Roasted Carrot, Avocado, Pistachio, and Quinoa Salad

Ingredients

⅔ cup (120 g) uncooked quinoa

1.25 cups (300 ml) water

Kosher salt

8 ounces (225 g) carrots, cut into small chunks

Extra-virgin olive oil

¼ teaspoon dried chile flakes

½ medium red onion, cut into

4 wedges

Freshly ground black pepper

½ cup (60 g) pistachios, toasted and roughly chopped

1 cup lightly packed (30 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

About ⅓ cup (80 ml) Fresh Orange and Garlic Confit Vinaigrette (page 319), or freshly squeezed orange juice mixed with olive oil in a ratio of about 1:2

1 large or 2 smaller avocados

Directions

Put the quinoa in a small saucepan with a lid, along with the water and ½ teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then quickly reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook at a simmer until the quinoa is tender and the water has been absorbed, 15 to 18 minutes. If the quinoa is tender but there's liquid left, just drain it off; if the water has been absorbed but the quinoa isn't fully tender, add a few tablespoons more water and keep cooking until tender. Cool completely.

Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

Put the carrots in a bowl and toss with a nice glug of olive oil, the chile flakes, and 1 teaspoon salt. Spread onto a sheet pan.

Put the onion wedges in the same bowl. Drizzle on a bit of olive oil, season with ½ teaspoon salt and a few twists of black pepper, and toss gently to coat with oil but not break up the onion layers too much. Put the onion on another sheet pan or in a smaller baking dish.

Roast the carrots until tender and starting to brown around the edges, about 20 minutes. Roast the onion until it's also tender and starting to caramelize around the edges but not drying out, 15 to 25 minutes, depending on the size of your onion.

Put the roasted carrots and onion, quinoa, pistachios, and parsley in a bowl and toss gently. Drizzle on about half the vinaigrette and toss again.

Halve and pit the avocado(s) and, with a spoon, scoop out chunks of the flesh into the bowl. Toss again gently, trying not to smash up the avocado too much. Taste and season with more vinaigrette, chile flakes, salt, or black pepper.