cauliflower millet mash

December 17, 2013 • Nancy Wolfson-Moche

It was cold and it was beginning to snow. Easy-to-digest, mushy comfort food was the order of the day. This dish combines a whole grain (millet) and a vegetable (cauliflower), so I serve it with a separate vegetable on the side (celery).

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serves 6

INgredients

One half cauliflower

1 cup millet

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

6 basil leaves

fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Process   Wash the cauliflower well.  Cut it into sections.

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Then separate the base from the florets. Chop the florets into smaller half-inch pieces.

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Set aside. Wash the millet well. Strain in and lightly roast it in a skillet. Note: use no oil, just rinse the millet and put it in skillet on medium heat; use chopsticks or wooden spoon to continually turn the grain in the pan so it gets evenly toasted on all sides.  This takes about 3-5 minutes.

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Bring 3 ½ cups water to a boil in a medium pot.  When water is boiling, add the millet first,

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then the cauliflower and the sea salt.

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Cover and simmer on medium-low flame for about 25 minutes, checking to be sure it doesn’t get too dry.

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While it is cooking, wash the basil leaves well; chop them into thin strips and set aside.

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Mash by hand with a potato masher, puree in a food mill or blender or use an immersion blender (my preference).  Add a little almost-boiling water if necessary to get a smooth, fluffy consistency like mashed potatoes.

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Adjust with salt and pepper.  Spoon into individual bowls.

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Scatter the chopped basil on top.

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©Nancy Wolfson-Moche 2013

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Icing on the Cake: Testimonials

I loved Ms. Nancy’s cooking class so much.! I have been in this cooking class for two years and I would love to sign up for another one. I tried a lot of new foods like winter squash, cardamom, Brussels sprouts and kale. My favorite salad was the kiwi, carrot, radish salad.
Not only did we cook and eat, we also did labs about food. We used rulers to measure the size of plants. We also explored stone fruits and their ripe season. Now in my house we have window boxes and I am growing cherry tomatoes and basil.
I learned that we can use a lot of different tools to cook, not just our hands and senses. We used safety knives, potato peelers and a carrot sharpener (I wonder if you could sharpen a pencil with it?) !!!
Because of this class I can help papi make dinner and I will try any new food at least once to see if I like it. Thank you, Ms. Nancy for making cooking fun and interesting and helping me be excited about food.

- Love, K (a 7-year-old boy).