Mushrooms add such amazing flavour to a dish. this recipe uses a mixture of fresh and dried mushrooms as the intensity of the dried mushrooms adds a real umami flavour. The buckwheat ‘risotto’ has been in the works for sometime now but it took a while to get the texture and flavour just right. Hitting the stock with pureed spinach adds extra flavour and intense green to this dish. It’s a lighter version of risotto, and full of vegetables, and a magnesium boost from the buckwheat.

I’m thinking some extra magnesium could help my body deal with the extra stress I’ve been putting it through lately so buckwheat and dark green leafy vegetables are my go to. you do not have to have the mushrooms with this risotto, you could serve it with meat or just by itself but i think their rich flavour complements the lemony, herby risotto nicely. This is also something I like to cook for myself when my boyfriend is away and eat the leftovers for lunch, as he hates mushrooms. And by hates, I mean he can’t even handle being in the same room when they cook. He’s possibly crazy.

Serves 4

Ingredients

Risotto

2 cups raw buckwheat, well rinsed

500ml stock/ bone broth

2 cups spinach leaves

1 cove garlic crushed

200g diced leek (this was 1 leek for me, but I only use the green part)

1/4 cup flat leaf parsley

rind and juice of 1 lemon

60g parmesan grated

1 tsp butter or oil of choice

Mushrooms

1 tsp butter

300g sliced mixed mushrooms (portobello and flat work well)

2 Tbs dried mushrooms

1 garlic clove crushed

12 sage leave

2 tbs fresh thyme leaves

salt and pepper

Directions

Risotto: Bring stock to the boil. Add spinach leaves to a blender and cover with 1 cup warm stock. Blend until very smooth. Add to rest of the stock. Put a large heavy based pan on a medium heat. Add butter/oil, leek and garlic and cook until softened (a few minutes) add buckwheat and cook for 1 minute. Add 1/2 the parsley and 1/2 the lemon zest. Add 1 cup of stock and let this reduce. Add remaining stock and cook for 10-15 minutes until almost all liquid has been absorbed. Take off the heat and stir through parmesan and lemon juice.

Mushrooms: Put dried mushrooms in a bowl and cover with 2/3 cup boiling water. Add 1 tsp butter to a medium pan on a high heat. Add fresh mushrooms, thyme and garlic. Cook for 1 minute then add dried mushrooms and the water they were soaking in. Cook over a medium heat until all liquid has evaporated. Add half the sage and conitnue cooking until mushrooms have caramelised. This whole process should take 10-15 minutes from start to finish.

To serve: Scatter the risotto with remaining zest and parsley. Place mushrooms on top and scatter with remaining sage leaves.

HH. x