Today I propose you a quinoa salad with raw asparagus and other raw and cooked vegetables (grilled and then marinated). An excellent dish to serve as a table centerpiece for a buffet ... as soon as they let us go back to having nice dinners with friends!

320 gr of quinoa
8 asparagus (only the top half, keep the rest to make a cream, a soup or other preparation that needs long cooking)
4 radishes
2 courgettes
2 carrots
100 gr mixed fresh aromatic herbs (basil, mint, dill, sage)
2 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley
1 clove of garlic
4 spoons of Grana Padano cheese
4 tablespoons of almonds or cashews
extra virgin olive oil

Put the pan for grilling on the fire. Slice courgettes and carrots and grill them. Chop the garlic clove and place the courgettes and carrots in a container with the garlic, chopped parsley, salt and extra virgin olive oil. Let the vegetables marinate.

In a blender, chop the aromatic herbs with the dried fruit, the parmesan and 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. If the pesto is too dry, or the blender has difficulty chopping, add a little water (but always gradually, so as not to water the pesto).

Cook the quinoa on low heat (proportion 1 quinoa: 2 water) with a pinch of salt and 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil for 20/25 minutes. When it has absorbed all the water it will be ready.

Cut the radishes into wedges and slice the asparagus thinly, keeping the heads whole.

Cut the courgettes and carrots into strips (keep a few to decorate).

Incorporate all the quinoa vegetables, decorating with some asparagus, some marinated vegetables and the aromatic pesto.

Serve at room temperature.