Camargue red rice and quinoa with orange and pistachios

Tricia Jadoonanan, for a long period the head chef at our Islington branch, brought Camargue red rice to Ottolenghi and does wonders with it, including this recipe. This French rice has an outstanding nutty flavor, a good dry consistency, and a color much more appealing than other whole-grain varieties.Quinoa, a native of South America, has a satisfying “bouncy” texture and is probably one of the healthiest foodstuffs available. It has more protein than any other grain and the perfect set of amino acids (not that this would make us eat it if it didn’t taste great).

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Step 1

Preheat the oven to 325°F / 170°C. Spread the pistachios out on a baking sheet and toast for 8 minutes, until lightly colored. Remove from the oven, allow to cool slightly, and then chop coarsely. Set aside.2 Fill 2 saucepans with salted water and bring to a boil. Simmer the quinoa in one for 12 to 14 minutes and the rice in the other for 20 minutes. Both should be tender but still have a bite. Drain in a sieve and spread out the 2 grains separately on flat trays to hasten the cooling.3 While the grains are cooking, sauté the white onion in 4 tablespoons of the olive oil, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden brown. Leave to cool completely.4 In a large mixing bowl, combine the rice, quinoa, cooked onion, and the remaining oil. Add all the rest of the ingredients, then taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve at room temperature.