Tag: entree

Millet-ary Precision

History has not been kind to millet. Once one of the most crucial crops fueling human development and civilization across Africa, India, and Asia, it remains on the periphery of Western culture today. I’ll never forget the first time I sought out this pseudo-cereal to make a Macrobiotic recipe, only to be mocked for bringing “birdseed” to a potluck. Unfairly saddled with this reputation up until very recently, much like chia was once known only as fodder for terracotta planters, millet is poised for a big comeback.

Part of the problem is of accessibility. Absent from mainstream store shelves and basic bulk bin sections, Grand Teton Ancient Grains is helping to put millet back in the hands of cooks around the country. I’ll admit that millet fell off my radar until I saw it on their website, highlighted like a flashbulb memory, waiting to pick up the story right where I left it.

A Brief Overview of Millet’s Long History

Millet could have very well ruled the world. Cultivated somewhere between 8,000 to 10,000 years ago in Asia, it even pre-dates rice. It makes cameo appearances in religious texts, including the Old Testament and the Yajurveda in India, to give you a hint of its cultural significance. Once it spread to Europe, it was more common than wheat in the Middle Ages. Compared to other most whole grains, millet needs little water, scant nutrients in the soil, and is resistant to many pests both in the field and during storage.

Why, then, did it fall out of favor so precipitously? We can thank colonialism and capitalism. Western powers pushed for more wheat, rice, and corn, throwing subsidies their way to help with research and industrialization. As more processed grain products were developed, millet was left behind, giving it a reputation of being old-fashioned or food for the poor; those who couldn’t afford luxuries like sliced white bread.

What is Millet?

Though generally viewed and treated like a whole grain, millet is technically a seed. Botanically speaking, it belongs to the Poaceae family, commonly known as the grass family. There are as many as 6,000 types of millet, differing in size, color, and flavor. Pearl millet is the variety most commonly produced for human consumption globally, though there’s far greater diversity, in India especially.

Curried Millet Pulao

“Millet” is actually a broad, catch-all term for a group of small-seeded grasses cultivated for food. Common varieties include foxtail, finger, and proso (which is what Grand Teton Ancient Grains offers), just to name a few, each with its own culinary uses and regional importance. In general, millet seeds are small, round, and can range in color from pale yellow to deep red or even gray.

What unites them is less their exact botanical classification and more their shared characteristics: they are hardy, fast-growing crops that thrive in dry conditions and poor soils, making them especially important in regions prone to drought. When cooked, millet typically has a mild, slightly nutty flavor that’s reminiscent of cornmeal, and a texture that can vary from fluffy and grain-like to creamy, depending on how it’s prepared.

Strawberry Millet Pudding

Multitudinous Uses For Millet

Millet’s versatility is a big reason why it’s remained vital across so many different cultures and eras. Depending on the cooking method, it can be light and fluffy like couscous, or soft and creamy like polenta, neutral enough in flavor to be adaptable to both savory and sweet preparations.

Across the world, millet is deeply embedded in traditional cuisines.

  • In West Africa, it is used to make thick porridges and dishes like hausa koko and couscous-style preparations. In the Horn of Africa, though teff is the most famous base, millet can also be fermented into injera, the spongy flatbread that underpins many meals.
  • In India, a wide range of millets are still used to prepare everyday staples such as roti, dosa, and idly. Millet khichdi and upma are classic comfort foods that are often enjoyed for breakfast especially in rural and regional cooking.
  • In China, millet has long been used for congee instead of rice, and for brewing baijiu, a distilled spirit that dates back to the 1500s.

In more modern contexts, millet has been gaining attention as a highly nutritious and gluten-free ingredient.

  • It’s increasingly used in baked goods like breads, muffins, cereals, and crackers, either as whole seeds, rolled into flakes, puffed, or ground into flour.
  • Some brewers have also begun tapping millet as an alternative to wheat in creating gluten-free beers.
  • In the home kitchen, it’s stellar for making quick pilafs, adding to soups and stews, salads, and stir fries.
  • Many pediatricians recommend millet as a baby’s first solid food for its soft texture and easy digestibility.

Breakfast Millet Porridge with Cinnamon and Raisins

Millet’s Nutritional Highlights

Nutritionally, millet punches well above its weight. Because you’re eating the whole seed, you get the full complement of fiber and complex carbs that digest slowly. Rich in magnesium, phosphorus, and iron, some varieties are also especially high in calcium, which is unusual for grains. Since it’s naturally gluten-free, it’s a great option for people with Celiac disease or anyone looking for wheat-free options.

