Quinoa-Nori Rolls — Sparkling wine

Quinoa-Nori Rolls — Sparkling wine

By Olivia Wu, Chronicle contributor

I've paired quinoa's nutty flavor and crunchy texture to the high-glutamate flavors of teriyaki-roasted nori snacks. Note, these 1 x 3-inch rectangles are not the standard nori sheets used to roll sushi. Together the quinoa and nori dance with the crisp bubbles of a sparkling wine. If you haven't tried quinoa, it's an ultra-high nutrition grain that's a great side dish. Cold leftovers can be made into salad, like couscous.
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup quinoa
1 cup water
1 tablespoon mayonnaise (homemade or Best Foods brand) plus additional as needed
1/2 teaspoon smooth Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon fish sauce (preferably Three Crab brand)
2 tablespoons finely minced chives (plus additional for garnish)
40 sheets roasted, teriyaki nori (the seasoned snacking variety)
Blanched chives (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS: : Wash quinoa twice and drain well. Pour into a small saucepan with water and cook on high heat until quinoa comes to a boil. Turn heat to medium and cook another 10 minutes or until all the water is absorbed and the quinoa is chewy. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork and allow to cool. Meanwhile, whisk together mayonnaise, mustard and fish sauce. When quinoa is at room temperature, fold in mayonnaise mixture and chives.
To assemble the rolls, place a sheet of nori on a flat surface, and scoop a teaspoon of cooled quinoa and spread on the sheet. Roll the nori up like a jelly roll that is 1/2 inch in diameter. Seal the final edge, if necessary with a dab of extra mayo. If you're ambitious, tie each roll in the middle with a blanched chive strand. (Alternatively, you can present the quinoa and nori sheets side by side and let guests roll their own.)
Sprinkle additional chopped chives around the platter for garnish; serve immediately. (Do not make these rolls too far in advance because the roasted nori sheets lose their crispness.)
Note: Nori sheets are available at Asian markets.
Serves 8
Per serving: 80 calories, 4 g protein, 10 g carbohydrate, 2 g fat (0 saturated), 1 mg cholesterol, 50 mg sodium, 3 g fiber