From the Notebook

When Life Hands You Roasted Buckwheat (a.k.a Kasha)….

Published
When Life Hands You Roasted Buckwheat (a.k.a Kasha)….

…you make meatballs and mushroom gravy to go with it. Continuing the subject of my husband overbuying stuff … For some very poorly understood reason, my husband has an enormous fear of running out of roasted buckwheat, a.k.a kasha. And as I want to blame it on this COVID 19 situation, I hate to admit that said fear has always accompanied our family. And since ever-present Internet is a part of our

Ingredients

Kasha (Roasted/Toasted Buckwheat)

  • 1 cups of roasted buckwheat
  • 2 cups of water
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Meatballs

  • 1 Tablespoon neutral-flavored oil
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1 tablespoon dried thyme
  • 500 grams (1.1 pounds) ground beef or pork
  • 700 grams (1.5 pounds) ground turkey
  • ½ cup bread crumbs
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 egg, beaten

Mushroom Gravy

  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 300 grams (10.6 ounces) mushrooms, sliced
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 teaspoons dried thyme
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 ½  cups of your favorite broth (chicken, beef or vegetable), preferably reduced sodium

Method

  1. Ina medium saucepan, combine buckwheat, water, and salt. Bring it to boil over medium-high heat.

  2. Reduce heat to low and cover with a lid. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until water has been absorbed by the grains

  3. Fluff it with a fork. Serve it immediately.

  4. Meatballs: In a medium skillet, heat the oil on medium. Add the onion and thyme and saute until translucent and lightly brown, for about 5 minutes. Place it in a large bowl and let it cool down.

  5. Preheat oven to 355-degree Fahrenheit (180-degree Celsius).

  6. In the same large bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients until incorporated. Try not to over mix or you end up with tough meatballs. With wet hands, form meatballs and place them on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil or silicone baking mat. Bake for about 20 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer registers 165 Fahrenheit (74-Degree Celsius).

  7. Serve it with cooked buckwheat and mushroom gravy or with marinara sauce and pasta.

  8. Mushroom Gravy: In a large saucepan, melt the butter on medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and saute until all liquid has evaporated and mushrooms are slightly brown, for about 10 minutes. Flavor with salt, pepper, and thyme.

  9. Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and cook stirring for about 1 minute. Add broth and whisk until flour is incorporated and there are no lumps. Bring it to boil and cook until thickens for about 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.

Bon Appétit

Originally published on Daga's Cooking Journal.