Radicchio-and-Figs Quinoa

Sometimes the idea for a dish arises like a crescendo - first the desire for an ingredient is there, and while it is already in progress, only little by little the other building blocks are added, without planning, but out of a natural harmony - and to bring the lyrical composition back down to earth: sometimes simply from the domestic supplies that need to be used up, The result is unpredictable and often - well, “interesting”. Sometimes, however, it’s great, which is how I felt about this quick little lunch dish “for One”.

• 1/2 cup quinoa

I put on hot rinsed with water (quinoa has a protective layer of saponins around the grains that can be bitter quickly, so rinse hot first) and cook the grains in about 12 minutes until al dente. In the time I cut

• 1 red onion
• 1/2 head of radicchio

into slices. The onions thin, the radicchio just under 2 cm thick, so that the slices do not fall apart during frying. This is exactly what happens to the vegetables now. First I saute the onions in olive oil until they are halfway soft, then I push them aside and add the radicchio slices to the pan. They fry there for a few minutes until they are hot and have taken on a little color. It’s still missing something, too much bitterness and it’s dry too…. I add

• 2 tbsp date syrup (if you don’t buy in health food stores, you can just use apple syrup).
• 1/2 tsp piment d’Espelette
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• salt

on the onions and mix the mixture. The quinoa is cooked and added as well. Already not bad. Now off to the plate and the radicchio slices on it. There is still something missing.

• 2 small figs

are cut into quarters and sprinkled over the dish, on top of it comes once again

• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (from the good)

That’s how it tastes! Great even, the recipe goes into the eternal list. And it is healthy too :)

quinoa with sauteed radicchio, red onions, figs, balsamic vinegar