Buckwheat with Mushrooms
Buckwheat is not commonly found in Western cuisine, but Eastern Europeans are obsessed with it, and it was a staple of the Soviet kitchen. If you ever find yourself unable to push open a door or lift a heavy item in the presence of someone who grew up in the Soviet Union, they’ll likely tease you: “What’s the matter, didn’t eat your kasha today?” So if you’re not the self-deprecating type, better eat up.
Ingredients
- 1 cup buckwheat groats
- 2 cups water
- Salt
- 1 to 2 onions finely chopped
- 9 to 10 oz fresh white button, cremini, or portobello mushrooms, or 2 ounces dry mushrooms, soaked overnight chopped
Instructions
- Put the buckwheat in a pot and rinse well with cold water until the water runs clear.
- Add 2 cups of cold water to the pot, bring to a boil, add salt, decrease heat to low, cover and cook for about 20 minutes. Don’t lift the lid.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry the onions until golden, about 12 minutes. Add the mushrooms and sauté another 8-10 minutes.
- Mix onions and mushrooms into buckwheat.
- To infuse the buckwheat with intense mushroom flavor, heat oven to 300°F and leave pot inside for 30 minutes.
- Serve as a side dish or on its own.