Mark Bittmans Autumn Millet Bake Food

MARK BITTMAN'S AUTUMN MILLET BAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375F and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with olive oil.
• Put 2 tablespoons of oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the millet and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant and golden, about 2-3 minutes. Do not overcook. Spread in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
• Scatter the squash or pumpkin cubes and the cranberries on top of the millet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and the sage and drizzle with syrup. Mix together the stock and cream then carefully pour the warmed stock over all. Cover with foil and bake without disturbing, for 45 minutes.
• Carefully uncover and turn the oven to 400°F Adjust the seasoning if necessary. If it looks too dry, add more water or stock until moist. Sprinkle the pumpkin seeds on top, and return the dish to the oven. Bake until the mixture bubbles and the top is browned and the millet is cooked through, another 10 minutes or so.
• Serve.

AUTUMN MILLET CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Peel and cube squash into 1 inch cubes.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F
• Grease a 2-quart casserole, a large gratin dish, or a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add millet & stir for 3 minutes. until millet is golden. Pour millet into greased baking dish.
• Warm 1/2 cup of the stock with all the light cream to just steaming.
• Scatter the squash or pumpkin cubes, cranberries & raisins on top of the millet.
• Sprinkle with salt and pepper and sage. Drizzle with syrup.
• Carefully pour the warmed stock & cream over the mix.
• Cover tightly with foil and bake without disturbing for 45 minutes.
• Carefully uncover and turn the oven to 400°F.
• Add more stock or 1/2 & 1/2 if the millet is not tender. Recover with foil if more liquid is needed to complete millet cooking. Check in 15 minutes. If millet is tender, remove foil & proceed. If not add liquid as needed & recover for an additional 10 minutes, then recheck.
• Taste to adjust salt/pepper.
• Sprinkle the pumpkin seeds on top, and return the dish to the oven. Bake until the mixture bubbles (hence need to add some more liquid of your choice), millet is cooked & and the top is browned - another 10 minutes or so.
• Serve either hot or at room temperature.

MARK BITTMAN'S AUTUMN MILLET BAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375F and grease a 2-quart casserole, a large gratin dish, or a 9x13-inch baking dish with olive oil. Put 2 tablespoons of the oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the millet and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant and golden, about 3 minutes (hs note: don't overdo it). Spread in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Scatter the squash or pumpkin cubes and the cranberries on top of the millet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and the sage and drizzle with syrup. Carefully pour the warmed stock over all (hs note: I did about 1/2 cup stock & 1/2 cup cream based on one of his variations). Cover tightly with foil and bake without disturbing, for 45 minutes. Carefully uncover and turn the oven to 400F. As discreetly as possible, sneak a taste and adjust the seasoning. If it looks too dry, add a spoonful or two of water or stock. (hs note: This is key! The millet should be close to being cooked through at this point, if not you need to add liquid and keep it moist and cooking - I used another 1/4 cup+ of stock here). Sprinkle the pumpkin seeds on top, and return the dish to the oven. Bake until the mixture bubbles and the top is browned (hs note: and the millet is cooked through), another 10 minutes or so. Serve piping hot or at room temperature (hs note: drizzled with the remaining olive oil if you like). *In the end, I used 3/4 cup stock + 1/2 cup cream