How To Cook Millet

Where millet loses most modern consumers is in the cooking. On the plus side, it cooks incredibly fast, but on the downside, it can just as quickly turn to mush. Sometimes that’s the goal, for creamy purees and puddings, but most Americans like their grains separate, fluffy, and distinct. Further complicating matters is that the different varieties of millet DO cook differently; it may take some trial and error to achieve the perfect ratio of water and time to make your ideal millet. Speaking specifically for cooking with Grand Teton Ancient Grains white millet, here’s what I do:

  1. Start by rinsing the millet under cool water. For the best flavor, toast the drained millet in a dry saucepan over medium heat for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until it smells lightly nutty. This step is optional, but it gives the finished dish a deeper, more complex taste.
  2. From there, add liquid; about 2 cups of water or broth for every 1 cup of millet, and a pinch of salt. Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer gently for about 15 minutes. Once the liquid has absorbed, remove it from the heat and let it sit, covered, for another 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.
  3. If you’d rather a creamy porridge consistency, increase the liquid to 3 – 5 cups, and cook for 20 – 25 minutes. In either case, there’s no need to pull out your pressure cooker, since it’s a breeze to make on the stove top, even without soaking in advance, like many harder grains would require.

Millet Polenta with Beefless Stew

Millet: The Whole Enchilada

Reinvigorated by the fresh inspiration that only a 5-pound bag of Grand Teton Ancient Grains millet can provide, my head was spinning with possibilities. What about millet-stuffed cabbage, peppers, or zucchini? I though I was being creative with a truly ground-breaking experiment, but in fact, someone beat me to the idea of making millet-based vegan cheese. Instead of driving myself crazy with the endless possibilities outstretched before me, it all clicked when I wasn’t trying to be remotely innovative. I was just tired, hungry, and thought “millet skillet” would be fun to say.

Simmered in enchilada sauce alongside a battery of sautéed fresh vegetables, this Enchilada Millet Skillet gives you the full sabor of the Mexican specialty, all in one pan. Forget about rolling tortillas and start setting the table, ASAP, because this beauty will be done in roughly minutes. Any dish instantly becomes more appealing when smothered in melted cheese, making this a surefire way to get a hearty helping of millet into your regular meal plan rotation.

If You Will It, You Can Millet

Millet defies the odds. Once revered, then relegated to birdseed, its star is beginning to rise once again. In a time when resilience, sustainability, and nutrition matter more than ever, millet checks all the boxes. Finding its way back onto our plates with renewed vigor, it brings with it centuries of history and endless possibilities for the future… Especially, for your next mouthwatering meal.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)7 Comments

Easy Bake Sushi

Sushi, though truly timeless and everlasting, isn’t typically thought of as a wintry dish. It’s a common misconception that it’s a dish best served cold, but unlike revenge, it’s still better with slightly warm, not chilled, rice. Regardless, when the thermometer outside is tracking single digits and warmer, heartier fare is top of mind, sushi doesn’t exactly make the cut. Perhaps, we’ve just been thinking of the wrong kind of sushi.

Hot Dish, Hot Off the Presses

Originally pitched as a “sushi casserole” roughly 15 years go, the concept really got hot when it was rebranded as a “sushi bake” during the height of the COVID19 pandemic. In the era of feta pasta and dalgona coffee, it fit right into the conversation about accessible global cuisine, comfort food, and culinary escapes. Familiar yet novel, easily adaptable to suit any available ingredients; looking back on it now, it made perfect sense. What I don’t understand is why it seems to have disappeared just as quickly.

Sushi for the People

Consider the sushi bake as sushi with training wheels, both for the cook and eater. No patience for hand-shaping individual rectangles of rice? Zero skill for rolling with sheets of nori? Throw everything in a pan and call it a day! Those of the most voracious appetites can finally satisfy the urge to eat an entire family platter of nigiri without being seen as gluttonous, and everyone can walk away from the table fulfilled. Especially during the colder months of the year, I can’t imagine a better way indulge in homemade sushi.

Layered with seasoned sushi rice, umami furikake, surprisingly convincing spicy crab made from shredded tofu, and a battery of crisp cucumbers, buttery avocado, and lashings of more savory sauces, it’s the complete package in every bite. You could easily double it and bake it off in an 8 x 8-inch pan for the whole family, or even quadruple it with a 9 x 13-inch pan for a genuine sushi party.

Serves You Right

Served warm, straight from the oven, a sushi bake is meant to be spooned, scooped, and shared with abandon. A brief rest on the counter allows the layers to settle into a more sliceable strata, but it should still arrive at the table hot, the rice plush and fragrant beneath its generous toppings. Set out stacks of toasted nori sheets or seaweed snacks and let everyone build their own bites, folding heaping spoonfuls into crisp wrappers that crackle against the creamy filling. It’s informal and tactile in a way traditional sushi rarely allows, encouraging seconds, and thirds, without ceremony or apology.

