Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Recipes from Nello Cucina's Quinoa Cooking Class

Keep in mind 1 cup of dry quinoa is equal to 3 cups of cooked quinoa. Use 2 cups of water for every 1 cup of quinoa.

Measure 1 cup quinoa & rinse well with cold water. Pour rinsed quinoa into a saucepan with 2 cups of water. Add a dash of salt (optional). Cover & bring to a boil. When it starts to boil, turn the heat down to simmer. Simmer for 15 – 20 minutes.

Quinoa Italian Summer Salad

Serves 2 people
4 oz. Fresh mozzarella
2 medium size Roma tomatoes
4 oz. Quinoa (cooked and cold)
1 chopped green onion
3 large leaves of Basil
Salt & pepper  to taste
E.V.O.O
Balsamic vinegar
Cut the fresh mozzarella & tomatoes into bite sized pieces & place into a mixing bowl, Add Quinoa, chopped green onions, & basil. Add salt and pepper to taste, toss with E.V.O.O. & balsamic vinegar.

Wine pairing:
La Fornarina Prosecco Spumante
Fizzy, fresh & fruity with straw yellow & light green highlights. Serve chilled.

Scampi Quinoa Arrabbiata

Serves 2 people
4 large shrimp
1 glove of  finely chopped garlic
1 oz. chopped Italian parsley
12 oz. chopped & peeled  tomato filet
E.V.O.O.
6 oz. Quinoa
White wine
Chili flakes to taste
Salt & pepper to taste
In a sauté pan place E.V.O.O., chopped garlic & brown with the shrimp, add Italian parsley, chili flakes, salt & pepper to taste. Cook for 2 minutes and deglaze with white wine. Remove the shrimp and set aside, add tomatoes to the sauce, cook & reduce for 10 minutes. Add the shrimp & cook for 1 minute. Serve over a pilaf of Quinoa.

Wine pairing:
Masoletti, Pinot Grigio
Bottled instantly, fresh & full flavored, fruity & full flavored, aromatic & fruity.
Served chilled, with fresh fish & seafood.

Filetto di Maiale con Quinoa

Serves 2 people
2  6 oz. medallions of pork tenderloin
4 oz. sliced shitake mushrooms
1 oz. chopped shallots
1 oz. Italian parsley
2 tsp. mustard
½  stick of butter
3 oz. red wine
Salt & pepper to taste
E.V.O.O.
In a sauté pan add E.V.O.O. & heat. Dust pork tenderloin with flower & pan sear both sides, remove from pan. Add the shallots & shitake mushrooms, add mustard, deglaze with the red wine & reduce. Add butter to thicken the sauce, add the pork and reduce flame to medium until it is cooked to the temperature desired. On a serving plate make a bed of Quinoa (already cooked) and place the pork tenderloin, top with the mushroom sauce.

Wine pairing:
Poggio Bosso, Primitivo, 2010
The Italian Zinfandel
Aged in stainless steel, full bodied & elegant with hints of blackberry & spicy currant on the nose.
Pairs well with grilled vegetables & meats.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Quinoa Cooking Class at Nello Cucina!

On Wednesday, July 18, 2012 Join Nello Cucina for a:



Quinoa is a grain like crop, native to the Andes Mountains of Bolivia, Peru & Chile. Although Quinoa translates to “mother grain” in the Incan language it is actually considered to be a pseudocereal, not a cereal or grain because it is not a member of the grass family.

Prepared the same way as rice Quinoa is gluten-free & can be substituted in certain dishes for pasta or rice. Quinoa is considered as a source of complete protein, a great source of dietary fiber & a noteworthy source of calcium.

Join Nello Cucina for a Cooking Class
& learn how to incorporate Quinoa into Italian food!


Quinoa Italian Summer Salad


Quinoa, fresh mozzarella, Roma tomatoes, green onions, basil, E.V.O.O., balsamic vinegar

Scampi Quinoa Arrabiata

Shrimp, white wine, Arrabiata sauce

Filetto di Maiale con Quinoa


Pork filet, mushroom red wine sauce










Live Music by Enzo Selvaggi!



Wednesday, July 18th 6:00PM
$30 per person, plus tax & gratuity
Seating is limited. Reservations required 714-540-3365