Millet is a staple crop in Africa, India and China but we don’t eat so much of it here … yet. It needs relatively little water and is able to tolerate high temperatures, so chances are we’ll be eating more of it as climate change affects crops and yields in decades to come.
This recipe also takes a ‘whole beast’ approach to beetroot, lightly pickling the stems to add to the salad, and using the lovely leaves as well.
This recipe calls for baby beetroot with small, sweet leaves. If you can only find large beetroot, cut it into 3cm cubes before roasting.
Serves : 4
Ingredients
- 250 grams millet
- 700 grams chicken stock (or use vegetable stock or water)
- 1 bunch baby beetroot (about 700 g), leaves retained
- 1 red onion, in thin slices
- 1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for dressing
- 1 tsp flaked salt, plus extra to taste
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 60 grams sherry vinegar, plus extra for dressing
- 30 grams raw sugar
- 70 grams cup currants
- 60 grams pistachios, unsalted, roughly chopped
- 1 piece preserved lemon, flesh removed and skin finely sliced
- freshly ground pepper, to taste
Thermomix Method
1. Place millet in steamer basket and place stock or water in mixing bowl. Set steamer basket in place. Steam for 30 min/Varoma/speed 2 or until millet is tender. Remove lid and fluff millet with a fork. Turn into a bowl to cool slightly. (Retain stock, if using, for another time.)
2. Preheat oven to 190ºC. Chop stems from beetroot, wash beetroot in cold water and place in roasting dish with onion, olive oil, salt, coriander and mustard seeds. Stir, then roast for 40 minutes, or until a knife goes easily through beetroot.
3. Wash beetroot leaves and stems and cut leaves from stems. Finely chop stems. Place vinegar, sugar and a big pinch of salt in a small pot and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat, place beetroot stems in hot liquid and steep for 20 minutes. After 15 minutes, add currants to pickling liquid for the final five minutes. Drain beetroot stems and currants, discarding liquid.
4. Toss millet with roasted beetroot, beetroot stems and leaves, currants, pistachios and preserved lemon. Drizzle with extra olive oil and sherry vinegar to taste, along with salt and pepper. Serve warm or cool.
Non-Thermomix Method
1. Place millet in steamer basket and place stock or water in saucepan. (Line steamer basket with baking paper if holes are large.) Steam until millet is tender. Turn into a bowl, fluff with a fork and allow to cool slightly. (Retain stock, if using, for another time.)
2. Preheat oven to 190ºC. Chop beetroot from stems, wash in cold water and place in roasting dish with onion, olive oil, salt, coriander and mustard seeds. Stir, then roast for 40 minutes, or until a knife goes easily through beetroot.
3. Wash beetroot leaves and stems and cut leaves from stems. Finely chop stems. Place vinegar, sugar and a big pinch of salt in a small pot and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat, place beetroot stems in hot liquid and steep for 20 minutes. After 15 minutes, add currants to pickling liquid for the final five minutes. Drain beetroot stems and currants, discarding liquid.
4. Toss millet with roasted beetroot, beetroot stems and leaves, currants, pistachios and preserved lemon. Drizzle with extra olive oil and sherry vinegar to taste, along with salt and pepper. Serve warm or cool.
More about this video
Want more millet? Make my Mushroom and Millet Minestrone.
