blissful eats with tina jeffers: Summer millet salad with tarragon vinaigrette

The garden is starting to produce more than I can handle right now so I m trying to create new recipes that will utilize some of the beautiful vegetables ripening in my little patch. I love grain salads when it s hot out since you can eat them hot or at room temperature which makes them great for taking to the beach or pack up for a picnic. I have been snacking on leftovers for lunch for the last few days and if anything it seems to get better as it sits. I love the freshness and sweetness that the tomatoes add and the tarragon imparts a lovely licorice flavor to the salad. Millet has a mild sweet and nutty flavor and is gluten free so it s a great alternative if you are cooking for someone that is gluten intolerant. Not to worry if you can t easily find millet, you could substitute quinoa or brown rice in it s place. Feel free to add whatever fresh vegetable you like to this dish, corn and avocado or some nice feta would all be lovely additions.

Summer millet salad with tarragon vinaigrette

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1 cup millet

1 pint cherry tomatoes

1 pound green beans

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 clove garlic finely minced

teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon plus more for garnish

Method:

Begin by bringing 1 quart of water to a boil. Season the water generously with salt as you would for cooking pasta. Add the green beans and cook for 1 minute then remove the beans with a slotted spoon and place them immediately into a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process and set the color.

In the same pot of boiling water add the millet and cook for 13 minutes. Drain the millet into a fine strainer place the strainer back over the pan and cover with a clean kitchen towel and let the grains steam for an additional 5 minutes.