Buckwheat Risotto with Mushrooms and Kale

Ingredients

• 250 g Buckwheat
• 1 Shallot
• 2 Garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp dried porcini mushrooms
• 1 l vegetable broth
• 100 g cured pork ham
• 400 g mixed mushrooms (e.g., enoki, shiitake, button or forest mushrooms)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• 300 g kale or collard greens

Instructions

1. 1.

   Rinse the buckwheat and drain. Peel and finely chop the shallot and garlic. Mince the dried porcini, then simmer them with broth and 250 ml water in a pot; keep warm. Slice the cured pork into thin strips. Clean the mushrooms, cut larger ones into pieces, and separate enoki if needed.

2. 2.

   Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan. Cook the pork for 3–4 minutes over medium heat until crispy; remove and drain. Add the remaining oil and sauté the mushrooms for 5 minutes, then set half aside. Add the shallot and cook for 2 minutes over medium heat. Mix in garlic and buckwheat, stir for 1 minute, season with salt and pepper. Deglaze with about 200 ml hot broth, let the liquid reduce, then simmer the buckwheat while stirring for 8–10 minutes, adding more broth as needed.

3. 3.

   Meanwhile clean, wash, and trim the kale, cutting leaves into strips or pieces. Add to the buckwheat and cook for 10–12 minutes over medium heat, stirring and gradually adding the remaining broth with porcini. When the buckwheat is cooked, spread the remaining mushrooms on top and warm briefly. Taste the risotto, plate it, top with pork strips, and sprinkle with pepper.