SERVES 4
MINTY YOGHURT
150g full-fat greek yoghurt
2 tsp finely chopped mint
1 tsp lemon juice
sea salt to taste
SPICED MILLET
150g millet
500g spinach washed see method
2 tbsp good olive oil
10g unsalted butter
3 banana shallots peeled halved and thinly sliced
1 celery heart trimmed and thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves peeled and finely sliced
¼ tsp allspice
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
125ml white wine
black pepper
freshly grated nutmeg
sumac for dusting
4 tbsp roasted cashews coarsely crushed
● Combine the ingredients for the minty yoghurt and set aside.
● Add the millet to a medium pan of boiling water and simmer for 15 minutes until just tender, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface and stirring regularly to ensure it doesn’t stick. Drain in a sieve and rinse under the cold tap (this removes most of the starch).
● If using ready-washed spinach, rinse it under the cold tap in a colander so that just a little water clings (this helps the cooking process) and place in a large pan. Cover, place on a gentle heat and cook for 10 minutes or until it collapses, stirring halfway through. Tip into a colander, press out any excess liquid and coarsely chop.
● At the same time heat the oil and butter in another medium-large pan over a low heat and fry the shallots and celery for about 15 minutes until golden, stirring occasionally and adding the garlic, allspice and cinnamon a couple of minutes before the end. Add the wine and simmer until well reduced and syrupy.
● Stir in the millet and then the spinach. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and heat through. Serve in bowls, dusted with a little sumac, with the cashews scattered over and the minty yoghurt for dolloping.