An Undervalued Grain

Day 268: In the United States, millet is known largely as birdseed, a primary component in most mixed seed. In other parts of the world, however, it is regarded as a valuable food source and for good reason. It is versatile, nutritious and delicious. Millet for human consumption may be purchased in bulk at many health food stores.

Many of my readers are already familiar with my recipe for Birdseed Bread, so I thought I would feature another favorite today: Birdseed Crackers. The recipe is not my own. It comes from "Crackers!" by Linda Foust and Tony Husch. These nutty, crunchy gems are best made with freshly ground flour and served up with lashings of unsalted butter.

1/4 cup whole millet
1/2 cup millet flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup vegetable shortening
5/8 cup (1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons) milk
1 Tablespoon honey

Preheat the oven to 350°. Stir together the millet, flours and salt in a large bowl and cut in the shortening until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Warm the milk and honey in a small saucepan and add to the flour mixture. Blend to form a dough which sticks together nicely. If it is too dry, add a little more milk. Handle the dough as little as possible. Overworking it will make your crackers tough.

Roll the dough out as thinly as possible on a floured surface. You'll find that the whole millet limits the thickness nicely. Cut into circles or squares and prick each piece three or four times. Place on parchment or a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake for ten minutes, then turn over and bake for an additional 8-10 minutes (my personal recommendation) or until golden brown.