Quinoa Salad with Roasted Carrots and Blood Oranges

Preheat an oven to 400°F (200°C).

Pile the carrots on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with the olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Spread the carrots in a single layer and roast, stirring once halfway through, until fork-tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.

To make the vinaigrette, in a bowl, combine the blood orange juice, vinegar, mustard, and salt and pepper to taste. Pour in the olive oil slowly, whisking until well blended. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Set aside.

Place the quinoa and 2 cups (16 fl. oz./500 ml) water in a saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until the water is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the lid and fluff the quinoa with a fork.

While the quinoa is cooking, section the blood oranges: Working over a bowl with 1 blood orange at a time and using a sharp paring knife, pare away the peels and pith. Carefully cut between the membranes of the blood orange to release each orange section. Let the sections and juice fall into the bowl as you work.

In a large bowl, toss the warm quinoa with the spinach. Pour in half of the dressing and toss to coat all the ingredients well. Taste and add more dressing as needed. To assemble, mound the quinoa-spinach mixture on a platter and top with the roasted carrots, blood orange sections, edamame and hazelnuts. With a vegetable peeler, shave the ricotta salata and scatter over the top. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Adapted from Williams Sonoma School Night, by Kate McMillan (Weldon Owen 2015)