Ingredients
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⅓cup Quinoa
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⅔ cup Water
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¼ teaspoon Salt
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3 cups coarsely chopped Nectarines
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1 small ripe Avocado
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½ cup coarsely chopped Cucumber
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¼ cup Lime Juice
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2 tablespoons chopped Red Onion
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2 tablespoons snipped fresh Mint
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1 fresh Jalapeno Pepper
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1 (12-ounce) bottle Ginger Beer
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1 cup Pineapple Juice
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Mexican Cream
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1recipe Crispy-Spice Tortilla Strips
Directions
This cold soup is an amazing blend of textures and flavors. It is sweet from the nectarines, a little bit spicy from the jalapeño, creamy from the avocado, and crunchy from crisp cucumbers. It makes a very light and fresh first course for a summer barbecue.
Steps
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1
Done
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In a colander rinse quinoa well; drain. In a small saucepan bring the water and salt to boiling. Stir in quinoa. Reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 15 minutes or until tender. Drain and discard any excess water; set quinoa aside to cool. |
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2
Done
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Place nectarines in a large bowl. If desired, mash some of the pieces slightly with a potato masher. Gently stir in cooled quinoa, avocado, cucumber, lime juice, onion, mint and/or cilantro, and jalapeño. Cover and chill for 30 minutes to 6 hours. |
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3
Done
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To serve, stir ginger beer and pineapple juice into nectarine mixture. Ladle into bowls. If desired, top with crema. Garnish with Crispy-Spice Tortilla Strips. |
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4
Done
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Crispy-Spice Tortilla StripsPreheat oven to 350°F. In a small bowl combine 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, ½ teaspoon chili powder, and ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon. Brush three 7- to 8-inch flour tortillas with the oil mixture. Sprinkle tortillas with salt. Roll up each tortilla and slice crosswise into long thin strips. If desired, cut strips in half. Spread strips on a baking sheet. Bake about 12 to 15 minutes or until golden. Cool on a wire rack. Use immediately or store in a covered container at room temperature for up to 3 days. |
