Spicy Breakfast Patties

When I was growing up, we usually had oatmeal and whole-grain toast with butter and jam for breakfast during the week. Foods like sausage, biscuits, and eggs were considered weekend fare. These patties are a great alternative to the traditional sausage patties made from pork.

Makes 14 to 16 patties.

2 cups water

1 cup millet

¼ cup minced yellow onion

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 sun-dried tomatoes, minced

2 tablespoons tamari, or to taste

½ teaspoon dried sage

1 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste

¼ cup nutritional yeast                                  

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.                                                                
  2. Combine the water and millet in a 2-quart saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and cook the millet until tender, about 20 minutes.                                                               
  3. While the millet cooks, sauté the onion in a small skillet over medium-high heat until it turns translucent and starts to brown, about 5 minutes. Add water 1 or 2 tablespoons at a time to keep the onion from sticking to the pan.                                                                      
  4. Add the garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, tamari, sage, fennel, and red pepper flakes, and sauté for another minute to toast the seasonings. Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the nutritional yeast and cooked millet, season to taste, and mix well.                                          
  5. Using a ¼-cup measure or small ice cream scoop, shape the millet mixture into patties and place them on a nonstick baking sheet or a regular baking sheet lined with parchment paper.                                                                 
  6. Bake for 15 minutes, turn over the patties, and continue to bake until the patties are firm to the touch and lightly browned, another 10 minutes or so. Serve warm.

Chef’s Note:

For the millet to work as a binder to hold everything together in these patties, you need to almost overcook it. If it seems crumbly when you first make it, add 2 to 3 tablespoons more water to the pan, cover tightly, and let it cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. The millet should hold together when pinched between your fingers or pressed against the side of the pan.