Cucumber Quinoa Salad Toast

Dear Lauren,

I joined a new cooking group. The group is based on cooking out of all of the Ottolenghi cookbooks.I like to call him Otto. When I joined the group, I did it to lurk. To see what the other cooks liked out of Otto's books. But the very first day, I changed my mind. No lurking for me! The group posts a page number and the name of one of the cookbooks and asks us to consider making that recipe. We can share photos and make other recipes but when I realized they were going to tell me what to make? Well, I develop recipes and answer questions and think (up all sorts of nonsense) all day long, so I quickly realized after being added to this group that I LIKE being told what to cook! I really do!

One of the cookbooks I have really enjoyed this year is Keepers and I've made every "toast" in that book and then some! When I saw the recipe the Otto group chose for this week, Quinoa and Grilled Sourdough Salad, I immediately thought...TOAST! I put a little olive oil on some sourdough and plopped it in the toaster and the rest of the salad I made as Otto ordered. I was able to use tomatoes from my garden and try out my new rice cooker to cook the quinoa, so even if this recipe hadn't been amazing, I would have enjoyed the process. But it IS amazing!! Yum, yum! Off to a good start!

Cucumber Quinoa Salad Toast

adapted from Quinoa and Grilled Sourdough Salad in Plenty

serves 4

1 cup cooked quinoa (use this method and save the leftovers for another use)
4 tomatoes, cut in bite size pieces
2 cucumbers, ends cut off, sliced in half lengthwise, seeds removed, cut in 1/4" slices
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped

1/4 cup olive oil, plus additional to brush the bread
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

4 slices sourdough bread

Place first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. In a second bowl, whisk next 5 ingredients until combined. Put the dressing over the salad and toss. Set aside. Toast the bread in the toaster and brush with a little olive oil. Place a piece of toast on each plate and divide the salad equally on top of each toast. Serve.

Love,

P.S. Lauren - "Listen Linda!"