Wednesday, July 18, 2012

RECIPE: Skillet Millet


Millet has become one of my new favourite grains. While most people are more familiar with its use as birdseed, I think it deserves a lot more attention in the kitchen. It's inexpensive, easy to cook, and has a pleasant nutty flavour with a bit of a crunch that is a nice change of pace from blander grains like rice. 

Since I "invented" Skillet Millet (shown above with Lime and Garlic Chicken and Creamy Cucumber Salad), it's quickly become a staple in our household. It makes a great side for just about anything you could throw on the barbecue, and is easy to prepare, so it's perfect for laid-back summer meals. I like to cook this in my cast iron skillet, but if you don't have one, any nonstick pan should do the trick!

(Note: You might not be able to find millet at a "regular" grocery store. I buy mine from my food co-op, but I think most bulk food stores should have it, too.)

Ingredients:
1-2 tbsp butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup uncooked millet
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups water
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Instructions:
In a medium size cast iron or nonstick frying pan, saute the onion in butter until tender. Add the millet and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 2-3 minutes. Add the stock and 1 cup of water, and the salt and pepper. Simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add more water as needed to keep the millet from drying out (you may need to add an additional cup or more of liquid). Once millet is tender and most of liquid has evaporated, turn off heat and let stand for a few minutes until remaining liquid has evaporated.

Serves 4 as a side dish. 

Do you cook with millet, too? If you have a favourite way to prepare it, please let me know!

2 comments:

  1. I've been loving millet. I cooked it like rice, not disturbing it, so the grains would separate and not mush together. Then I let it cool, then put it into a cold grain salad with onions and bell peppers with a dressing of salsa, olive oil, cumin and coriander. You could add diced cold chicken, avocado -- whatever goes with mexican spices.

    I also made a pureed zucchini-dill-chickpea soup and added millet. We could eat the soup hot or cold -- great for summer -- and with the millet it still filled us up.

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    Replies
    1. A cold millet salad sounds yummy - I've been thinking of trying that! I already make a salad much like you describe with barley, I'm sure it would be very tasty with millet :) Adding it to soup is a great idea, too.

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