While I wouldn’t reheat it once topped, any leftover sushi bake is still just as delicious the next day, served cold. After winter relinquishes its grip and cooler cravings return, perhaps it can be a summertime staple, too.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)5 Comments

Endless Einkorn Pastabilities

I very nearly destroyed my stand mixer trying to make einkorn pasta. I’m no stranger to the art of pasta making thanks to a brief but immersive obsession during COVID19, so I had full confidence that this simple experiment would be a wild success.

I was wildly wrong.

Wads of wet, sticky, yet impossibly thick dough clogged the extruding attachment from top to bottom, inexorably stuck in pasta purgatory. No amount of prodding could convince it to come out, nor additional flour, water, or even oil. Only time could heal this wound, letting the einkorn paste dry up to a point where I could chisel it out a few days later. I vowed then and there that I would never make einkorn pasta again. Fortunately for me and you, I don’t have to.

Buy, Don’t DIY

Grand Teton Ancient Grains, my favorite resource for whole grains and the instigators of my whole einkorn infatuation, now make luxurious long strands of einkorn angel hair, spaghetti, and linguine. This stuff is the real deal, made with 100% einkorn semolina and nothing else. No filler, no nonsense. That means they pack a punch, nutritionally speaking, with more than twice the amount of protein as standard white flour pasta. It’s a good thing they’re packed in two-pound bulk bags because I can’t keep my hands off of these beauties.

Bronze Takes First Place

Bronze-cut pasta is the gold standard for quality pasta production, pioneered by the Italians in the 17th century. Otherwise known as trafilata al bronzo, the bronze dies create a rougher surface as the dough is extruded. That means the resulting noodles have a more satisfying bite and are better suited to capturing and holding on to whatever sauces you throw at them. The technique fell out of favor as modern manufacturing demanded faster turnaround times, but the difference is obvious. Modern bronze-cut pasta exemplifies a philosophy of patience and respect for ingredients without having to say a word.

Taste Beyond Compare

While the deep flaxen hue may look like standard whole wheat, the flavor is anything but. Subtly sweet and delicate, there’s none of the off-putting bitterness that the bran of modern wheat can impart. Naturally buttery, honeyed, and slightly toasted, it has a softer, rounder flavor that doesn’t dominate sauces. Einkorn pasta gives you the best of all worlds.

Guardian Angels

Angel hair is typically my last choice when cravings come calling, but this version grants it a massive upgrade on the noodle hierarchy. After a mere two minutes in the water, they’re already supple and ready to serve, yet stronger than the average gossamer strands. Tender without collapsing, delicate without disappearing, I finally understand the enduring appeal of this much maligned noodle.

Spaghetti Theory

Einkorn spaghetti invites a bolder approach. Thicker and more robust, it has the structure to stand up to assertive flavors and sturdier mix-ins without losing its elegance. This is the pasta I reached for when making Dirty Martini Pasta, where briny olives, sharp citrus, and glossy olive oil demand a noodle with both backbone and nuance. Einkorn’s naturally earthy flavor softens the high notes, keeping the dish balanced rather than abrasive. Each bite feels cohesive; salty, silky, and just indulgent enough to honor such sophisticated cocktail inspirations.

Lingering Over Linguine

Wider lengths of linguine possess a certain grounded grandeur. Like slightly flattened ribbons, it has a natural grace that makes it feel composed even before sauce enters the picture. It holds space beautifully, lending a hearty bite to any dish it stars in, and yes, it will easily steal the spotlight. This is the kind of pasta that invites intention, rewarding thoughtful pairings rather than excess.

Eat Like a Rockefeller

That balance made it the obvious choice for making Oyster Mushrooms Pastafeller, a plant-forward nod to the flavors of Oysters Rockefeller. Feathery oyster mushrooms take on the role of velvety seared seafood, bolstered by briny capers and kelp granules, while herbs, aromatics, and richness envelope the whole dish. Al dente linguine entwines in a comforting tangle, paying proper homage to the inspiration without attempting imitation.

While I’m not happy about the original pasta maker mishap, it does give me a greater appreciation for the artistry that goes into a ready-made solution. The difference is knowing when to let go of DIY bravado and trust true craftsmanship. That’s what made Oyster Mushroom Pastafeller possible and ready on a whim, without bringing out the heavy artillery. Grand Teton Ancient Grains delivers einkorn pasta that honors the grain without asking you to wrestle it into submission. Sometimes the smartest move isn’t trying harder, but choosing better.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)4 Comments

Address to a Vegan Haggis

If there can only be one woefully misunderstood and unfairly vilified dish in our collective culinary canon, my vote would go to haggis. Yes, I’m prepared to defend the savory Scottish pudding that takes all forms of organ meat stuffed inside of a sheep’s bladder or stomach. Like any good controversy, there’s much more to it than flashy headlines, and far greater nuance than just excess organs and entrails.

