Baked salmon with buckwheat kasha and cilantro pistou

Ever since quinoa made the huge splash that it did on the food scene, grains and seeds have been a major trend. I’ve been enjoying discovering various varieties myself, including bulgur and wheatberries. Thanks to their high protein and mineral content, seeds and grains are indispensable in [mostly] vegetarian kitchens like mine.

Buckwheat was beyond a ‘staple’ in my Ukrainian household growing up. It would be served for breakfast, cold, with milk and sugar, and then as a side dish for dinner, with whatever meaty main course was being served that evening. Buckwheat is to Ukrainian/Russian people what spinach must be to Americans - our parents and grandparents were so adamant about us eating it that most of us grew up to despise it. Our elders swore it would help us grow taller and stronger, though really I suspect they didn’t have much else to feed us with.

For years I refused to touch the stuff - due to severe overexposure in my youth - but recently my mom brought some over and I’ve actually been enjoying it. In spite of its name, buckwheat is unrelated to wheat, and is a seed, not a grain (and is therefore allowed for those with gluten sensitivities). Raw buckwheat groats are commonly used in raw kitchens for sprouting. Toasted buckwheat - often referred to as ‘kasha’ (fun fact: kasha is an umbrella term for various types of porridge in Russian) - can be cooked just like rice, with a 1 to 2 grain to water ratio. Buckwheat kasha has a toasty, nutty flavor and a fluffy texture.

This here is a very simple meal. The salmon requires very little effort and cooks in under 15 minutes; the kasha is easy, too, mostly simmering away independently on the stove. While the two cook, you can prepare the cilantro pistou - a condiment I’m very fond of lately; although honestly, if you’re feeling lazy, store-bought pesto will do. I served this with a shredded cabbage salad with a simple vinaigrette, in an effort to add some brightness and crunch to the dish. Feel free to experiment with this last element; a radish-cucumber salad would be a perfect accompaniment in the summertime.

Baked salmon with buckwheat kasha and cilantro pistou
(Yield: 4 servings)

• 2 salmon steaks
• 2 tsp olive oil, divided
• 1 cup toasted buckwheat groats (may be labeled as ‘kasha’)
• Sea salt + freshly ground black pepper

Procedure: To make the salmon, preheat oven to 450F and grease an 8×8″ baking dish with 1 tsp olive oil. Slice around the connecting bone in the middle of the steaks to separate each steak into two pieces; discard the bone. Place salmon skin-down into the baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 12-14 minutes, just until salmon turns pale pink.

To make the kasha, bring 2 cups water to a boil. Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat and add buckwheat groats. Stir to coat the buckwheat in oil and toast for about 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Slowly add the boiling water into the saucepan with toasted buckwheat - stand back and keep exposed skin away from the pot as it will steam pretty actively. Turn the heat down to low, cover the pot tightly with a lid, and cook until all the water has absorbed - 15-20 min. Fluff with a fork before serving.

Cilantro pistou:

• 2 c packed cilantro leaves
• 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt + freshly ground black pepper

To make pistou, combine cilantro and lemon juice with in a blender and pulse a few times until cilantro begins to break down. Stream in olive oil and puree until smooth. Transfer pistou to a bowl and season with pinches of salt and pepper.

Have you ever tried buckwheat? What did you think?