The very first time I cooked with millet, I was pleased with the results, but I confess, it didn’t leave me clamoring for more. And even though I read on a lot of lists that millet is really very good for you, in practicality, there just aren’t that many recipes out there that actually call for using millet. But the other day, I was flipping through the legume section of my How To Cook Everything Vegetarian and I saw this recipe for a Pinto Bean Tart With Millet Crust. I have to admit that I think that normally, I would have just flipped past the recipe and never given it a second look, except that in the back of my mind, I remembered that my friend Bob from the CLBB made the recipe and thought it was delicious. And every single time I flip past that recipe I think that Bob made it and that I should really give it a second glance.
So I gave it that second glance, saw just how easy it was going to be to put together, and when I cooked up pinto beans for our bean burgers the other night, I cooked up enough to make the tart as well. There were a few steps to getting the tart together, and overall, it take a small bit of time, but in the end, I think it was worth it.
The first step was toasting and cooking the millet. Toasting grains is one of the best smells to have going on- it just smells nutty and delicious, and reminds me a lot of the smell of kettle corn as it’s cooking. After the millet was toasted, it needed to cook and soften for about 25 minutes, so while that cooked up, I assembled my filling ingredients. The filling was really easy, everything basically went into the food processor. I chose to add a can of green chiles to my filling as well as a few handfuls of shredded cheddar cheese. I left out the corn, for no real reason, but I did surmise that this tart was going to be very smooth and creamy, and I just didn’t want the chunks of corn taking away from that. Once the millet was done, I used the back of a spoon to press it into my sprayed pie plate. It pressed in rather nicely, and then I poured in the bean mixture. I topped the whole thing with a sprinkle of cheese (trying to appeal to the kids here) and popped it in the oven in a water bath.
The recipe said it would be done around 30 minutes, so I pulled it out and let it rest for a few
minutes before cutting in. When I sliced in, it was still very soft in the middle, so I put it back in the oven for an extra 20 minutes. Then it was done- and I have changed the recipe to reflect the new time. I sliced it and served it up with sour cream and green salsa. The crust, while delicious and nutty and a touch crunchy, did not hold together, and I have to wonder if mixing one of the egg whites in with the millet would be a good idea to get it to hold better.
This was way better than I expected. I mean, I expected it would be tasty, but this was downright delicious. The crunchy and nutty grains played off the creamy beans so well! Abigail even ate most of her piece! I kept going in for one more bite, wondering how so few ingredients could turn out something so wonderful, and I really, really liked the millet prepared this way. The bits on the edges got crispy and really tasty. Mmmm. Something I also noticed last night was that the combination of beans and whole grains really satisfied. We ate dinner before six last night, and I never even felt like eating anything else the rest of the night- it really stuck with me, but in a good way.
I’m finding myself wishing there was more than just one tiny leftover slice for lunch today.
Pinto Bean Tart With Millet Crust
From How To Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman
Nearly any bean will produce delicious results in this creamy tart, one that features a cooked-grain crust, but lighter colored beans are definitely more attractive. (Black beans can be a bit scary, but topping the pie with cheese is a simple and tasty solution.) If you start with cooked beans and you have a food processor, the whole process is very quick. A few roasted chiles (even canned are good) mixed into the filling with the bell pepper are nice.
You can use any cooked grain you like for the crust, as long as it will hold together. Short or medium grained rice, quinoa, or bulgur all work very nicely.
Other beans you can use: any red, pink or white beans.
1 Tbsp neutral oil, like grape-seed or corn, plus more for greasing the pan ( I used butter)1/2 cup millet 2 cups cooked or drained pinto beans 1/2 small onion, chopped 1 small red bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1- 1/2 tsps chopped fresh rosemary or thyme or about 1/2 tsp. dried (I used cilantro)
3/4 cup cream, stock, bean-cooking liquid or water (I used vegetable broth)
Freshly ground black pepper 1/2 cup corn kernels (frozen are fine; don’t bother to thaw) 3 egg yolks Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350. Put the oil in a small pot over medium heat. When hot, add the millet and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant and golden. Add one cup of water and a good pinch of salt; bring to a boil. Immediately turn the heat down to low so the mixture bubbles gently. Cover and cook until the liquid is absorbed and the millet is tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Set aside.
2. Put the beans, onion, bell pepper, garlic, rosemary, cream or other liquid, a pinch of salt and a good amount of pepper in a blender or food processor; puree until smooth, adding a Tbsp or two more liquid if necessary. Taste and adjust the seasoning, transfer to a bowl, and mix in the corn and egg yolks.
3. Grease a pie or tart pan and press the millet into it to form a crust, then pour the bean mixture into the pan. Put in a larger baking dish (I needed to use a roasting pan!) and put in the oven; add water to the baking dish to come up as far the sides of the pan as practical, then bake until set and slightly jiggly in the middle, about 45-50 minutes, Remove from the oven and cool on a rack for a few minutes. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature.
Cheesy Pinto Bean Tart with Millet Crust – even more body; in step 2, add about 1/2 cup grated or fresh cheese, like Chihuahua, Jack, mozzarella, farmer, queso fresco, ricotta, or cottage cheese, plus more for garnish.
Soufleed Variation – For a lighter tart, beat 3 egg whites with a pinch of salt until they hold soft peaks. Gently fold into the puree and pour into the prepared dish. Bake until risen and browned. Check the interior with a thin skewer; it’s done when the skewer is barely moist. Serve immediately.
Mexican Style – Top with cheese for a prettier dish. Use black beans and add 1/4 cup chopped cilantro and a chopped roasted Poblano. Top with crumbled queso fresco or other fresh cheese like farmer’s or ricotta before serving.
This sounds really good! We love pinto beans :0)
By the way, I just wanted to let you know that you have an award waiting for you over at my blog. Your blog is such a blessing to me and I just wanted to pass this award on to you.
It’s a little ways down on my post from today. Praying your weekend is blessed!
http://ripeningonthevine.blogspot.com/2009/06/new-day-and-award.html
In Christ,
Michele