Peruvian Quinoa Stew (Guiso de Quinua)

From the garden

• 1½ cups quinoa seed, rinsed in several changes of water until it stops foaming
• 3 medium waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 fresh yellow or orange chile (aji amarillo type, or a hot banana or Hungarian wax pepper), seeded and minced
• ¼ cup fresh parsley or huacatay, chopped (optional)

From the pantry

• 4 cups vegetable stock
• ¾ cup milk
• 1 cup crumbled feta or queso fresco
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• salt · to taste
• black pepper

1. Rinse the quinoa properly: put it in a fine sieve set in a bowl of cold water, rub the seeds between your palms, lift, dump the water, and repeat with fresh water 4–5 times until the water no longer foams and runs clear. Homegrown seed carries a bitter, soapy saponin coat that store quinoa has had polished off, so do not skip this. Drain well.
2. Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium. Cook the onion with a pinch of salt 6–8 minutes until soft and golden, then add the garlic, chile, cumin, and oregano and stir 1 minute until fragrant. This aderezo is the flavor base, so let the onion go properly golden.
3. Add the drained quinoa and stir a minute to coat in the oil, then add the potatoes and stock. Bring to a boil, lower to a gentle simmer, and cook uncovered 20–25 minutes, stirring now and then so nothing catches, until the quinoa has uncurled its little tails and the potatoes are tender. It should look like a loose, creamy porridge; add a splash of water if it gets thick before the potatoes are done.
4. Stir in the milk and half the cheese and simmer 2–3 minutes more until creamy. Season generously with salt and pepper; quinoa needs more salt than you expect.
5. Ladle into bowls and top with the remaining cheese and the herbs. It is a complete meal on its own; a fried egg on top is the classic Andean upgrade.