Recipes: Millet, farro and puffed rice

FARRO NIÇOISE

Serves 4.

Note: You will need to prepare the hard-cooked eggs in advance. From Mark Bitt­man.

• 1 c. farro

• Salt

• 1 lb. green beans, trimmed

• 3 anchovy fillets

• 1/3 c. olive oil, plus more if needed

• Zest of 1 lemon

• Juice of 2 lemons, plus more if needed

• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard

• 1 shallot, peeled and roughly chopped

• 1 tbsp. capers

• 1 (6-oz.) can good tuna in olive oil

• 1/2 c. parsley leaves

• Ground black pepper

• 3 ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges

• 4 hard-cooked eggs, halved (see Note)

• 1/2 c. NiÇoise or other black olives

Directions

Put the farro and a large pinch of salt into a medium saucepan with water to cover by about an inch. Bring to a boil, then adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles gently. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the farro is tender but still has bite, 20 to 30 minutes. Add water if necessary to keep the grains covered; if any liquid remains by the time the farro is tender, strain it out.

Meanwhile, bring another medium pan of water to a boil and salt it. Add the green beans and cook until bright green and crisp-tender, 2 minutes or so, then plunge them into a bowl of ice water or run under cold water to cool them.

Put the anchovies, olive oil, lemon zest and juice, mustard, shallot and capers into a food processor and purée. Chop the tuna and parsley by hand and mix them in. (Alternatively, add the parsley to the food processor and pulse to chop, then add the tuna and pulse, once or twice, to blend. Don't purée the tuna, but chop it well.) The mixture should be pourable; if it isn't, add lemon juice, olive oil or water to thin a bit. Add pepper, then taste and adjust the seasoning.

Toss the warm farro with about half the dressing. Taste and adjust the seasoning, and pile it on a platter. Arrange the green beans, tomatoes, eggs and olives around the farro, as artfully as you like. Drizzle the remaining dressing over them and serve.

Nutrition information per serving:

Calories590Fat35 gSodium812 mg

Carbohydrates47 gSaturated fat6 gCalcium130 mg

Protein28 gCholesterol196 mgDietary fiber9 g

Diabetic exchanges per serving: 3 bread/starch, 3 medium-fat meat, 4 fat.

Millet with Corn, Mango and Shrimp

Serves 4 to 6.

Note: From Mark Bittman.

• 1 c. millet

• Salt

• 2 tbsp. neutral-flavored oil, divided

• 4 ears fresh corn, shucked, with kernels stripped off cobs

• 1 tbsp. cumin seeds

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 8 oz. peeled shrimp, roughly chopped

• 1 small red onion, chopped

• 1 mango or 2 peaches, peeled and chopped

• 4 c. arugula

• 1/2 c. fresh basil, chopped

• Juice of 2 limes

• 3 tbsp. olive oil

Directions

Put the millet and a large pinch of salt into a medium saucepan with water to cover by about an inch. Bring to a boil, then adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles gently. Cook, stirring occasionally until the millet is tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Add water if necessary to keep the grains covered; if any liquid remains by the time the millet is tender, strain it out.

While the millet cooks, put 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a large skillet over high heat. When hot, add the corn kernels and cook, shaking the pan occasionally. Keep the corn in a flat layer until all of the corn kernels are deeply browned (or even lightly charred) on at least one side. Add the cumin seeds and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about a minute. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, transfer to a serving bowl and wipe out the skillet.

Put the remaining 1 tablespoon oil into the skillet. When it's hot, add the shrimp, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are pink all over and just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Add them to the bowl with the corn.

When the millet is tender, add it to the bowl along with the onion, mango or peach, arugula, basil, lime juice and olive oil. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Nutrition information per each of 6 servings:

Calories374Fat15 gSodium530 mg

Carbohydrates51 gSaturated fat2 gCalcium80 mg

Protein14 gCholesterol58 mgDietary fiber6 g

Diabetic exchanges per serving: 1 vegetable, 2 bread/starch, 1 other carb, 1 lean meat, 2 ½ fat.

PUFFED RICE SALAD WITH CHICKEN

Serves 4 to 6.

Note: From Mark Bittman.

• 2 tbsp. olive oil

• 1 lb. boneless chicken thighs, cut into small chunks

• Salt and black pepper

• 1/2 c. shredded unsweetened coconut

• 1 tbsp. curry powder

• 1 c. cooked or canned chickpeas, drained

• 1 carrot, chopped

• 1 cucumber, peeled and seeded if necessary, and chopped

• 1 large ripe tomato, cored and chopped

• 1/2 c. chopped green onions

• 1/2 c. coconut milk

• 3 tbsp. lime juice

• 3 c. puffed brown rice cereal

• 1/2 c. chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

Put the oil into a medium skillet over medium-high heat. When it's hot, add the chicken; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the shredded coconut and curry powder. Cook, stirring to coat chicken, until curry is fragrant and coconut lightly toasted, a minute or two. Transfer to a large serving bowl; let cool for a few minutes.

Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl (chickpeas, carrot, cucumber, tomato, green onions, coconut milk, lime juice, rice cereal and cilantro); toss well to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning, and let the salad sit for a few minutes (no more than 10 minutes) before serving.

Nutrition information per each of 6 servings:

Calories335Fat20 gSodium60 mg

Carbohydrates20 gSaturated fat10 gCalcium58 mg

Protein20 gCholesterol46 mgDietary fiber5 g

Diabetic exchanges per serving: 1 vegetable, 1 bread/starch, 2 lean meat, 3 fat.