Criminally Misconstrued

As of 1971, it is in fact illegal to import or produce traditional haggis in the US. Concerns stemmed from the use of sheep’s lungs, which were deemed particularly susceptible to contamination, which could in turn spread disease. While this ban still stands, more contemporary versions of haggis, made without the offending offal, are permitted. The easiest way to bypass the restriction is to simply leave the entrails in the past.

A Short History of Haggis

To fully appreciate this medieval meal of subsistence, it’s important to understand how it came to be. Sheep outnumber the human population in Scotland, making them the obvious fodder for all sorts of traditional dishes. Waste not, want not; everything remotely edible would be chopped up and heavily seasoned to detract from the more gamey flavors, heavily salted to prevent spoilage, and stuffed into some sort of casing for easy transportation. Though sausage-like in construction, it has more in common with savory English pudding in practice. The stomach or bladder would be cut open and emptied after cooking and summarily discarded. So much for all that shock value.

Somewhere along the line, shepherds began to settle more into farming, and stretching their meat with grains. Oatmeal, specifically Scotch oats or porridge oats, became an equally iconic cultural touchstone, finding its way into this amalgamation. The earliest written record from 1430 CE lists sheep’s heart, liver, lungs, oatmeal, onion, suet, and stock as the key ingredients.

Burn’s Night: Address to a Haggis

Haggis is redeemed by the annual tradition of Burn’s Night, January 25th, marking the birthday of Scotland’s national poet, Robert “Rabbie” Burns. Mr. Burns immortalized haggis in his 1787 poem Address to a Haggis, a florid, passionate ode that elevates the humble pudding to near-mythic status. In it, he celebrates not only the hearty dish itself but the rugged self-reliance of Scottish culture. So exuberant and impassioned were his words that generations have since treated the poem as both sacred text and dinner entertainment.

A Modern Answer to an Ancient Problem

Like any other recipe that’s been around for a few centuries, endless variations have sprouted from that original seed of inspiration, and vegetarian haggis is no stranger in Caledonia. By the mid–20th century, more Scots were living in cities, fewer were butchering their own livestock, and a growing number of people were deciding, out of ethics, health, or pure squeamishness, that eating minced organs packed into a stomach wasn’t quite for them.

The earliest meatless versions began appearing in the 1960s and 70s, coinciding with the rise of the modern vegetarian movement in the UK. A wholesome amalgamation of oats, legumes, root vegetables, and aggressive seasoning, it was first commercially produced in 1984, and now makes up for 25% – 40% of all haggis sales.

Makar’s Mash Bar – Vegan Haggis Interior

Bringing Haggis Back Home

When I visited Scotland last year, the single best thing I ate was the vegan haggis at Makar’s Mash Bar. Incredibly rich, tender yet toothsome, the combination of chestnuts, seeds, lentils, and oats put it over the top. Combined with the traditional pairing of neeps and tatties (rutabaga and potatoes), plus decadent whisky cream sauce, I was hooked on haggis from the first bite. Since then, I’ve been dreaming of recreating that experience and finally, the time has come.

Skipping the questionable casing entirely, since it would only be scrapped anyway, I baked my haggis in ramekins for easier prep and serving alike. Make no mistake though, this is not a quick fix meal. Your best bet is to make the main in advance, and plan to reheat when you’re ready to serve. It’s an entree worthy of a celebration, and not just Burn’s Night; my original batch went to the Thanksgiving feast, and I can see this being right at home at a Christmas dinner or Hanukkah party, too.

Haggis for the Whole Herd

Warm, peppery, a little earthy, mushrooms lay down a savory foundation, all umami and bass, while chestnuts chime in with mellow sweetness. Beans, lentils, and steel-cut oats create the hearty core of the dish, punctuated by the toothsome bite of roughly chopped seeds. What truly ties everything together, though, is the seasoning. Warm, herbaceous, complex, tart, tangy; it’s a lot to take in at once, but still never too much.

I’ve plated it two ways, and I’m sure there are many more possible. You could even leave your haggis right inside the ramekin and call it a night. In a nod to the original inspiration, I made a little tower from my neeps and tatties, emulating fine dining flair with a bit of homemade rusticity. Of course, I do much prefer the simpler approach, spooning generous portions of each side onto the plate before drowning it all in whisky cream sauce. Regardless of the arrangement, I feel confident that this take could finally sway those on the fence about haggis. After all, it did for me.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)3 Comments