There is a restaurant in Brickell called Perricone’s. This restaurant serves some of the best Italian inspired food in Miami, and the service is excellent. Several months ago, Huddler and I had a lunch date. (As a side note, mama and son lunch dates are my favorite… well, when he’s not throwing food everywhere and screaming.) I usually opt for their minestrone, however, the soup of the day was sweet potato and quinoa. Intrigued, I ordered it. (Well, honestly I ordered it because it seemed like something Huddler could eat since he only had four teeth at the time.) When it arrived to the table, not only did Huddler enjoy it, I did as well. It was absolutely delicious and not what I expected. I spent the next few weeks re-creating this delicious find. It’s a great spring take on the sweet potato which is usually the co-star of many fall and winter entrees. This is an easy vegetarian recipe that I love and is also Huddler approved. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
- 3 Sweet Potatoes (peeled, washed, and cubed into medium size pieces)
- Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper
- 3 1/2 Cups of Chicken STOCK or Vegetable STOCK (Be mindful to use stock instead of broth) PLUS
- 1 1/2 Cups of Chicken STOCK or Vegetable STOCK for the quinoa
- 1/2 Cup of Quinoa
- 1/4 Panko Break Crumbs (a.k.a. Japanese Bread Crumbs)
- 1 Cup of Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
- 1/4 Cup Flat Leaf Parsley
The Steps:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- On a large sheet pan, place the peeled and cubed sweet potatoes.
- Drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of good olive oil onto the sweet potatoes.
- Sprinkle the potatoes with salt and pepper.
- Use your hands (the best kitchen tool out there) and toss the potatoes until they are nicely coated.
- Roast at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes or until the potatoes have slightly browned and are fork tender.
- While the potatoes are roasting, prepare the quinoa.
- Add the quinoa to the 1 1/2 cups of chicken or vegetable stock and bring to a boil. (Helpful Note: add a teaspoon of olive oil to help prevent sticking.)
- After the quinoa comes to a boil for 2-3 minutes, turn down to medium-low heat and continue to cook with the lid on for an additional 15 minutes or until it is light and fluffy.
- Set aside.
Meanwhile:
- Heat the remaining chicken or vegetable stock (3 1/2 cups) in a sauce pan on medium low heat.
- Preheat a skillet to medium, then drizzle a teaspoon of olive oil.
- Add the panko bread crumbs to the skillet and toast until lightly golden brown. (Be sure to toss frequently to prevent burning. It will also help the toasting process.)
- After the panko bread crumbs have toasted, set aside.
- Chop the flat leaf parsley and set aside.
- Grate the parmesan cheese and set aside.
- Combined the cooked quinoa, panko bread crumbs (leaving a little left to garnish), parmesan cheese (also leaving a little left to garnish), and the flat leaf parley (again leaving a little left to garnish). Fold ingredients together with salt and pepper to taste. For even more flavor, I add red pepper flakes, but this is optional.
To Complete:
- In a blender (I use a Vitamix, however, any high power blender will work great.) Combined the baked sweet potatoes and 3 1/2 cups of stock. Blend until very, very smooth.
- Pour back into the sauce pan to keep warm.
To Serve and Garnish:
- Serve the soup in a shallow bowl adding one generous spoon full of the quinoa mixture.
- Lightly drizzle with good olive oil.
- Garnish with the reserved parmesan cheese and flat leaf parsley.
To Drink:
-Pinot Noir. Just do it.
Additional Notes:
-This dish can be served as the soup course, or in larger portions for a main dish.
