Have you got the raw buckwheat or the pre-roasted 'kasha' buckwheat?
I've only used the raw buckwheat, and am very taken with the taste. I use it as a base grain in some dishes where you would usually have rice... generally where the flavours are strong/meaty/rich so the earthy buckwheat doesn't overwhelm the dish.
Favourite dish is from Jenni Muir's 'A Cook's Guide to Grains'...
(per person)
1/2 tbsp vegetable oil/butter/fat
50g buckwheat groats
175ml good stock
salt/pepper
Heat oil, add buckwheat & cook for 5 mins, stirring, until grains become orange-brown and fragrant. Pour in stock, bring to boil, reduce & simmer for 12-15 mins until liquid is absorbed/grains are tender. Meanwhile cook a couple rashers bacon until crumbly/crisp, and add a snipped spring onion too. Crumble into piping hot buckwheat, fluff with a fork, put into bowl and scoff.
I like a variation on this where you use the big open mushrooms sauteed with a bit garlic; also nice - but looks odd - is a poached egg slapped on top and a few greens on the side. For salads, chill, then add your favourite mix (e.g. peppers & spring onions, cucumber & mint, balsamic tomatoes and red onions, lemoned courgettes and peas) and give it a stir.
Most recent experiment was with a buckwheat & mushroom ragout (should have been barley & mushroom), and the meaty flavours of three types of mushrooms - chestnut, field, porcini - worked well with the stock & onion & celery... but forgot to watch the timing & over-cooked it a bit... barley gives you a much wider cooking window. :) Nice taste, though!
