Simanim Quinoa Salad
Every Rosh Hashanah I plan my menu around the Simanim--symbolic foods--and this salad uses them all, with the exception of the fish, so I get a lot of omen ground covered while I serve a delicious, beautiful, and incredibly healthful dish.
Here is my recipe to make your own Pomegranate Vinegar.
- Duration
- Cook Time
- Prep Time
- 4-6 servingsServings
Ingredients
Salad
- 2 cups quinoa (any color), well rinsed and drained
- 1 zucchini (as gourds)
- 1 large carrot, peeled
- 1 small beet, peeled (yes, raw!)
- 1/4 head of red or green cabbage, shredded
- 1/2 an apple (I prefer green apple's tanginess for this recipe, but any kind will do), seeded and cubed into small pieces
- 2 Medjool dates, pitted and chopped into small pieces
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds, another homage to gourds)
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
- 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
Dressing
- 3 tablespoons pomegranate vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey, preferably raw
- 2 small cloves (or 1 large) garlic, peeled and minced
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Preparation
1. In a large saucepan bring quinoa and 4 cups water to a boil. Lower the heat and cover, simmering for 15 to 20 minutes (until water is absorbed, and tiny little curls are released from the quinoa). Remove pot from heat and let stand 5 minutes, covered.
2. While quinoa cooks, make the dressing by whisking in a small bowl the vinegar, honey and garlic. Then add the olive oil in a slow stream, whisking constantly until well incorporated. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, set aside and strait prepping the vegetables.
3. Using a spiralizer, a mandolin, a vegetable peeler, a food processor, or a box grater, slice the zucchini, carrots and beets into very thin pieces (I prefer using the spiralizer above any other tool because kids can't seem to be able to resist anything shaped like a noodle!) Make sure you slice them in that order, as you don't want the beets to stain your other vegetables, for presentation purposes.
4. Pour dressing over quinoa while it's still hot, as it gets absorbed better. Taste quinoa for seasoning and add more salt, if needed. Transfer seasoned quinoa to a serving bowl add the zucchini, carrot, beets, cabbage, apple, dates, pepitas and pomegranate seeds. Toss well, but gently, as you don't want to damage the produce. Taste for seasoning and serve topped with mint leaves. and enjoy!
