Buckwheat Porridge

Here's another one from my Ukrainian friend. I've always given instructions for cooking buckwheat (kasha) so that it stays together in whole grains, but she pointed out it makes a good porridge or polenta-like dish if you fail to use those techniques, and sometimes that's what you want. It's really easy, too!

I did not toast my buckwheat a little in a dry skillet before I cooked it, but you could. That's one of the techniques to make it hold together, so results might not be quite so creamy. It would deepen and intensify the nutty, cardboardy flavour of the buckwheat though. (I say, cardboardy; but I mean it affectionately. Nothing but the finest gourmet cardboard flavour.) I also used the higher quantity of water, which contributed to a smoother, softer texture as well. You can experiment a bit to see how you like it best.

You could eat this for breakfast - we had the leftovers with a poached egg on top - or as a side dish with fish, chicken, beef - in fact, most meats would go well, I would think. We had it with salmon; very good. Back to breakfast, how about with cream and honey? Buckwheat honey seems the obvious choice.

4 to 6 servings
40 minutes prep time

1 cup buckwheat groats
3 to 4 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Put all the ingredients into a 2 quart pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to very low. Cover and cook for about 30 minutes, stirring regularly,  until the mixture is soft and thick.

Some of the grains will dissolve completely; others will retain their form. Check to make sure they are tender. Serve with a little more butter, if you like.



Last year at this time I made Herbed Goat Cheese Pasta.

Posted in: Ontario Food