Kasha with mushrooms

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Kasha is a traditional Russian soul-food dish that requires toasting the buckwheat groats before cooking.

Ingredients

For the kasha:
160 g hulled buckwheat
2 cups water
½ t salt
1–2 T butter (optional)
For the mushroom ragù:
500 g Portabellini mushrooms
1 cup chicken or mushroom stock
30 g butter
2 T olive or sunflower oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the dill-lemon cream, mix:
¾ cup sour cream
2 T dill, finely chopped
1 lemon, zested
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Cooking Instructions

1. To make the kasha, rinse the buckwheat very well under running water, then drain. Dry-toast in a medium-hot heavy pan, stirring often, for about 5 minutes or until golden.

2. Bring the water to the boil in a saucepan. Stir in the salt, butter and toasted buckwheat. Cover and reduce the heat. Simmer, without stirring, for 15 minutes until soft and the water absorbed. Remove from the heat. Cover with a tea towel and the lid and allow to stand for 5 minutes.

3. To make the mushroom ragù, wipe the mushrooms clean with damp kitchen paper. Remove the stems and blend with the stock.

4. Tear the mushroom caps in half. Heat half the butter and oil in a pan. Stir-fry the torn mushrooms until browned and barely cooked, then remove from the pan.

5. Add the remaining butter and oil to the pan, then add the onion and cook gently, covered, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes until soft. Stir in the garlic and fried mushrooms. Add the stock and stir to loosen any brown bits stuck to the pan. Simmer uncovered for 5–10 minutes. Check the seasoning.

6. Spoon the mushroom ragù over servings of kasha and serve with the dill-lemon cream.

Find more vegetarian recipes here.

Photograph: Toby Murphy
Productions: Brita Du Plessis
Food assistant: Claire-Ellen Van Rooyen