Buckwheat Salad

500 grams Raw Buckwheat (Kasha)
8-10 Button Mushrooms (thinly sliced)
2 Large Brown Onions (thinly sliced)
700 grams Japanese Pumpkin (Kent Pumpkin)
100 grams of Baby Spinach
7 Cups of Vegetable Stock
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (4-5 tablespoons)
Salt & Pepper to taste

Serves:                  8-10
Preparation Time:   1 hour (approximately)

Wash and pat dry the pumpkin to remove any dirt and cut into pieces approximately 10cm wide (leaving the skin on).  Place the pumpkin on a tray lined with baking paper and put the tray in a pre-heated oven at 200° and bake for 30-40 minutes.
Place Buckwheat in a strainer and rinse thoroughly under cold running water.

In a pot large enough, place the 7 cups of Vegetable Stock and bring to the boil.  Add the rinsed Buckwheat and return to the stove.  After the liquid has returned to the boil, turn down the heat, cover and simmer for about 25-30 minutes.

Drain any remaining liquid in a strainer and allow the Buckwheat to cool a little.

In a frying pan add the Olive oil, allow the oil to heat a little and  then add the sliced onions.  Cook on a medium to high  heat until the onions start browning. Stir the onions frequently allowing them to brown evenly.    Continue browning the onions until they are all fairly even in colour.  Remove the onions and place aside in a small bowl.
Using the same  pan add the sliced mushrooms and saute for a few minutes until they soften.   Add the spinach leaves and continue to saute for another minute.   Place all the Buckwheat in the pan and reduce the heat.  Mix thoroughly with the mushrooms, spinach and approximately 3/4 of the fried onions, salt and pepper.   Reserve the remainder of the onions to garnish the salad on top along with the sliced pumpkin  .

Cook’s Tips

You can serve the Buckwheat Salad hot or cold accompanying a variety of meats.  Or just enjoy it as a meal.
The above recipe makes a large quantity and requires a large serving bowl.  Ideal for entertaining a large group of people.  You can halve the recipe if you are serving a family of 4-6 people.  The left over salad can be used for lunches or snacks.

The quantity of stock recommended will be absorbed by the wheat during the cooking process, (similar to the absorption method when cooking rice).  However, if there is a little bit of moisture left once cooked,  place in a colander/strainer and allow to strain.  Other stock flavours can be used to cook the Buckwheat such as chicken, beef or veal,  feel free to experiment.

Enjoy!