Quinoa with asparagus and shiitakes recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup white or red quinoa
• 1 pound thin asparagus spears
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ pound shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded
• ½ tablespoons soy sauce (regular or reduced-sodium)
• 1½ tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon mirin
• 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
• 1 tablespoon orange juice

1. Fill a large saucepan about two-thirds full with water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Stir in the quinoa, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the grains have developed their halos and are tender, about 12 minutes. Drain in a fine-mesh sieve or a lined colander set in the sink.
2. Heat a grill pan over medium heat or fire up the grill for direct, high-heat cooking. Coat the asparagus spears with the oil, then grill until browned, marked, and tender, about 8 minutes, turning occasionally. Maintain the heat under the pan or on the grill. Transfer the spears to a cutting board and slice them into 1-inch segments.
3. Set the shiitake mushroom caps in the pan or on the grill grate over direct heat. Set a heavy flameproof lid—like the lid to a cast iron Dutch oven or even a panini or sandwich press—on top of them to weight them down. Cook for 1 minute. Transfer to the cutting board and slice into thin strips.
4. Pour the asparagus bits and mushroom slices into a serving bowl. Fluff the quinoa and dump it in as well. Stir in the remaining ingredients: the soy sauce, vinegar, mirin, orange zest, and orange juice.