Recently my mom emailed me a cool recipe from Bobby Flay I couldn't wait to try out. I'm often guilty of spending all my energy on the main dish and copping out on the sides (seriously, rice plus an arugula salad with shaved parmesan hits my table 4 times a week--even the dog and cat are no longer interested)

It's a pretty straightforward combo of grilled veggies and goat cheese over grains, but what really sets it off (natch) is good cheese. Enter: Armentizia Caprini. This semi-aged Sardinian goats milk wonder has characteristics reminiscent of Parmesan, Pecorino Romano, and even aged Gouda, but certainly a character all its own. Tasting notes, at least understandable ones (interesting translations can be found here: http://www.larmentiziamoderna.it/index.aspx?m=53&did=158) are hard to come by, but suffice to say it's a favorite here at RCC. And it definitely works in this recipe. Enjoy! (Thanks, Mom!)

Grilled Asparagus and Quinoa Salad with Goat Cheese and Black Olive Vinaigrette

Recipe courtesy Bobby Flay
Show: Boy Meets Grill
Episode: No Ordinary Vegetable

12 spears asparagus, trimmed
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 cups quinoa
8 ounces aged goat cheese, shaved
1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 nicoise olives
1 Roma tomato, sliced
Parsley sprigs for garnish

Heat grill. Brush asparagus with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Grill on both sides until just cooked through, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove from grill and cut in half.

Bring 8 cups of salted water to a boil. Add quinoa and cook until soft. Drain and rinse with cold water and drain again. Place the quinoa in a medium bowl and add red wine vinegar, olive oil, parsley and 1/4 cup of olive vinaigrette. Stir to combine. Place on plate and top with goat cheese, asparagus, whole nicoise olives, sliced tomato and parsley sprigs.

Black Olive Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup aged sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon chile de arbol
1/2 cup pitted nicoise olives
1/2 cup olive oil

Combine vinegar, mustard, chile powder, olives and olive oil in a blender and blend until smooth.