May
5
Baked millet with squash
May 5, 2008 |
I started using millet few years ago when my doctor told me to eliminate wheat from my diet for awhile and since then I developed some recipes that now are part of my family’s eating habits. I was also very surprised that when I introduced solids in my baby’s diet he loved millet right from the start, first as ground flour or flakes and later as hulled seeds.
In modern times millet has been mostly known as bird food, but it has been now reintroduced as an important element in everyday nutrition mainly by persons that want to have a healthier way of living as well as a more varied diet. I discovered that millet is mostly cultivated for cereal in Africa, in the Middle East and Asia and been consumed by the populations of these regions for many centuries though prepared in different ways. In China it was considered by the ancient Chinese one the the five sacred crops, drank as wine during the Han period and prepared as a gruel cooked in milk during the Ming dynasty. In Italy it was already utilized during the Roman empire mostly as flour and mixed with other flours to prepare flat bread as well as in India where it’s still used to make roti.
There are many varieties of millet mostly in the subfamily Panicoideae, of the grass family Poaceae. The millet seed is really rich in starch and one of the richest in minerals like iron, magnesium, phosphorous, and B vitamins. It has a high concentration of silicic acid, which can be released through body heat, it’s good for skin, teeth, hair and nails. Millet easy to digest and being without gluten it’s the perfect cereal for persons with celiac disease as well as gluten sensitive people.
It can be consumed only if hulled. It’s easy to cook but it needs a little preparation beforehand. It can be added to soups but I prefer to eat it together with vegetables and my favorite dish is baked millet with squash.
Baked Millet with Squash
1 1/3 cups millet grains
1/2 white onion
2 cups cubed squash
extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup feta cheese (optional)
Parmesan or Pecorino cheese to sprinkle (optional)
salt to taste
Preparation:
Wash the millet to eliminate dust, impurities and other seeds by putting it in a bowl covered with water. Drain it and repeat it until the water comes out clean. Toast the millet in a pan for few minutes until tan, I usually don’t use oil but you can add a teaspoon you you prefer. Add the water, previously warmed up in a saucepan. The quantity of water is usually the double of the millet volume. Add a pinch of salt and let it cook uncovered until it starts to boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pan and let it cook for about 20 minutes. The millet is ready when soft and all the water is absorbed. If it happens to be watery but already cooked, pour the extra water out and let it dry for few minutes. Not every millet is the same so check cooking directions on your package or at the store.
Meanwhile slice the onion and sauté it in 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil until translucent then add the squash and mix until well combined. Cover the squash with water, add a pinch of salt and cook it until tender and the water is absorbed. Blend the squash until creamy. Add the cream of squash and the crumbled Feta cheese to the millet and combine well. Salt to taste
Preheat the oven to 400°, grease an 8″ springform pan with extra virgin olive oil, pour the millet and spread it evenly. Sprinkle it with a little bit of olive oil, the Parmesan or Pecorino cheese. Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.
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