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Baked Fonio with Pomegranate and Walnut Salsa

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Description

Perfectly cooked fonio with mint, topped with creamy goat cheese, and a tangy, sweet, and nutty salsa make this dish a vibrant, nutritious, and delicious addition to any meal. It’s so easy; you can make it for a weeknight dinner and sophisticated enough to make it the star of a festive meal. This baked fonio with pomegranate and walnut salsa is perfect as a vegetarian main dish or can be a side dish for any type of meat. Since it can be served warm or cold, it’s perfect for sharing meals, garden parties, and potlucks. 

Ingredients

FOR THE SALSA (can be made in advance)

  • 6 tablespoons pomegranate arils
  • 7 tablespoons toasted walnuts (ground)
  • 3 tablespoons green olives (sliced or chopped)
  • 1 teaspoon raw, local honey or Manuka
  • 1 small garlic clove, minced
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (aged Modena if possible)
  • pinch of sea salt (to taste)
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint (only chop it before serving)

FOR THE FONIO

  • 1 tablespoon coriander seeds + 1 tablespoon cumin seeds (you won’t use it all for this dish)
  • 1/2 cup fonio
  • 6–8 mint leaves
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 heaping tablespoon of butter (about 20 grams)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

EXTRA

  • about 50 grams of Feta cheese or creamy goat cheese

Instructions

  1. Start by toasting the coriander and cumin seeds in a pan until they become fragrant, for a few minutes, tossing frequently. Grind them with a mortar and pestle, a small blender, or a spice grinder (I use a Nutribullet with a milling blade). You will only use about 1/2 teaspoon of this mix; store the rest in a jar, which you can use for meats, tacos, salads, and even desserts. 
  2. In the same pan, toast two handfuls of walnuts for a few minutes, ensuring they don’t burn. After toasting, process them in a food processor until they are chopped into smaller pieces, but they don’t get all the way to the flour texture. 

MAKE THE SALSA (can be made a few hours in advance and stored in the refrigerator)

  1. Mix all the ingredients, except for the fresh mint, in a jar or bowl, taste, and season with salt if necessary. Store it in the refrigerator until the fonio is ready. It can also be made while fonio is cooking, but make sure you only chop and add the mint before serving. 

MAKE THE FONIO

  1. Preheat the oven to 350F / 180C. Prepare an oven-proof dish that can safely hold 2 1/2 cups of liquid.
  2. Add the dry fonio to the dish and top with fresh mint leaves. 
  3. Heat 1 cup of water in a saucepan, to which you add the butter and the salt. It doesn’t need to be hot, just for the butter to melt. 
  4. Once the butter is melted, gently pour the liquid on top of the fonio. Rearrange the mint leaves to cover the entire surface. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of toasted coriander and cumin mix.
  5. Cover with aluminum paper and bake for 20 minutes, undisturbed. 

ASSEMBLE THE DISH

  1. When the fonio is ready, remove the aluminum paper and top it with cheese crumbles. 
  2. Mix the salsa with the chopped, fresh mint leaves, then place it on top of the fonio and cheese. 
  3. It’s wonderful to serve warm as a side dish, but it can also be served cold. 

Find it online: https://creativeinmykitchen.com/baked-fonio-with-pomegranate-and-walnut-salsa/