Millet Fritters with Spiced Red Wine Plum Sauce

Warm dishes with spices are coming back in style with the changing season. Millet Fritters with Spiced Red Wine Plum Sauce is a lovely way to start.



Note how to cook millet: Combine 1 1/2 cup of well-rinsed uncooked millet with 3 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, decrease the heat, and simmer for about 25 minutes, until the millet is tender.

Ingredients:

For the millet fritters:

• 2 1/2 cups cooked millet, at room temperature
• 3 medium eggs, beaten
• 1 medium yellow or white onion, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup oat bran
• salt and freshly ground pepper 

For the red wine plum sauce:

• 2 cups ripe plums, halved and stoned    
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 1 Tbsp. honey
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp cardamom
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

To make the plum sauce: Combine the plums, red wine, honey and spices in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 10-15 minutes stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.

To make the millet fritters: In the large bowl combine all ingredients for the fritters and let it sit for about 15 minutes so grain and oat bran will absorb some of the moisture.

Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-low heat, spoon the mixture into 5-6 fritters, if they'll fit with some room between each, cook for about 7 minutes, until the buttons are browned. Carefully flip the fritters with a spatula and cook the second sides for 5 more minutes, or until golden.

Remove from the skillet and put on warm plate while you cook the remaining fritters. The millet mixture keeps nicely in the refrigerator for a couple of days, you can cook fritters to order, if you like.

Serve warm with spiced plum sauce and you favorite herb.