quinoa and The Parsley Monster: spice-grilled shrimp and pistou

‘Quinoa’ is one of those words I just cannot seem to pronounce. Flanked by a different number of syllables each time, I whispered the word to myself as I was skimming the aisles of the grocery store and hoping that some ‘helpful smile on every aisle’ wouldn’t see my dazed look and ask me if there was something they could help me find. Thank goodness I found it in time on my own. I left there like a bandit, never having had to reveal out loud why I was there.

Luckily the quinoa I bought shouted from its package that the proper pronunciation is “keen wa.” So for anyone out there who has never tried this rustic, ancient grain, don’t be intimidated if you have to ask directions when you’re navigating the market aisles. Because, let me tell you, it is well worth the search.

My version of John Currence’s Quinoa with Spice-Roasted Shrimp and Pistou was my first encounter with the grain. (I’ve found that there is actually an organization, Quinoa Corporation, whose website offers a wealth of information such as the history of the grain and its nutritional digits.) And it was a delightful one, I have to admit.

You see, lately I’ve noticed within myself this serious streak of wanting to try new things. Until recently, I’ve only ever wanted to make Italian food. (Probably because I can semi-pronounce most of the words.) I think this wave of newness rides closely on the heels of the somewhat sobering – but also very enlightening – realization that hmm, maybe we don’t know exactly what we want every part of our life to look like. Which is okay, really, because I guess its better to live in the moment than look towards things I can’t be sure of.

But I do so love to plan for tomorrow. Mainly because that’s where dreams live. Not to mention that one thing I can see for certain: my leftover quinoa and pistou sitting in the staff lounge refrigerator, playing it cool until sometime around noon when I invite it back to my desk to keep me company.

I started off by deveining the ½ lb. of shrimp. It’s not the most exciting ten (feels like twenty) minutes of your life, but it does make you feel a certain level of profound involvement with your meal that you might not have found with frozen shrimp.

Once the shrimp is prepared, you assemble a tour de force of a spice mixture, contain its gorgeous scent within the walls of a resealable bag, and let the shrimp sit in this room temperature bath of Spanish paprika, oregano, thyme, garlic, and fennel for 30 minutes.

The original recipe directs the shrimp into the oven for a bit of roasting after this short marinade, but I opted to keep the heat outside during what seems like the heat-wave-to-end-all-heat-waves. So I filed the shrimp onto skewers and grilled them for about 10 minutes.

It’s cute, almost, the way the shrimp, now reddened from their dip in spice, line up on the skewers – standing at attention to the Spanish paprika as if it were some kind of General.

But it’s true, in a way, the spice mixture really does lead this meal. It’s an exquisite blend, and one I wouldn’t have thought to craft myself. The way the chopped fennel seeds retain a bit of their shape and hug the shrimp throughout the process only adds to the rustic, herby feel of the whole thing.

Which brings me to the pistou. Now, from what I can gather, a pistou is much like a pesto other than the fact that it does not contain pine nuts. What really stands out, and makes up for this otherwise costly omission, is the addition of several fresh herbs: rosemary, thyme, and parsley.

The parsley, I thought, should be no problem. Growing in my backyard, I looked forward to the opportunity to pluck and enjoy. Until I ran into this guy:

We’ll call him, TPM (The Parsley Monster). If you know his real name, please let me know.

I’m not going to lie to you, TPM creeps me out. He shouldn’t. He’s adorable, really. Look at those vibrant colors. But I didn’t want to bother him (read: didn’t want him to bother me), and I thought seriously about making a trip to the store for the whopping 2 tablespoons of called-for-parsley. But then a certain voice of reason stepped in and said to me, “You don’t think there’s ever been a bug on the herbs you’ve bought at the store?” To which I respond with a hopeful, “No.” No, I don’t think about that.

Anyway, the combination of herbs makes for a fresh taste that pairs especially well with the near-oatness taste of the quinoa. And the original recipe’s measurements are perfect. I was worried a bit at first when the pistou didn’t fill much of the food processor, but I found that all you need from the pistou is a gracious spotting. Be sure to use a fork to fluff up the quinoa after it’s finished simmering, and the herby mixture will float among it seamlessly.

Then cut the shrimp in half, at least, to top it all off. I love the colors of it all.

It’s a light but filling summertime meal, as well as a great opportunity to pay some attention to the herbs in your garden (and its residents, apparently).

Quinoa with Spice-Grilled Shrimp and Pistou
Adapted slightly from John Currence’s September 2010 recipe in Food and Wine magazine.

1/2 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 garlic glove, minced
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, chopped
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup basil leaves
2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1 garlic glove, smashed
2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed
2 1/4 cups water

In a resealable plastic bag, toss the shrimp with the garlic, paprika, oregano, fennel seeds, dried thyme, 1 tablespoon of the oil and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper until coated. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Heat the grill to medium or medium-high heat. In a food processor, pulse the basil, parsley, rosemary, thyme leaves, garlic and cheese. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil; puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

In a saucepan, combine the quinoa, water, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of canola oil. Season lightly with salt and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat until the quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes.

Grill the shrimp for about 10 minutes. Cut the shrimp into thirds and add to the quinoa and the pistou. Toss well, season with salt and pepper and serve.

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