From the menu of … Bantam + Biddy, 1544 Piedmont Avenue, Atlanta. 404-907-3469, www.bantamandbiddy.com
Q: I really love Bantam + Biddy in Ansley Mall, and I go there for the non-chicken dishes (I'm a vegetarian). I would love the recipe for the carrot-ginger dressing that they use on the quinoa and spinach salad. — Johanna Chapin, Atlanta
A: Bantam + Biddy's chef/owners Shaun Doty and Lance Gummere provided the recipe for both the vinaigrette and the salad itself. The chefs cook the quinoa in water at the restaurant, but suggest you try it with vegetable stock, or even chicken stock if you don't need a vegetarian version. We tested with vegetable stock. If you'd like, you can also substitute 1/4 cup fish sauce for 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce in the Carrot-Ginger Dressing.
Bantam + Biddy’s Organic Quinoa & Spinach Salad
Hands on: 15 minutes Total time: 30 minutes Serves: 6
3 1/2 cups water, vegetable stock or chicken stock
2 cups uncooked organic quinoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup carrots, cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 1 large carrot)
1/2 cup celery, cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 2 small ribs)
1/2 cup onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 1 small onion)
1/2 cup chopped parsley
3/4 cup Carrot-Ginger Dressing (see recipe)
5 ounces spinach, rinsed and dried
Salt and pepper
In a large saucepan, bring stock to a boil. Stir in quinoa and salt. Add carrots, celery and onion and reduce heat to low. Simmer 15 minutes or until quinoa is tender. Remove from heat and fold in parsley. Stir in dressing and taste for seasoning. Refrigerate until ready to serve. May be made up to 2 days in advance.
When ready to serve, divide spinach between serving plates and top with prepared quinoa. Drizzle with additional dressing if desired. Serve immediately.
Per serving, including dressing: 388 calories (percent of calories from fat, 42), 15 grams protein, 46 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams fiber, 20 grams fat (2 grams saturated), trace cholesterol, 316 milligrams sodium.
Bantam + Biddy’s Carrot-Ginger Dressing
Hands on: 10 minutes Total time: 10 minutes Makes: 4 1/4 cups
1 pound carrots
1/4 pound fresh ginger
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon seasoned rice wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic
Juice of 1 lemon
2 cups corn oil
1/4 cup toasted sesame oil
Salt
Using a juicer, juice carrots and ginger.
In the jar of a blender, combine carrot-ginger juice with soy sauce, vinegar, garlic and lemon juice. Process 30 seconds. With blender still running, slowly add corn oil and sesame oil and run until mixture is emulsified, about 1 minute. Taste for seasoning and refrigerate if not using right away. May be made up to 4 days in advance.
Per 2-tablespoon serving: 143 calories (percent of calories from fat, 92), trace protein, 2 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, 15 grams fat (2 grams saturated), trace cholesterol, 69 milligrams sodium.
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