Name: Moroccan Millet Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Ingredients: MOROCCAN MILLET SALAD; 1/2 red bell pepper, diced; 1/2 yellow bell pepper, diced; 1/2 red onion, finely chopped; 1/2 cup chopped dates; 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots; 2 T sunflower seeds; 1/4 cup chopped cilantro; grated zest of 1/2 orange; grated zest of 1/2 lemon; 1 1/2 cups cooked millet* (See directions at bottom); Ginger Citrus Dressing:; 2 T lemon juice; 3 T orange juice; 1/2 tsp cumin; 1/4 tsp ground cardamom; 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon; 1/4 tsp turmeric; 1 tsp grated fresh ginger; 1/2 tsp honey; 1 T olive oil; salt and pepper to taste

I know what you’re thinking. It’s been a week and the site looks… the same. Well… you’re right. I was busy with a little cooking class early in the week, and then me and my daughters decided life was just too boring… so we got a virus. A really, really awful virus.

So I kind of took the week off. (If you consider being sick and caring for sick kids a vacation). And I have the stacks of mail and laundry to prove it. So we haven’t exactly been having the greatest home-cooked meals this last week. But luckily I do have a backup of drafts to share, including this one that I’ve been dying to share.

Since we live near the Bob’s Red Mill Visitor Center we have access to great grain variety, and I don’t think I ever would have thought to try millet except that I saw it in the cookbook and was intrigued. If you’ve never tried millet before, the closest thing I can think of that is similar is couscous. Although, I don’t love couscous, but I loved millet!

This is a very exotic tasting dish for us, since I don’t usually cook with all of these spices, or dates either. It went really well grilled chicken and naan bread. What DOESN’T go good with Naan bread though….

MOROCCAN MILLET SALAD

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

1/2 yellow bell pepper, diced

1/2 red onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup chopped dates

1/2 cup chopped dried apricots

2 T sunflower seeds

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

grated zest of 1/2 orange

grated zest of 1/2 lemon

1 1/2 cups cooked millet* (See directions at bottom)

Combine everything together in a large bowl, toss gently with dressing, a few tablespoons at a time until dressed as you like.

Let sit for about an hour to marry flavors.

Ginger Citrus Dressing:

2 T lemon juice

3 T orange juice

1/2 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp ground cardamom

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp tumeric

1 tsp grated fresh ginger

1/2 tsp honey

1 T olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Combine all in a jar and shake to combine well.

Adjust salt and pepper as desired.

*To make about 1 1/2 cups cooked millet:

Toast 1/2 cup millet in a med pan over med heat, stirring constantly.

After about 5 minutes, or when golden brown and aromatic, add 2 cups boiling water. Stir in pinch salt and 1-2 tsp unsalted butter or oil.

Cover, reduce heat, and let cook about 35-40 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed and grains tender.

Recipe adapted from Bob’s Red Mill Cookbook