsp (15 ml) adobo sauce
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) ground cumin
• 1 jar (23 fl oz/680 ml) passata
• ½ cup (125 ml) water
• 1 can (14 fl oz/398 ml) diced tomatoes
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) tamari
• 1 cup (250 ml) dried quinoa, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (14 fl oz/398 ml) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 ½ cups (375 ml) frozen corn kernels
• 2 cups (500 ml) shredded aged cheddar cheese (8 oz/227 g), divided
• ¾ cup (187 ml) chopped fresh cilantro leaves and more for garnish
• ½ cup (125 ml) quick pickled red onions
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced

Preparation:

Pickled red onions

1. Run warm water over a 4-cup (1 L) mason jar to warm the glass.
2. Pour the boiling water into the jar. Add the sugar and salt, then stir until dissolved. Pour in the apple cider vinegar and add the sliced red onion. Use a spoon to press the onions down into the liquid. If the onions are not fully submerged, add equal parts of additional water and apple cider vinegar to cover.
3. The picked red onions are best enjoyed when soft and light pink. You can enjoy them after 30 minutes of soaking, but they’ll get better over time. Let sit on the counter for 1 hour to cool, seal with the lid and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

Quinoa bake

1. Place an oven rack in the centre position and preheat oven to 425 F (220 C).
2. In a large Dutch oven or braiser, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown around the edges, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic, chipotle peppers and adobo sauce and cumin and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in the passata. Use the water to rinse the jar and pour the contents in to the pot. Add the tomatoes and tamari, stir and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Stir in the quinoa.
3. Cover the pot with a lid and bake for 20 minutes, or until the quinoa is fully cooked.
4. Remove the chipotle-quinoa from the oven and reposition the oven rack, if needed, so that the top of the pot is 4 to 5 inches (10 to 12 cm) under the broiler. Set the oven to broil.
5. To the pot, stir in the pinto beans, corn, 1 cup (250 ml) of the cheddar and cilantro. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup (250 ml) cheddar. Broil until the cheese is golden brown and bubbling, 4 to 8 minutes (watch carefully, as broil times vary). Remove from the oven and top with picked red onions, scallions and more cilantro.

From Evergreen Kitchen