Saw this recipe in Bon Appetit. Made it that same evening for dinner. Lightning speed. Not that usual for me, but I had all the ingredients and was also anxious to cook millet for the first time. One of our grocery stores carries a very nice assortment of grains, seeds & flours in bulk. It is quite convenient when I feel like baking a special bread but do not want to carry home 1kg of oat flour or some other exotic being. Millet was one of the goodies I brought home from a recent visit. This recipe, a perfect way to welcome it in our kitchen.
MILLET COUSCOUS WITH ROASTED CARROTS
(from Bon Appetit)
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided (I used a bit less)
1 cup millet
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
2 + ¼ cups chicken broth
6 medium carrots, peeled, cut into 1” pieces
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
¼ cup roasted almonds, chopped
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves with tender stems (I omitted, did not have any around)
Heat oven to 400°. Toss carrots with 2 Tbsp. oil on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Roast until tender and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add millet and cumin seeds and cook, stirring, until beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until millet is tender, 25–35 minutes (it took me closer to 35 minutes).
Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. oil (I used about 1 teaspoon instead) in a small skillet over low heat; cook almonds and cayenne, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Serve millet topped with carrots, cilantro, and almond mixture.
ENJOY!
to print the recipe, click here
When I told Phil we were not having “real couscous”, he was a bit surprised. It looks almost exactly the same as semolina couscous. It takes longer to cook, though, and has a firmer texture. The flavor is slightly more “nutty”, but still quite mild. I imagine most people will love it, there’s really nothing not to like about it. Plus, like your regular couscous, it will absorb the flavors of everything else you cook with it. Use a flavorful chicken or veggie stock if you have it around. The roasted carrots and sautéed almonds turn it into almost a complete meal. Of course, we enjoyed it with a nice roast chicken, just because… Full disclosure: the roast chicken was prepared at the grocery store. And I am not even slightly ashamed to admit it.
On a slight tangent, a couple of years ago I read a pretty good article written by one of the popular celebrity chefs, I don’t remember who it was, it was not Thomas Keller, but some other star almost as bright. Anyway, he went on and on about never buying a roast chicken from a rotisserie. That he could have a much better dinner by buying the chicken (organic, of course), sticking it in the oven with just a sprinkle of salt, pepper, a lemon or two quickly placed inside the bird. I am all for cooking from scratch, but I must say a chicken ready for me on my way home from work is very handy. It makes life so much easier! I don’t have to deal with the raw chicken, I don’t have to wait for my oven to warm up to temperature (it does take a while with our potent Supernova), and I can concentrate on making a quick and easy side dish such as couscous, or from now on, millet… So, yes, 8 times out of 10, I reach for a rotisserie chicken. And 6 times out of 10, I resort to cheese pre-shredded, from a bag.
Confession: good for the food blogger 😉
ONE YEAR AGO: Mozarella-Stuffed Turkey Burger
TWO YEARS AGO: Happy Halloween!
THREE YEARS AGO: Clay Pot Roast Pork
FOUR YEARS AGO: Panmarino
FIVE YEARS AGO: A Classic Roast Chicken
Bewitching Kitchen 
I love your confessions! I’ve been known to buy a rotisserie chicken but I figure if I’m working at home, I might as well cook it. When I was working, you betcha I cut every corner I could or nothing would have gotten done.
I really like this dish and I love, love, love roasted carrots.
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Thank you for understanding my horrible sins (more than once… wink, wink…) – I LOVE roasted carrots, but isn’t it annoying how it seems that no matter how many you roast, it’s never enough? 😉
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I have been wanting to make more dishes with carrots. Thanks for sharing!
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In a previous life, I was probably a rabbit. The Energizer Bunny, maybe? Love carrots. Even raw, sliced very thinly with a squeeze of lemon juice, a tiny amount of olive oil, salt and pepper. Awesome side dish.
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Love it! Keep the recipes coming! 🙂
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if you haven’t seen this one, I think you might enjoy it –
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Thanks for sharing! I Pinned on my Meatless Monday board. 🙂
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🙂
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Yum! Thanks for sharing- I really love couscous.
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You and me both… it’s nice to have a new grain to sort of mimic it…
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I’ve been wanting to try millet too and am glad to hear your review…it was very popular in Italy. I love the mix with roasted carrots..seems like I’m roasting everything these days, I just love the roasted flavor.
I will admit, since you have, that when I was in Atlanta, I was weekly picking up a roasted chicken! I’m back to roasting my own, but honestly, it tasted so good and was such a lifesaver for me when I had those 2 hours drives from work!!
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So glad I am not alone in my culinary sins! 😉
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Reblogged this on Chef Ceaser.
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Thanks for the re-blog…
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Millet is one toughy seed…I tried it many times but I don’t like its bitter taste much. I don’t know, it might have also to do with the fact that to me millet is birds’ food.
Gonna have to try it as couscous though, I might change my mind!
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Mike, a while ago cooking with agar instead of gelatin was THE thing to do. However, I simply cannot dissociate agar that we use in the lab daily to make plates to grow bacteria with its presence in the kitchen. Even the smell turns me off – so I guess it is not uncommon to have this type of ‘block” as far as using an ingredient. I understand… 😉
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This is a good one! I can see why you made it the same day. I love Bon Appetit…
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Bon Appetit rarely fails me – there’s been some misses, but rarely so.
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LOL! I probably resort to shredded bagged cheese 9 out of 10 times. I’ve never done a rotisserie chicken before, but I have heard they are very good and convenient. I may have to try that trick now too. 🙂 I’ve never used millet before. We all enjoy cous cous, so I’m guessing this would go over well too. Loved your confessions!
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If I am making pizza for guests, I do not use pre-shredded cheese, and patiently shred a good amount of it myself – but heck, there is a limit to how far I can go at the end of a busy day. Glad you understand 😉
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I love millet. We eat it a lot in west Africa and one of the things I always keep on hand. I have to try this!!
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Try it, I know that if you are a lover of millet, this preparation will be perfect to have in your repertoire of dishes…
hope your research is going great!
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I love the sound of this – carrots and cumin are a great combination.
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Even in a soup, carrot and cumin go perfectly together… this is giving me ideas! 😉
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I needed to bring a side to a Sunday supper…now I want to try this! Looks and sounds delicious!
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Simple, quick, and elegant, I think. My kind of recipe, all the way…. great for company too, unless they are millet haters 😉
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I have always wanted to make roasted carrots. This looks so good!
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Make more than you think you need, that’s my number one advice!
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I’m impressed that it went from magazine to table so quickly!! And glad to hear it was a delicious introduction to millet. 🙂
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Indeed, I was surprised too – one of those things in which all ingredients are in the pantry, and the moment felt perfect.
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We love millet! This looks wonderful.
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I think I’ll make it again tonight….
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HA….you beat me to millet, good for you! I’ve never cooked with it before, but will now on your recommendation.. There is NO shame in buying a good store-cooked rotisserie chicken, I do it all the time.
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