It’s Mardi Gras time here, and I enjoyed the parades last night out on St. Charles Avenue downtown. Sensory overload is the description that came to mind of the experience – in a good way (I think). I’m not big on huge crowds. Large sporting events and music festivals just aren’t my thing. But I definitely appreciate the Mardi Gras experience.
One of my favorite moments last night was listening to one of the high school marching bands pass by and joining an entire block of people in singing along with them: “Heeeey, baby. I want to know-oh-oh. Will you be my girl?” The worst part of the evening? Getting clocked in the nose by a plastic cup. But overall, I enjoyed taking in such a spectacle with friendly fellow parade-goers and felt fortunate to be there witnessing it all.
While I was making jambalaya and vegan andouille sausage last year around Mardi Gras, this year my Mardi Gras-weekend recipe has pretty much nothing to do with New Orleans, except for the fact that I found the inspiration for it here. I present to you another meal inspired by a dish I enjoyed at Carmo Cafe, where I eat lunch at least once per week. As I’ve mentioned before, I love this little cafe, and they seem to be consistently improving and expanding. They now serve dinner, which is pretty exciting.
At Carmo they called this a tagine. Since I did not prepare this in an earthenware pot from North Africa, I did not use the same moniker. They also served it over couscous. While I do enjoy couscous, I prefer millet because it is a whole grain that soaks up the liquid from the stew but does not get soggy. It’s a stand-up grain, and I love it for that.
Oh, and the kale. That’s 100% Bistro Katie.
Serves: 3-4 Time: 45 minutes
If you are not in a hurry, feel free to let the stew simmer longer than the times specified below, covered. Also, feel free to use a different sweetener if you prefer (like agave) or to increase the amounts of maple syrup and/or liquid smoke to get the balance of sweetness and smokiness that best suits your palate. Liquid smoke can be found in most grocery stores in the barbecue sauce aisle. It comes in various flavors, such as hickory and mesquite, but it doesn’t really matter which flavor you use.
1 cup millet, rinsed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped small
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 (28-oz) can diced tomatoes
1 cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/3 cup raisins
3 Medjool dates, chopped
1 (14-oz) can chickpeas, rinsed
2 cups chopped kale
1 tablespoon, 1 teaspoon maple syrup
2 teaspoons liquid smoke
salt
sliced almonds for garnish
To cook the millet, bring 2 ¼ cups water to a boil. Add the millet along with a pinch of salt, and cover. When it comes back to a simmer, turn the heat to very low and cook for 25-30 minutes, covered. Let it sit until you are ready to serve.
For the stew, heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onion, green pepper, and a pinch of salt, and cook 7 minutes or until soft, stirring frequently. Add the garlic and cook for one more minute.
Add the tomato paste, diced tomatoes, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, cumin, cayenne pepper, and ½ teaspoon salt, along with ½ cup water. When it comes to a simmer, add the raisins, dates, and chickpeas. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the kale and simmer 5 more minutes. Add the maple syrup and liquid smoke, along with any additional salt to taste.
Simmer a few more minutes to let the flavors blend, then serve over millet with a sprinkle of sliced almonds.
What are you making this Mardi Gras?
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
This looks so great! Matthew was asking me the other day., “What is liquid smoke?” This will be a good way to show him. I am not a big date fan though. What do you think of tanging it up with some dried cranberries? Too much? PS. I hope you had a nice birthday this week!
Hi Emily – I love that Matthew was curious about liquid smoke! He is going to be a master chef some day. You could definitely do without the dates. As for cranberries, I have no idea – you’ll have to let me know if you try that. Thanks for the birthday wishes – it was a great week.
Howdy from the home of Medjool dates! Quick question, can you cook millet in a rice cooker? And where should I look for it in grocery store?
Ann: I must know more. Where would that be? California somewhere?
You can find millet in the bulk foods section. Sometimes you can also find it packaged, in the section with various packaged grains like fancy rices, quinoa, and buckwheat. I do not own a rice cooker, but I bet it would work – worth a try. Let me know how it goes.
That looks absolutely hearty and delicious! And I love the colors of the tomato and kale on the millet background in your photo. Very attractive!!
Thanks Susmitha! I love this meal because it is beautiful AND tastes delicious.