Buckwheat Risotto with Mushrooms & Leeks.
Substituting rice for buckwheat in risotto is a great way to amp up the nutritional value of this traditional dish. Buckwheat is completely gluten free, high in fibre, B vitamins, manganese, copper, magnesium, iron, phosphorous, antioxidants and protein. Buckwheat has a lower glycaemic index than rice, which means your blood sugar is less likely to spike which makes it a great alternative for diabetics and athletes alike.Buckwheat contains minerals and plant compounds which make it good for heart health along with antioxidants which can prevent oxidative stress on the cells which, in turn, slows the aging process.Best of all, it's delicious. This dish brings to the table all the flavours and comfort of a traditional risotto. The squeeze of lemon at the end just sets this dish off. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups buckwheat
- 1 cup passata
- 1 leek finely chopped (white part only)
- 400 g sliced mushrooms
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
- 2 tbsp fresh dill chopped
- 1 med lemon zest and juice
- 1/3 cup fresh parsley chopped
- 5 cups hot vegetable stock
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp hot chilli flakes optional
- 1 handful sliced pitted Kalamata olives
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Rinse the buckwheat under cold water, strain and set aside
- Heat oil in a large non-stick pan and cook the garlic and leek over medium heat for around five minutes.
- Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for a further five minutes.
- Add the buckwheat, passata, olives, paprika, chilli and white pepper. Stir through until well combined.
- Add a couple of ladles of stock (enough to just cover the other ingredients) and cook, gently stirring until all the liquid is absorbed.
- Add more stock in similar amounts, stirring through until all stock has been absorbed. ( Take your time with this allowing the buckwheat to become tender but still firm enough to hold together). This should take around 25 min.
- Once the buckwheat is tender and all stock has been absorbed, add the nutritional yeast, dill, parsley and lemon juice. Remove from heat and stir through. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Garnish with some fresh parsley or dill and serve immediately.
- Buon Appetito!