This quinotto recipe has the creamy texture of risotto, but it is made with quinoa instead of rice.
You may require more or less broth, depending on your texture preferences and the humidity of your kitchen.
Evaporated milk is the milk of choice for most coastal Peruvian dishes.
Photo: Photographer: Brie Goldman, Food Stylist: Skyler Myers, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco
It adds richness and a slight nutty flavor without the extra saturated fat of heavy cream.
White Americans introduced me, a Peruvian immigrant, to eating quinoa.
I know that this may not be a popular assertion.
After gaining independence from Spain, much of Peru became wrapped up in keeping up aristocratic appearances.
But this whole preoccupation was nowhere as ingrained into our psyches as it was in Lima.
In a country obsessed with gastronomy, it’s only natural that these Eurocentric social rules extended into food.
Class-based associations with foods aren’t a uniquely Peruvian thing.
We see them in the United States too.
In contemporary culture, for example, processed foods are seen as something uneducated and poor people consume.
In Lima, however, these dietary rules took on a different bent.
Indigenous groups like the Quechua are seen as second-class citizens in Peru.
As a result, European foods were considered acceptableif not preferablewhereas native products were seen as undesirableif not inedible.
We don’t eat that.
We have rice."
Classically trained chefs were taking native Peruvian ingredients and using them in traditional European applications.
Add onion and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Once the onion starts sizzling, reduce heat to medium-low.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is golden brown and jammy, about 40 minutes.
Add the garlic paste to the pan and increase heat to medium.
Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and aji amarillo paste; stir to combine.
Cook, stirring, until the oil separates, about 30 seconds.
Add vermouth and cook, stirring, until it evaporates and the oil separates again, about 30 seconds.
Add quinoa and stir to combine.
Add 2 1/2 cups broth to cover the quinoa.
(If the quinoa feels like sticking to the pan, reduce the heat slightly.)
By this point, most of the quinoa should have burst and become translucent.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until it has a risotto-like consistency, about 5 minutes.
Garnish with parsley and peas, if desired.
To make ahead
Refrigerate for up to 2 days.
you’re able to find jars of this paste at many South American grocery stores or online.
- Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient.
