Risotto, just like pasta or pizza, is a French home-cook’s favorite and you’ll find it served in many restaurants across France, with cooks often putting their own French twist on it.

I love a simple rice risotto. But I might love a buckwheat risotto even more – especially in the Fall. The use of buckwheat groats (so dear to Brittany, my home) instead of rice, brings amazing nutty notes and an even greater satisfying factor to this dish, in my opinion. And one of my favorite ways to dress up a risotto is with a “Forestière sauce”, a typically French sauce made of mixed mushrooms and crème fraiche, all perfectly suited for Fall.

Cooking notes: 

• Note that a classic French “Forestière sauce” usually include more crème fraiche. I chose to cut down on the amount of crème fraiche to have a lighter sauce, and let the creaminess of the risotto shine more. 
• The combination of shitake, oyster, cremini mushrooms work great for a Forestière sauce; but you can opt for different mushrooms if you wish or stick to only one kind (ie. only cremini). 
• I used sage to compliment the dish, but other herbs such as parsley (flat-leaf or curly) or chives will work very well too. 
• For the making of the risotto, always prefer a dry white wine. 

Buckwheat Risotto with Mushroom Forestière Sauce

Print Recipe

Serves: 4 Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cooking Time: 40 Minutes 40 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 3.7/5

( 11 voted )

Ingredients

4 tbsp (60g) butter
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and diced
5 sages leaves, chopped
5 cups (375g) mixed mushrooms (shitake, oyster, cremini), washed and sliced
2 tbsp (30g) crème fraiche
1 1/3 cup (250g) buckwheat groats (kasha)
1 cup (250ml) white wine
2 cups (500ml) chicken stock
½ tsp ground black pepper
Parseman, for topping

Instructions

Make the sauce. Melt 2 tablespoons (30g) of butter in a large frying pan over medium heat and cook the onions, garlic, mushrooms and sage for about 10 minutes (until the mushrooms are fully cooked through). Stir in the crème fraiche and set aside. Cover with foil to keep warm.

Make the risotto. Melt 2 tablespoons (30g) of butter in another large frying pan over medium heat. Add the buckwheat groats and toast them for 2 minutes. Pour in the white wine, bring to a simmer and let evaporate for about 5 minutes (until half of the liquid is left). Slowly pour in the stock while stirring, in small additions, until the buckwheat is fully cooked (about 25 minutes).

For serving, scoop the risotto onto each plate and top with the mushroom sauce. Top with some shaved Parmesan and one or two leaves of sage for decoration. Season to taste.

If you try this Buckwheat Risotto with Mushroom Forestière Sauce recipe, let me know! Leave a comment or share a photo using #pardonyourfrench on Instagram.

Bon Appétit!

If you like Buckwheat, you might like: 

• Brittany-Style Buckwheat Pancakes and my Favorite Apple Compote Recipe

• Buckwheat Crepes from Brittany (Gluten-free)

• Kig Ha Farz, Breton stew with Buckwheat dumplings

• Buckwheat Sables with Chocolate Chips

The post Buckwheat Risotto with Mushroom Forestière Sauce appeared first on Pardon Your French.

The green beans, cherry tomatoes and potatoes make this dish very reminescent of a Salade Nicoise. But the addition of toasted buckwheat groats (also called Kasha) brings in a large dose of earthiness to it. Buckwheat is more commonly enjoyed in the form of flour in France (especially in Brittany, as featured in the classic buckwheat crepes) but it also features in several gratin recipes as groats (often paired with leeks). And despite its name, buckwheat doesn’t contain any wheat nor gluten.

Kasha is also high in fiber and good proteins, which means you can enjoy this salad as a main rather than a simple side if you wish.

Another favourite of mine featured in this salad is the French cornichon. These small crunchy French-style pickles are slightly more acidic and less sweet than big US-style pickles, and I like to think they are more refined. I throw them in lots of salads in the Summer and they are delicious in sandwiches as well, of course.

This recipe is not a French Classic, but rather a salad that features french-loved ingredients – kasha, grainy mustard and cornichons- which I think all work deliciously together here. And I like to think this is another way to show you that French cuisine doesn’t often comply by strict rules, and that the French’s eating philosophy is usually not all about French food, but more about enjoying food the French way!

My Cooking Notes:

• Kasha is the name for pre-toasted buckwheat groats (I usually purchase mine at the organic store, at Bulkbarn or buy the Bob’s Red Mill one at the grocery store). If you can only get your hands on buckwheat groats, you can easily roast them yourself: place groats in a dry pan over medium heat, stirring for five minutes, until browned.  
• Because they are nice and small, rainbow potatoes are usually enjoyed roasted, but I think they work great boiled in this recipe. You can of course opt for any potato variety of your choosing (waxy potatoes, like red bliss or new potatoes are always better for potato salads).

Kasha Green Bean Potato Salad

Print Recipe

Serves: 4 people Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cooking Time: 45 Minutes 45 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 4.0/5

( 3 voted )

Ingredients

1 cup (170g) raw, toasted buckwheat groats (kasha).
2 tbsp (30g) butter
1 lb (approx 500g) Small Rainbow potatoes
1 2/3 cups (250g) green beans
1 2/3 cup (250g) cherry tomatoes, halved
10-12 cornichons, chopped
1 tbsp (14ml) olive oil
2 tbsp grainy mustard
Salt, pepper
Optional: a small handful of microgreens for dressing.

Instructions

For the kasha: Rinse and drain the buckwheat groats well. In a medium sauce pan, combine buckwheat groats with 1 3/4 cups water, 1 tbsp butter and 1/2 tsp salt. Bring to a simmer, then cover with a tight fitting lid and simmer on low for 18-20 minutes. Just like with rice, you should hear hissing while it’s cooking and it will get quiet when it’s done. Stir in the additional 1 tablespoon of butter.

For the potatoes: Place the potatoes in a large saucepan, add cold water to about an inch above the potatoes and sprinkle with salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for about 10-12 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain and rinse under cold water (to stop the cooking process). Cut the potatoes in quarters.  

For the green beans: Place the green beans in a large saucepan, add cold water to about an inch above the green beans and sprinkle with salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for about 12-14 minutes until the green beans are fork tender. Drain and rinse under cold water (to stop the cooking process). Halve the beans, if they’re too long.

In a large salad bowl, combine the cooked kasha, potatoes and green beans (all at room temperature), the cherry tomatoes and cornichons. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of grainy mustard and salt and pepper to taste. Mix, and serve with some micro-greens on top.

If you try this Kasha Green Bean Potato Salad recipe let me know! Leave a comment or share a photo using #pardonyourfrench on Instagram.

Bon Appétit!

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