Ancient Grains for Modern Meals - Maria Speck [81]
BUCKWHEAT
1¾ cups water
1 cup raw buckwheat groats (not kasha)
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
TANGY PARSLEY SAUCE
1 cup lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, rinsed and patted dry
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1 teaspoon dried crumbled oregano
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
A few drops of Tabasco sauce
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
BURGERS
4 ounces mild feta cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup)
½ cup finely chopped yellow onion (about ½ medium onion)
6 tablespoons quick-cooking oats (not old-fashioned rolled oats)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme, or 2 teaspoons dried
½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper, or 1 teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 To prepare the buckwheat, bring the water, buckwheat, and salt to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan. Decrease the heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook until the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover, and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer the buckwheat to a large bowl and spread to cool for about 20 minutes.
2 Meanwhile, prepare the parsley sauce. Process all the ingredients except the olive oil in a mini-food processor until minced. Slowly add the olive oil and blend to combine.
3 To make the burgers, add all the ingredients except the olive oil to the bowl with the buckwheat. Using your hands, thoroughly combine, and squish the mixture to bring it together.
4 Level the mixture inside the bowl and divide it into 8 equal portions using a butter knife (cut in half like a cake, and then each half into quarters). Moisten your hands with water and form burgers about 3 inches in diameter, pressing firmly to ensure they hold together. Place the burgers on a small baking sheet or large plate.
5 To finish, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Cook 4 burgers at a time, carefully turning once with a metal spatula, about 4 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and repeat with the second batch. Serve warm or at room temperature, accompanied by the parsley sauce.
TO GET A HEAD START: Make the buckwheat, as in step 1, ahead. Or use about 3 cups cooked leftover buckwheat (for cooking instructions). The burgers, up through step 4, can be prepared up to 6 hours ahead. Chill, covered.
OIL-PACKED SUN-DRIED TOMATOES WITH HERBS
During the many rounds of recipe testing for this book, more than one of my testers remarked warily that oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes taste somewhat underwhelming, or that they simply didn’t like them very much. This surprised me. Of course, not everyone has been raised in Greece or Italy, where these flavorful treats are popped in the mouth like nature’s candy. But then it hit me: I never buy ready-made oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes in jars. I always reconstitute dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes and marinate them myself to have a steady supply on hand, especially during the dark winter months when I crave a bite of summer.
Oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes are rich in savory umami flavor. Easy to make, they are terrific on sandwiches. I use them also as colorful enrichment for many salads, such as the Leek Salad with Grilled Haloumi Cheese and Rye Berries. Or serve them as a party nibble, drizzled with a bit of balsamic vinegar, next to an assortment of cheeses, olives, and dried apricots with slices of rustic whole grain bread such as the German-style Aroma Bread with Coriander and Fennel.
Oil-packing your own sun-dried tomatoes adds two prized ingredients to