Recipe: Millet with Pumpkin

Jenni, this one is all for you.  I haven't tried it, and I'm not sure that I really want to.  If you make it, give us a report back, okay?

Millet with Pumpkin (Pshonnaya Kasha s Tikvoy)

From:  Please to the Table: The Russian Cookbook, by Anya von Bremzen and John Welchman

This is a breakfast dish.

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, or more if desired

1 ½ cups diced, peeled, fresh pumpkin

2 ¾ cups milk

1 cup hulled millet seeds

Small pinch of salt

1 tablespoon honey, or more to taste

1.      Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

2.      Melt the butter in an ovenproof casserole, over medium-low heat.  Add the pumpkin and sauté, stirring, until the pumpkin just begins to soften, about 5 to 6 minutes.  Add the milk and bring to a gentle boil.

3.      Place the millet in a large, heavy skillet and stir over medium-high heat until the seeds turn golden, about 5 minutes.  Combine with the pumpkin, then add the salt and the honey and stir until it is dissolved.  Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the liquid is almost absorbed but the millet is still moist, about 15 minutes.

4.      Place the covered casserole in the oven and bake until the millet is dry, 25 to 30 minutes.  Add more butter, if desired, fluff the millet with a fork, and serve.

Serves 6