Robata Garden Quinoa Soil

This dish works with an endless combination of vegetables, so use what is in season. Some vegetables need par boiling, just to ensure that that they are evenly cooked and on time when coming off the robata grill. This dish is perfect for an allotment or garden feast as it plays great homage to the jewels of months of careful cultivation.

Vegetables can be grilled on the a griddle pan or on a traditional BBQ , but is of course particular wonderful when grilled on a Robata grill over binchotan coals. What is unique about grilling over binchotan coal is that they generate a clean high heat penetrating the ingredients like infrared heat creating an umami packed eating experience. I share the recipe here and plug my excellent book on robata grilling for the home cook: Robata - Japanese Home Grilling.

Serves 4

8 baby carrots

8 baby fennel

8 baby leeks

4 small parsnips

200 ml. vegetable oil

100 grams quinoa

1 pack silken soft tofu

2 tablespoons sesame paste

1 teaspoon yuzu (or lemon juice)

Olive oil

Freshly ground pepper and sea salt

Bring a large sauce pan of salty water to the boil. Wash all the vegetable ensuring to rub off any dirt carefully. Keep the green tops on the baby carrots. Trim the tops of the parsnip and cut in quarters. When the water is boiling add the vegetables, reduce heat to medium and blanch for 5 minutes so they still have a bit of crunch. Drain the vegetables and plunge into ice cold water for 5 minutes to cool and retain colour. Drain again and dab dry with kitchen towel, lay them out in a tray, brush generously with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, ready for grilling.

Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy based sauce pan. Fry quinoa for 2-3 minutes until crisp. Place a metal sieve over a metal bowl and drain quinoa. Line another shallow tray with kitchen towel and spread out the quinoa to dry.

Drain the tofu, break into chunks and place in a food processor with the sesame paste, yuzu and salt and pepper. Process until you have a smooth paste similar to Greek yogurt. Spoon the mixture into serving bowl and sprinkle with the toasted quinoa.

Now grill the vegetables, turning them every 2 minutes until nicely browned, occasionally brush with extra olive oil to keep them moist. When the vegetables are cooked and slightly charred in places, remove from the grill and place in the quinoa soil ready to serve.