Millet & Cheddar Polenta
Ingredients
- For The Vegtables
- Cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, trimmed and halved if medium, quartered if large - 1 lb
- Fresh pearl onions (any color), peeled, or frozen pearl onions, thawed - 1 lb
- Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved - 1 lb
- Extra-virgin olive oil - 4 Tbs
- Medium cloves garlic, minced - 4
- Fresh thyme leaves - 2 tsp
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper - To Taste
- Sherry vinegar - 1 Tbs
- For The Millet Polenta
- Millet - 1 cup
- Vegetable broth, preferably homemade - 5 to 6 cups
- Unsalted butter - 1 1/2
- Extra-sharp white Cheddar (Grated) - 4 oz
- Sea salt - To Taste
- Extra-virgin olive oil or melted butter, for serving - Optional
Instructions
Roast the vegetables
- Position a rack in the top third of the oven and heat the oven to 450°F.
- In a large bowl, toss the mushrooms, onions, and Brussels sprouts with 2 Tbs. of the oil, the garlic, thyme, 1-1/2 tsp. salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Spread on a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 20 minutes, stir the vegetables, and continue roasting until tender and browned, about 35 minutes total. Transfer to a serving bowl and toss with the remaining 2 Tbs. oil and the vinegar.
Make the millet polenta
- Meanwhile, rinse and drain the millet. Put it in a heavy-duty 4-quart saucepan and stir over medium-high heat until it smells toasty and turns deeply golden, 7 to 8 minutes.
- Add 5 cups of the vegetable broth and the butter and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover. Allow the millet to simmer gently, stirring after the first 20 minutes and then every 7 to 8 minutes thereafter to prevent sticking, until it becomes a thick, creamy porridge with a chewy texture, about 35 minutes total. If it seems too thick, stir in a little more broth. Stir in the cheese and season to taste with salt, if needed.
- Serve the polenta in wide, shallow bowls with the roasted vegetables on top. Drizzle a little olive oil or melted butter over each serving, if you like.