Toasted Millet with Sweet Potatoes and Spinach

Related Post: Report Card (16 Jan. 2011)
Adapted from Vegetarian Times, January/February 2011
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Ingredients

Millet

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced (about 2 cups)
• 1 1/2 cups millet
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed (about 3 cups)
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 2 teaspoons harissa paste (I couldn’t find this on-island, so I substituted red curry paste — slightly strange substitution, but it tasted fine)
• 5oz baby spinach leaves, roughly chopped

Vinaigerette

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup

Directions

Heat oil in pan over medium heat.  Add onions, and cook 2 to 3 minutes until softened.  Stir in millet, cumin, turmeric, coriander, and cook 5 minutes more, stirring constantly.  Add sweet potato, broth, and harissa (curry paste); bring liquid to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and let simmer until sweet potatoes are cooked through and liquid is absorbed.

In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, vinegar, oil, and maple syrup.  Toss spinach in vinaigrette, then stir into millet until wilted.  Season with salt and pepper as desired.

This recipe was intended to serve 4-6, as an entree.  I thought is functioned better as a side dish — it wasn’t quite enough for me when served alone for dinner.  We got a lot of mileage out of the leftovers, though.  It was good served with fried tofu and some of the leftover pineapple salsa, and also made excellent stuffing for a baked squash (with dried cranberries added in).