QUINOA SALAD WITH BEETS, BLUE CHEESE, AND NUTTY HERB VINAIGRETTE

Quinoa Salad with Beets, Blue Cheese, and Nutty Herb Vinaigrette image

Provided by María Del Mar Sacasa

Yield 4 Servings

Number Of Ingredients 14

For the vinaigrette:
1 garlic clove
1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces/45 grams) walnuts, toasted
1 cup (2 ounces/60 grams) watercress with stems
2 tablepoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
6 tablepoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the salad:
3 cups (18 ounces/540 grams) Skillet-Toasted Quinoa
8 ounces/225 grams cooked red or golden beets, cut into slices or wedges
2 ounces/60 grams Stilton cheese, crumbled
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

For the vinaigrette:
Finely chop the garlic. Add the walnuts to the cutting board on top of the garlic and chop them finely. Transfer the garlic-walnut mixture to a medium bowl. Finely chop the watercress and add it to the bowl. Add the vinegar, mustard, and orange zest and whisk to combine. While whisking, drizzle in the olive oil. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
For the salad:
Divide the quinoa evenly among 4 plates. Top each quinoa mound with an equal amount of beets. Sprinkle the beets with cheese, whisk the dressing to recombine, and dress each salad with 2 to 3 tablespoons of vinaigrette. Serve immediately.