at the table Scott McNeil's Quinoa Corn Salad Yields about 8 cups
Courtesy of Marisa North
Note: Quinoa has a resinous, bitter coating called saponin. While the coating is usually removed before being sold, Skinner always “scrubs” quinoa with his hands in warm water to remove any residue and ensure no bitter taste. He then runs it through a fine sieve under cold running water. 1 cup quinoa 1½ cups water ½ teaspoon salt (optional) 3 ears sweet summer corn, cut off of ears 2 red onions, diced finely ½ tablespoon vinegar 5 Roma tomatoes, diced to same size as corn kernel ¼ bunch basil chiffonade Fresh lemon juice, olive oil and salt and pepper to taste
Sans recently opened a café inside its grocery store.
Siblings Marisa and Chad North started Sans Gluten-Free Grocery after battling gluten intolerance for much of their lives. The pair’s knowledge about GF foods and living a GF lifestyle makes shopping and eating at their store a more personal experience than buying from the larger health food and grocery chains. The Norths also can order hard-to-get items. Sans not only carries high-quality, often lo- Marisa North cal GF foods, but it also serves as a community and educational hub. For example, it recently hosted a lecture by Mill Valley nutritionist Willie Victor on “The Difference Between Gluten Intolerance and Celiac Disease.” Several months ago, the Norths added a café to their store that is currently open on Fridays and Saturdays. It serves sandwiches and paninis (often with bread from Natural Food Works in Davis), organic and vegan soups, and corn bread and homemade chicken pot pies that Marisa says have a “cult following.” One of Sans’ most popular items comes courtesy of longtime Bay Area chef and occasional Sans guest chef John Skinner, who credits fellow chef Scott McNeil with being the first to put quinoa and corn together:
Courtesy of Marisa North
Sans Gluten-Free Grocery & Café, San Rafael sansglutenfreegrocery.com
Drain quinoa in a strainer, transfer to a cooking pot, add water and salt if desired. Bring to a boil, cover with a tight-fitting lid and turn the heat down to simmer. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes until little volcanoes appear in the surface of the quinoa. Remove quinoa from heat and allow to sit 5 minutes with the lid on. Place quinoa on a sheet pan/cookie sheet to cool, fluff it gently with a fork. Sear corn in a sauté pan and cool. Dip onions into boiling water for 10 seconds, drain into a bowl and pour vinegar over them to take away the heady top notes of raw onion and brighten the color. Mix all ingredients. Any grain salad will need to have the seasonings adjusted before serving: The taste will go flat, because the high notes will diminish as it sits. Re-season with lemon and salt prior to serving.
What is gluten and who should avoid it? Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. Sensitivity to gluten has been found to exist on a spectrum, though research is ongoing to determine diagnostic guidelines. Symptoms include pain or discomfort after eating foods with gluten. Those with wheat allergies can experience gastrointestinal, skin and respiratory problems. And people with celiac disease, which causes the immune system to mistakenly attack the body’s own tissue, must avoid gluten completely.
spring 2012 • Scene • 69