Millet Polenta

I have a confession to make.  I'm a Texan that never had grits until I became a Yankee.  It's not normal from what most folks think.  In the South you'd think grits were as common as oatmeal, cream of wheat, or just another starch for that matter.  But for some reason we never ate them, so I never tried them.  It wasn't until I was traveling for work and was flirting with the Mason-Dixon line that I had my chance.

I tried cheesy grits and was in heaven.  They were creamy, cheesy, had this micro pebble texture that kept them from feeling like I was eating paste.  A little ground pepper and joy!  So I'd found out I liked the stuff and had it at every chance which was very seldom.  And I've yet to cook this dish at home.

There's a similarity between grits and Polenta.  Some might suggest the divide is mainly due to which culture claims the dish.  Grits being Southern and Polenta being Italian.  But both dishes are made from corn meal.  Polenta I've only "made" if you count taking a tube of the stuff and frying it.  Which is also a big yum.  So I was excited to try even this alternative version.  Some day I'll make the real stuff.

Tonight's side dish, Millet Polenta was a huge throwback to the cheesy grits and some of the more loose Polenta dishes I've tried.  The flavor and texture were spot on.  Yet, Millet is one of those ancient grains that dates to pre-historic cultures, several thousands of years BC.  Health benefits abound including beneficial quantities of fiber and magnesium.  I've been wanting to make something with Millet as I try to get lots of whole grains in our diet.

The preparation is similar to Risotto but less fussy.  It actually came together very quickly and with minimal ingredients.

Ingredients:

• 1 C Millet, rinsed and drained
• 5 to 6 C Broth - I used chicken broth, but vegetable broth would be equally tasty.
• 3 T Unsalted Butter
• 4 oz Extra Sharp White Cheddar, grated
• Sea Salt

In a 4 quart saute pan toast the millet over medium high heat, stirring periodically until lightly toasted.  This will bring out the naturally nutty flavors.  (approx. 6 - 8 minutes)  Add the butter and allow to melt.  Pour in 5 cups of the broth and bring to a boil.  Drop the heat to medium-low and maintain a simmer.  Cover with a lid and steep for 15 minutes.  Uncover and stir.  Continue to stir periodically until Millet is thick and creamy with a chewy texture. (approx. 20 minutes)

Take off the heat and add in the cheese.  Stir to combine.  Taste and season as needed.  I liked some cracked pepper on top.  You could also finish with a nice olive oil.

This dish was so easy.  I didn't need to preheat the broth adding it a cup at a time.  I didn't even saute any aromatics first.  And the flavor was wonderful, nutty, creamy.  The cheese added a smoothness, but didn't overwhelm the simple side.  And I finally got to use Millet!  And I kind of got to make Polenta!  Smiles all around.


Enjoy!