Ingredients
- 1 Pound fresh shiitake or baby bella mushrooms, stemmed and quartered
- 6 Cups sliced baby carrots, cut 1/2-inch thick
- 1 Cup (2 ounces) canola oil
- Salt and pepper; to taste
- 1 Cup roasted whole buckwheat groats* (Kasha)
- 2 Cups vegetable stock
- 1 Cup finely minced fresh gingerroot
- 1 Cup Inca Red quinoa
- 1 Cup water
- 3 fresh lemons*
- 3 Tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 Cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1 Cup rice vinegar
- 3 Tablespoons Chinese chili oil, or to taste
- 3 Cups California natural raisins
- 1 Cup chopped scallions
Procedure
Preheat oven to 350°F. In small bowl, toss mushrooms and carrots with oil to coat evenly, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Spread on sheet pan and roast at 350°F for 30 minutes. Transfer to large mixing bowl, and cool. Meanwhile, stir groats and stock together in 3-quart saucepan. Heat to simmer; cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Set aside, covered, and let stand for 5 minutes. Then, fold in minced gingerroot; fluff with a fork and transfer to bowl with roasted vegetables. Set aside to cool. Rinse quinoa in strainer under cold water until water runs clear. Then, combine quinoa and 1-1/2 cups water in a 1-1/2 quart suacepan. Heat to simmer, cover, reduce heat, and simmer about 15 minutes or until all water is absorbed and quinoa is tender. Transfer to bowl with vegetables and groats; fluff together with a fork, and set aside to cool.
Zest and juice lemons; reserve zest for Topping. In small mixing bowl, beat sesame oil with soy sauce, 1/2 cup lemon juice, vinegar and chili oil. Add to bowl with vegetables, kasha and quinoa; then, fold in scallions and natural raisins. Toss together to mix well and season to taste with salt. Let stand to meld flavors.
For buffet service, line a large serving bowl with lettuce leaves and mound salad on top OR line 24 individual serving bowls with lettuce leaves; divide salad and mound a portion onto each. Immediately before serving, combine Topping ingredients and fold together. Sprinkle the topping on salad just prior to serving.
Notes: 1. If roasted kasha is not available, place buckwheat groats in saucepan and stir over medium heat about 2 minutes until grains begin to toast before adding vegetable stock.
2. Meyer lemons are preferred.
3. Goji berries, sometimes called wolfberreis, may be substituted for the pomegranate seeds (arils).
Topping
- 1 Cup California golden raisins, plumped in warm water
- 1 Cup pomegranate arils (optional)
- 1 Cup lemon zest
- 1 Cup Italian parsley, chopped