Quinoa Pilaf with Herbs and Lemon

By ruthg

From America's Test Kitchen, serves 4-6
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We call for a 1-to-1 (quinoa to water) cooking ratio, which results in a much lighter dish with more bite and snap. And best of all, it eliminates any possibility of overcooking.
In a traditional pilaf we often toss the grains into hot oil, sauté them, and then add water to cook them through. In some previous kitchen experiments, however, we found that quinoa gets more bitter when you heat it in oil. So rather than coating it with oil, we decided to dry toast the quinoa before adding water to help it develop a nuttier flavor without increasing the bitterness.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups prewashed quinoa
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 2 pieces
• 1 small onion, chopped fine
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 3/4 cups water
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Details

Adapted from eatocracy.cnn.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Toast quinoa in medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until quinoa is very fragrant and makes continuous popping sound, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer quinoa to bowl and set aside.

2. Return now-empty pan to medium-low heat and melt butter. Add onion and salt; cook, stirring frequently, until onion is softened and light golden, 5 to 7 minutes.

3. Increase heat to medium-high, stir in water and quinoa, and bring to simmer. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until grains are just tender and liquid is absorbed, 18 to 20 minutes, stirring once halfway through cooking. Remove pan from heat and let sit, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff quinoa with fork, stir in herbs and lemon juice, and serve.