Thursday, May 24, 2007

Expanding the pantry with another new grain...

We tried out another new-to-us whole grain in tonight's side of Toasted Millet with Parmesan. Millet are tiny little pearls and can come in a variety of colors - we got ours from a bulk bin and it had a golden hue to it. It is rich in protein, fiber and magnesium - it also has the benefit of being gluten-free and is not an acid forming food so it is easily digestible.

To intensify its natural nutty and mildly sweet flavor, the golden spheres are first toasted until the grains begin to turn lightly brown. They are then cooked in vegetable broth and water for about 15 minutes - this will leave the grain with some bite to it, however you could let it go for another 5 minutes or so and the texture will be more soft and a little reminiscent of grits. Parmesan cheese, fresh lemon juice, a lump of butter and a bit of fresh thyme are added after a brief 10 minute rest. The lemon juice brings a bright flavor to the dish while the butter and cheese add a creamy richness. This dish was completely satisfying and had my mind working overtime thinking of other dishes we could use this tasty grain in.

Grilled Herb Chicken with Roma Tomato Sauce was the main dish for our dinner tonight. While the chicken was not too extraordinary, this quick tomato sauce certainly made up for it and added a unique touch. Chopped tomatoes are added to onions and garlic that were softened in a bit of olive oil, followed by the addition of dry red wine and balsamic vinegar. As you wait for the sauce to thicken, the chicken is coated with fresh chopped basil and thyme along with salt and pepper. The chicken is quickly grilled (again, we used The Griddler) and topped with the savory tomato sauce. Once the tomato mixture thickens, it is refreshed with a dose of chopped fresh basil before serving. A slight tang from the wine, paired with the enticing balsamic vinegar, brought life into the lightly flavored chicken breast and made this dish. The sauce is quite juicy, so you could even serve this over some cooked pasta to make it a full meal.


8 comments:

  1. The millet sounds wonderful! was the mouthfeel reminiscent of couscous, but with a nuttier flavor? I need to try some!

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  2. I would love to give millet a try - must look out for it at the local health shop!

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  3. Loved the Millet recipe, I will give it a try!
    I also tried millet a while ago and really liked. And as far as ideas, I have made a millet muffin that was very yummy and tasty too! The tiny millet pearls made it very interesting and added a nice crunch to the muffins! (it is in my blog!)
    Ana

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  4. I've never tried millet but I love grits and I like couscous so this looks like it would fall into that category and be really tasty!

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  5. Amanda - hmm, I don't think the texture was as "fluffy" as couscous. It is hard to describe the right texture.

    Freya - I hope you can try it - good stuff!

    Ana - I'll have to go look for it, I would love to try it out in a sweet way!

    Anj - I think you would like it, especially if you already enjoy those two types of dishes!

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  6. Millet is my new favorite bread ingredient - just throw a handful into any whole grain bread recipe. I MUST try it your way now!

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  7. Very interesting. I haven't tried millet but it sounds appealing.

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  8. Anon - Let me know what you think!

    Kalyn - I was surprised with how much Jeff liked it, it was very good!

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