…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 everyday life, my husband has unlimited access to the endless supply of buckwheat. One has to get creative about how to serve it.
Kasha (Roasted/Toasted Buckwheat)
Yields 2 cups
INGREDIENTS
1 cups of roasted buckwheat
2 cups of water
½ teaspoon salt
DIRECTIONS
Ina medium saucepan, combine buckwheat, water, and salt. Bring it to boil over medium-high heat.
Reduce heat to low and cover with a lid. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until water has been absorbed by the grains
Fluff it with a fork. Serve it immediately.
Meatballs
Yields 27 (50 grams or 1.76 ounces each) meatballs
INGREDIENTS
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
DIRECTIONS
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.
Preheat oven to 355-degree Fahrenheit (180-degree Celsius).
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).
Serve it with cooked buckwheat and mushroom gravy or with marinara sauce and pasta.
Mushroom Gravy
Yields 3 1/2 cups
INGREDIENTS
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
DERECTIONS
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.
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.
