Vegetable Quinoa with Onion Harissa and Chicken

This is a great dish and reminds me of  the cuisines of North Africa.  You can easily omit the chicken, add more squash and it makes a very satisfying vegetarian meal.  You can also substitute cous cous or rice for the quinoa.  This is a very versatile recipe, experiment with different vegetables, grains, seasonings, have fun with it.

For the Quinoa:
5 tablespoons olive oil
2 large leeks (white and pale green parts only), minced
4 large garlic cloves, chopped
2 1/2 cups chicken stock or canned broth
1 cup raisins
1 cup 1/2-inch cubes peeled butternut squash
1 large zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3/4 cup frozen baby lima beans, thawed
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch (generous) of cayenne pepper
1 cup diced seeded plum tomatoes
3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 cups Quinoa, rinsed well and drained

1 pre-cooked Rotisserie Chicken from the market, meat shredded
Lemon wedges

For the Harissa:
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
6 green onions, chopped

1 small red onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced


To make the Quinoa:

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large sauce pan oven over low heat. Add leeks and garlic. Cover and cook until leeks are very tender but not brown, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add 2 1/4 cups stock, turmeric, ginger, cayenne and the quinoa. Season with salt and pepper. Increase heat and bring mixture to boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes.  Quinoa should be soft, tender and seeds are "open".  Mixture will be wet, quinoa holds a lot of liquid, so drain well in a fine sieve.  Return to pan, cover and let stand 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a sauté pan, heat the remainder of the oil over medium high heat.  Add squash, zucchini, and lima beans, season with salt and pepper.  Cook for 5 minutes until vegetables are crisp tender.  Add shredded chicken and 1/4 cup of chicken stock.  Let cook another 2-3 minutes making sure chicken is reheated. Add raisins, tomatoes, peas, and cilantro.

Fluff quinoa with fork and add squash,chicken mixture to quinoa.   Transfer to large warm platter. Garnish with lemon wedges. Serve, passing Chunky Onion Harissa separately.  Enjoy!

To make the Harissa:

Combine tomato paste, crushed red pepper and cayenne pepper in bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Whisk in vinegar. Mix in onions and garlic. Season generously with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Stir Harissa well before using.)