SERVES: 4-6
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup buckwheat
- 60 ml olive oil
- 1 leek, thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, plus extra sprigs to serve
- 350 gm mixed mushrooms, small ones halved, large ones thickly sliced
- 60 gm finely grated sheep’s pecorino or parmesan
- Large handful coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus extra to serve
- Finely grated rind of 1 lemon, juice of ½
For the mushroom stock:
- 2 litres filtered water
- 3 large field mushrooms, broken into large pieces
- 2 leeks, coarsely chopped
- 2 heads of garlic, halved
- 4 thyme sprigs
- 1 fresh bay leaf
- 20 gm dried mushrooms
METHOD
- To make the mushroom stock, simmer all the ingredients in a large saucepan over medium heat until well-flavoured (about 45 minutes), strain into a clean saucepan (discard or compost the solids) and keep warm over low heat. The stock can be frozen at this point as it’s a great freezer standby.
- Rinse buckwheat and set aside. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, add leek, garlic and thyme, stir occasionally until tender (about 5 minutes), add mushrooms, season to taste and cook until beginning to soften (about 5 minutes).
- Next, stir in the buckwheat, then add a couple of ladles of mushroom stock, enough to just cover the buckwheat and cook, stirring until absorbed. Season to taste as you cook and continue adding stock like this, stirring until it’s all absorbed before adding more, just as you would when making a risotto. Cook until the buckwheat is just tender but still has a little bite to it (about 25 minutes) – you may not need all the mushroom stock but any left over can be frozen for another use. .
- Stir in the parmesan, parsley, lemon rind and lemon juice, check the seasoning and serve hot, scattered with extra parmesan, parsley, and thyme.
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