Kasha and roast vegetables with lemon and spices

I wouldn't roast vegetables ahead of time week after week if I only had one meal I liked to make with them them. Here is another favorite, again good for using up leftovers or the sort of intentional "leftovers" I often produce on the weekends.

This warm sort-of-salad combines the cozy autumnal browns of roast vegetables and nutty kasha with bright flavors that ensure that you don't wind up with a plate of stodgy dullness. Even if you make it with the exact same set of vegetables you've used in the gratin I wrote about last week, I promise that it will taste very different; I would (and do!) happily eat both in the same week without feeling monotonous.

It has one specialty ingredient, preserved lemons. They are crucial to the lively, zingy effect. I recognize that not everyone has them in the house, but they're easy to make and not like anything else. That said, I suspect you could make a different, but equally distinctive, dish by using chopped green olives and plenty of lemon juice instead.

The amounts here produce about four hearty servings, especially if you have greens or some other vegetable on the side. The quantities could easily be doubled to feed a crowd. The final product comes together in well under half an hour, with some spare time in the middle to make a salad, sauteed spinach, or something else of the sort.

LEMON KASHA AND ROAST VEGETABLES

About two cups of roast vegetables; this time I used eggplant and butternut squash
1/2 cup kasha (buckwheat groats)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup broth or salted water
1/2 preserved lemon, rind only, chopped fine
1 tsp. each whole cumin, whole coriander seeds, whole mustard seeds
1/4 t. turmeric
2 tsp. oil of your choice
Optional: a handful or two of chopped cilantro, flat-leaved parsely, arugula, or a mixture

FOR THE KASHA

Put the broth into a medium-sized pan with a lid, cover, and bring to a simmer. In the meantime, stir the kasha and egg together in a small bowl.

Heat a nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat and add the kasha-egg mixture. Stir and chop the kasha with a heatproof spatula for a few minutes, until the egg has cooked and the groats are mostly separated and crumbly.

Add the kasha to the hot broth, replace the cover and turn the heat to low. Let simmer for 15 minutes. Check to see if the groats are tender and the liquid is fully absorbed. If not, cover and continue to cook another 3 to 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

FOR THE FINAL DISH

Warm the vegetables at least briefly in a covered dish in the oven, or in the microwave if you prefer, while the kasha is cooking. Once the chill is off, or later if you prefer, remove from the oven/microwave and turn into a large bowl. Add the chopped preserved lemon.

When the kasha is ready, add it to the bowl. Mix gently.

Put the spices (cumin, coriander, mustard seed, and turmeric) and oil together into a metal ladle or small frying pan and heat, swirling gently, over a medium-high flame, until the mustard seeds begin to crackle. Immediately pour the hot oil and spices over the grains and vegetables. Stir gently just until blended. Taste for salt.

Add the fresh herbs, if using, and serve.

Comments

[EileenS]

I made this tonight, and it was a winner. Thanks for posting it!

The preserved lemons weren't ready, so I tried the "green olives and lemon juice" variation. This version was pretty darn good, but I'll try this recipe again in a couple of weeks when the preserved lemons are ready.

[redfox]

I'm so glad you liked it! I think it's going to be in pretty heavy rotation here for a while. I'm especially glad to hear that my instincts about the green olives and lemon were not deranged.