Food for Thought: Buckwheat
Buckwheat: Did you know that it's not actually a cereal grain, but is in fact a fruit seed? It's the perfect alternative to those of you who are sensitive to wheat (or other grains containing gluten), and it can also be used as an alternative to rice or as porridge.
It's high level of rutin helps treat high blood pressure, it helps lower blood sugars more slowly than rice or wheat products, and it's brilliant for your digestion by cleaning and strengthening the intestines.
I've been reading quite a bit of information about this little seed lately, which seems to be gaining in popularity, and so with my head full of knowledge and a big bag of the stuff sitting patiently on my counter, I dove right in. It's such an easy ingredient to work with and I find the taste almost nutty like. It's a lot lighter on your tongue than a traditional risotto is, and in turn, a lot lighter in your stomach.
Lemon and White Wine Buckwheat Risotto
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Coconut oil | 1 brown onion, finely chopped | 4 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped | 2 1/2 cups roasted buckwheat | 1 cup white wine | 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock | 2 cups water | 2 tbsp butter | large handful of Italian parsley, roughly chopped | Juice of two lemons | Sea salt and pepper | grated parmesan to serve |
Serves 4
Melt approximately 1 tbsp of coconut oil (or butter) in a large saucepan on medium heat.
Add the onion, and garlic, then saute until soft and slightly browned.
Add the wine,, then simmer for 2-3 minutes before adding the buckwheat, stock, water and a pinch of salt and pepper.
Bring to a soft boil, then turn down the heat to low, and simmer, while stirring occasionally for 25-30 minutes or until almost all the liquid has evaporated.
Stir in the remaining butter, parsley and lemon juice and adjust seasonings if needed.
Serve with a good sprinkling of grated parmesan.
In short - I loved cooking with it and I loved eating it, AND I loved this risotto. It's subtle in flavour, but very satisfying at the same time. I could just imagine this risotto paired with some grilled prawns or a lovely fluffy piece of white fish.