Millet Bolognese Recipe - Vegan

Recently I came up with a brilliant recipe for bolognese that doesn't use mince. The texture and flavour are very similar to beef mince bolognese, plus millet is a source of both protein and fibre. It's great for those who don't eat meat, or want to reduce the amount of meat they eat.

Ingredients:

2 Red onions, diced

Port or red wine (or red wine vinegar)

Olive oil

About 100g Millet

400g/1 can chopped tomatoes

At least a tsp tomato puree

Half of a lemon's juice

Mixed herbs

Rosemary
Garlic
Agaricus bisporus mushrooms (white, chestnut, portobello, etc - basically, the common mushrooms you can buy in most supermarkets. They have different common names based on how mature they are!), as many as you'd like really. I'd recommend 4 large chestnut mushrooms, or the equivalent if you're using white or chestnut mushrooms

1 beef flavour stock cube (use vegan stock cubes if you don't eat meat. Oxo have now released meat free stock cubes!)
Salt (optional) as much as you see fit
1/2 tsp maggi vegetable seasoning (optional) gives it a deeper flavour, so it tastes meatier.

Equipment:

Saucepan (two if you would like to have it with some spaghetti or other pasta)
Frying pan
Something to stir everything with
A knife to cut things
Some spoons for measuring

Method:

1. Put the red onion, 2 or 3 tablespoons of port and a teaspoon of olive oil in the frying pan on medium heat, stirring occasionally to stop the onions sticking. Make sure each bit of onion is evenly coated in port and oil. If at any point the liquids dry up, add a bit of water (or port) as the goal is to soften, not fry, the onions.
2. Half cook the millet in a saucepan, with just over enough water to cover the millet. It's half cooked when it starts to expand but is still a little hard when eaten. Medium heat.
3. Add the chopped tomatoes, lemon juice, herbs, garlic, mushrooms and stock to the saucepan, along with half a cup of port. Throughout the cooking process, you can always add more port to your taste. Stir occasionally and let it gently bubble away on medium to low heat.
4. Once the onions are softened, add them into the saucepan and stir into the rest of the sauce.
5. When the sauce has reached a thick consistency, give it a taste and add however much salt and tomato paste you see fit. I'd recommend adding a small pinch of salt at a time, stirring well and re-tasting. The lemon should enhance the saltiness of the dish, so you may need less salt than you think. You should also add at least a tsp of tomato puree as this is needed for thickening and enhancing the tomato flavour, but it's up to you if you want to add more.
6. Cook some pasta, have it on its own, or let it cool and put in tubs for freezing. Whatever you do with it is up to you :) I usually make enough to have a meal then freeze a few individual portions for whenever I don't feel like cooking!

Please let me know if you try this recipe in the comments below, or send me an email! I hope yours turns out well! :) Thank you for reading and goodbye until next time! ~Jay