New Recipe – Millet-“Risotto” with Vegetables and Crispy Sage

Since I was a child I have known and loved sage. My grandmother had it in her garden where I spent many hours in summer (hidden behind the bee house and eating raspberries). I will never forget the scent in the garden and the beautiful colours of flowers and herbage. My always favourite was sage, I didn´t only like its taste but also the green blue colour and the texture of its leaves. About 15 – 20 years ago I found in a supermarket a sage in a pot, very poor, almost withered. It was the last, I took it home and watered it. As it was early summer I searched a nice outdoor place and planted it near an apple tree. There it is still (s. the photo in the middle), big and content and enjoying life in the beautiful nature. Even in winter, when the snow covers it, I can pick its leaves.

*Sage is an antioxidant, it helps to prevent diseases and supports the immune system.

• Ingredients (serves 4)

• Millet-“Risotto”
• 2 cups of millet
• 3 cups water
• ¼ cube of vegetable broth
• salt

Toast the millet 2 – 3 minutes in a pan before adding the liquid to enhance its nutty flavour. Add water and vegetable broth cube, salt, boil, stir, reduce heat and let simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Fluff it with a fork and serve warm.

• • Vegetables
  • (feel free to take every vegetable you like or have in the fridge or in the garden)
  • 2 – 3 Tbsp oil
  • 1 – 2 spring onions
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 200 g champignons
  • ½ of a courgette/zucchino
  • ½ of a red bell pepper
  • 2 dried and soaked half tomatoes
  • ½ – 1 cup water or vegetable broth
  • salt, pepper, chili

  Wash and cut vegetables in preferred size. Heat oil in a pan. Start frying onions and champignons (they must get colour for the sauce), add other vegetables, salt, pepper, chili, stir fry as long as possible. Add water or vegetable broth and cook 5 – 10 minutes. Not longer if you want to have the vegetables “al dente” (as we prefer).

• Crispy Sage
• 10 leaves sage (at least) for one person
• oil for the pan, salt

Heat oil in a pan, add one leave sage – it must sizzle to get the perfect texture – and add some more. Don´t put in too many leaves, they must not overlap! Turn each and fish out (it is ready after only some seconds), one after the other. Put on a plate or a paper towel, salt.

Serve the Millet-Risotto with the vegetables and the crispy sage.