One of the most sacred foods of the ancient Incas of South America was quinoa, a plant so nourishing, delicious, and vital they called it chesiya mama, the Mother Grain. Each year the Incan emperor, using a golden spade, planted the first quinoa seeds of the season, and at the solstice, priests bearing golden vessels filled with quinoa made offerings to Inti, The Sun.

Quinoa (pronounced keen-wa or kee-noo-ah) is a broad-leafed, annual herb that grows wild and which has also been cultivated for thousands of years in the Andes. When mature, this tall, handsome plant is topped with large plume-like seed heads that range in color from vivid red, orange or yellow to black or white. Before being eaten, quinoa seeds must be processed to remove their bitter coating of saponin. After washing or dry polishing, the ready-to-cook seeds are white or beige in color. Quinoa's spinach-like leaves and its seeds are highly nutritious. The leaves, which unfortunately seldom reach the consumer, may be eaten raw in salads or cooked like spinach. They are high in Vitamin A. The more readily available seeds are rich in protein, high in fiber, and particularly rich in the amino acid Iysine. Quinoa seeds are also good sources of calcium, phosphorus, and Vitamins B and E.

Cooked quinoa is delicious and extremely versatile because it may be used in the place of almost any other grain, including rice, to make everything from appetizers to desserts. You can even substitute it in your favorite recipe for rice pudding!

Why then is quinoa, unlike the other Inca "wonder foods" maize and potatoes, so little known outside of South America? This question has never been answered, but one theory is that the Spaniards who carried maize and potatoes back to Europe in the sixteenth century may have tasted quinoa that had not been properly processed and therefore failed to realize its potential.

Fortunately, the skillful Native American farmers of the Andes continued to cultivate quinoa and, thus, presented this ancient "supergrain" for the modern world. Until the 1980s, quinoa was virtually unknown in North America. Much of the credit for its introduction goes to the late Dave Cusack, a Colorado native.

In 1984, Cusack and two partners began to import quinoa from South America. He had a clear vision of uniting the indigenous peoples of North and South America through cooperation in growing quinoa.

With this aim in mind, he began to explore the possibilities of growing quinoa in the high, arid regions of the United States. Cusack's dream has not yet been realized, but today, with the support of Colorado State University and the research of Dr. John McCamant and his dedicated staff at White Mountain Farm in Mosca, Colorado, both white quinoa and a delicious hybrid of wild and cultivated varieties, sold as "black," quinoa are grown organically in the high elevations of the San Luis Valley. Thanks in large part to these efforts, quinoa is becoming increasingly familiar to consumers and available in both health food stores and supermarkets.

QUINOA (THE BASIC RECIPE)

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water

Before they are processed by washing or dry polishing, quinoa seeds are covered with a saponin which has a bitter taste. Remove any saponin residue by rinsing quinoa thoroughly with cold water before cooking. Drain excess water. Place quinoa and water in a 1/2-quart saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until all of the water is absorbed (about 15 minutes). You will know that the quinoa is done when all the grains have turned from white to transparent, and the spiral-like germ has separated. Makes 3 cups.
The recipe that follows, Quinoa con Queso, is adapted from one included in a recipe booklet distributed by the Central de Cooperatives Agropecuarias, "Operacion Tierra" Ltda in Southern Bolivia. The cooperative is located in a dry, cool area of salt flats at an elevation of 10,000 feet. The average yearly rainfall is only ten inches, and quinoa is the only agricultural crop. Operacion Tierra was formed to promote quinoa and puts on an annual quinoa festival. Quinoa con Queso combines two of the most important crops of the High Andes -- potatoes and quinoa -- along with tomatoes, onions, and chile.

QUINOA CON QUESO

• 1 cup quinoa, washed and drained
• 1 cup light cream or unsweetened evaporated milk
• 1 pound potatoes, preferably gold, purple, and red varieties
• 2 tablespoons butter or vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
• 1-1/2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
• 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
• 1 to 2 peeled and seeded mild green chiles, chopped or 1 4-ounce can mild green chiles
• 1-1/2 to 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro or Italian parsley
• 8-ounces (about 2 cups) shredded Monterey Jack or mild Cheddar cheese
• Salt and ground pepper to taste
  

Cook quinoa in 2 cups of cold water following basic recipe. When done, stir in cream and set aside. Meanwhile, in a separate saucepan boil potatoes in lightly salted water until just tender. Peel and cut into 1-inch chunks. In a large deep skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add onion and garlic and sautee until golden, 3 to 5 minutes.

Stir in tomato sauce, chiles, and cilantro. Add quinoa mixture and diced potatoes to skillet and fold together gently. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Either fold in all of cheese and heat and serve quinoa directly from skillet, or fold in half of cheese, transfer mixture to a shallow buttered 8-cup baking dish and top with remaining cheese. If serving in a baking dish, heat in preheated 350 F. oven for about 20 minutes until casserole is bubbling and cheese on top is melted. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

To order organically grown quinoa and potatoes in a rainbow assortment of colors, contact:

White Mountain Farm
8890 Lane 4 North
Mosca, CO 81146
1 .

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