Cauliflower Maranca

Now that my computer is back up and running, I can start to post about the many, many recipes that I've made in recent months that have been sitting in the pipeline.  I knew as soon as I made this recipe months ago from the classic Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen that I would have to post it.  I made it on a whim.  Some days when I'm planning my menu, I feel adventurous and want to branch out and fearlessly try new, but "weird" and unusal dishes in the hopes that I will find another dish to add to my vegetarian repertoire.  Sometimes they are instant success and others are downright duds.  I'd never heard of a maranca( and I'm still not quite sure what it is).  A quick Google search came up with no answers, but I had some millet I wanted to use up, and I wanted to expose A.J. to it again.  So, I gathered up the ingredients and made my first maranca.  I was pleasantly surprised by the results.  If you're not a fan of millet (it has a slightly crunchy texture that is unlike most grains) or if it's not available in your local store, you can substitute brown rice.  You can also make it vegan by omitting the cheese or using some vegan margarine and  Daiya vegan cheddar "cheese."

Cauliflower Maranca
Ingredients
oil for the pan
1 1/2 c raw millet
2 1/2 c water
1 Tbsp butter
2 c chopped onion
1 lb mushrooms, sliced
black pepper, to taste
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp dried basil
1 large head of cauliflower, cut into 1-inch pieces (or smaller)
3 garlic cloves, minced
2-3 Tbsp lemon juice
grated cheese, optional
paprika, for the top

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Oil a 9x13 inch baking pan.

2. Place the millet and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer until tender (15 to 20 minutes). Transfer to a large bowl and fluff with a fork to let steam escape.

3. Melt butter in a large skillet. Add onion, mushrooms, pepper, salt, and basil, and saute about 5 minutes - until the onions soften. Add cauliflower and garlic, and saute about 10 minutes more - until the cauliflower is tender. Add lemon juice.

4. Stir the sauteed veggies into the millet, along with the optional cheese, and mix well. Spread into the prepared pan, dust with paprika and bake for 25-30 minutes.

You can eat it as a side dish or serve with a salad!  Yum!