Recipe: Lemon-Rose Quinoa with Oven-Dried Sungold Tomatoes, Torn Basil and Pomegranate Arils

This recipe was a late-season treat spanning end-of-summer vegetables and fall fruits.  It also gave me an excuse to use the word "Arils" aka pomegranate seeds.

This dish can be served at room temperature or cold.

First, I have to thank Madhur Jaffrey for her recipe of oven-dried tomatoes.  It is in her book Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian: More Than 650 Meatless Recipes from Around the World which you will find in my recommended books on the left side of this web site.

Oven-Dried Tomatoes
Take one pound of cherry tomatoes and cut them in half.  I used sungold tomatoes from my garden.  Put them cut-side-up on a baking sheet.  Lightly dust with salt and sugar.  Bake at 175 degrees for 7-8 hours until they are slightly chewy but not dry like a raisin or sun-dried tomatoes.

If you don't have time for this, I would soak sun-dried tomatoes in boiling water for 10 - 15 minutes and then roughly chop them.

Lemon-Rose Quinoa
2 C of cooked quinoa (salted to taste)
1/4 C oven-dried tomatoes
1/4 C pomegranate arils
1/4 C lemon juice
1 t rose water
1/2 t mustard
Small handful of fresh basil

Combine lemon juice, rose water and mustard.  Whisk until the mustard is fully incorporated.  Set aside.  To the quinoa, add the tomatoes and pomegranate arils.  Tear basil leaves in half or thirds and add to quinoa.  Add the lemon-rose mixture and stir.

For plating, I packed the mixture into a one-cup measuring cup.  Tap the cup gently on a plate and the whole mold should come out easily, like the picture.

Serves two.

Enjoy!