The Good Stuff
2 chorizo sausages (picante!)
2 green bell peppers (diced)
1 medium yellow onion (diced)
3/4 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup kidney beans (or more if you really like them)
Spices
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp smoked paprika
1-2 tsp smoked salt
pepper (to taste)
Base
1 cup quinoa
2 cups chicken stock
1 sprig rosemary
1/8 tsp turmeric or a few strands of saffron (for yellow coloring)
Recommended cooking things
cast iron skillet or non-stick skillet
medium pot
large bowl (to set aside cooked stuff)
Directions
1. Finely chop or press 1-2 cloves of garlic. Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a skillet and toss the garlic in once the skillet is hot. Cook the garlic for about 30 seconds to release the fragrance. (Don’t let the garlic get brown or it will will taste burnt.)
2. Immediately toss the diced bell peppers and onion in a skillet (with a little olive oil to coat) and cook on medium-high heat for 7-9 minutes, or until they begin to brown and soften. Stir in cumin, oregano, and paprika while it’s cooking.
3. Start the quinoa while the peppers and onions brown. Rinse your quinoa in the sink in a fine mesh strainer. (Trust me, this makes the quinoa cook much fluffier.) Pour 1 cup rinsed quinoa and 2 cups of chicken stock in a medium pot and bring to boil. Then, reduce to medium heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until all the stock has evaporated/absorbed.
4. Throw in those frozen peas with the peppers and onions. Sauté until unfrozen, about 5-7 min. Rinse kidney beans in a strainer and throw in with peppers, onions and peas. Add some smoked salt and pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes, then scoop everything out of the pan and set aside.
5. Check on your quinoa. If it’s finished cooking, turn the heat to low and make sure to stir occasionally so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Adding a little drizzle of olive oil will also prevent sticking.
6. Carefully place the full chorizo sausages in the skillet on medium to medium-high heat. Cook thoroughly and turn frequently for even browning. The sausage should have an internal temperature of 145 degrees and the juices should run clear. Mine took about 10-12 minutes to cook.
Note: Another technique for cooking sausages is to brown on all sides, add about 1/2 cup water, cover, and steam the sausage through the rest of the cooking process. I thought just turning in the skillet worked fine, but you run the risk of accidentally burning the casing.
7. While the chorizo is sizzling away, stir a sprig of rosemary and a pinch of turmeric in the quinoa.
8. Once the chorizo is done, take it out of the skillet and cut into 1/4 inch slices. Reduce skillet to medium-low heat. Add in pepper/onion mixture, quinoa, and chorizo to the skillet. Stir to heat everything up again.
9. Serve with some Spanish red wine and an episode of Scandal.