Quinoa and Wild Rice Pilaf with Pistachio Piccata

Spring is in the air. I can hear the birds happily chirping outside my window each morning. This puts me in the mood for something light and springy. Quinoa and wild rice pilaf, accompanied by a pistachio piccata, is on today's menu. I got the idea for the pistachio piccata from Barton Seaver's For Cod and Country; Seaver is a Washington, D.C., chef and National Geographic Fellow. It's a great cookbook that highlights simple and sustainable cooking of predominantly fish and seafood (with a few other seasonal recipes scattered in). While I'm eager to try out more of his fish/seafood recipes, this piccata jumped out at me for its originality.

A piccata you may ask (or at least that's what I asked myself)? Curious, I did a bit of  research into the origin of piccata. Its origin is decidedly vague, but what I've learned is that piccata is typically used to describe meat (usually veal or chicken) that has been sliced and sautéed with lemon, parsley and butter. So, to call this pistachio preparation -- with lemon zest, garlic, and olive oil -- a piccata, may be a rather loose interpretation of this term. Regardless, the pistachio piccata provides a nice amount of nuttiness to your ordinary rice pilaf. In addition to wild brown rice, I added toasted quinoa. Toasting the quinoa helps to release its oils, which heighten its nutty flavors.

In leiu of your ordinary lemon, I used Meyer lemon in the pilaf and piccata. Did you know that a Meyer lemon is not a lemon? It's actually a hybrid between a regular lemon and a mandarin orange. A Meyer lemon is a bit sweeter and less tart (and less acidic) than your regular lemon, but not quite as sweet as an orange. They're also super juicy. So, if you come across these guys, give them a try. If they are not available, substitute a regular lemon, an orange, or even a mandarin orange.

 Quinoa and Wild Rice Pilaf with Pistachio Piccata
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups chicken stock or water
Zest of 1 (Meyer or regular) lemon
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
1 cup wild brown rice
Juice of 1 (Meyer or regular) lemon plus extra for squeezing over the finished dish
1 tablespoon fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped
1 green onion, thinly sliced
Large handful baby arugula leaves (or more to your liking)

Pistachio piccata (see recipe below)

Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
Drizzle of good quality extra virgin olive oil

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add the onion and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until the onion is soft (but not browned), about 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the quinoa and toast, about 5 minutes, until aromatic. Add the chicken stock or water, lemon zest, and thyme, and simmer, covered, about 15 minutes. Let sit 10 minutes with a clean towel over top. Fluff up with a fork.

Rinse the rice. Add the rice and 2 cups of water to a pot with a tight-fitting lid. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 25-30 minutes (I like mine al dente). Remove from the heat and allow it to sit covered for 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, mix the quinoa, rice, lemon juice, parsley or cilantro, and green onion. Chill in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, mix in the arugula, a few tablespoons (or more) of the pistachio piccata. Season with salt and pepper. Finish with a nice squeeze of lemon juice, a drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil, and top with a little more of the piccata.

Pistachio Piccata
Adapted from Barton Seaver's Cod and Country
1 cup shelled, pistachios, chopped
Finely grated zest of one Meyer or regular lemon
2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
Sea salt, to taste

In a small bowl, mix the pistachios, zest, garlic, olive oil, and salt. Let sit for at least 20 minutes at room temperature.

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