HUNGRY GERALD

I’m talking about kasha (formal name is buckwheat groats). This excellent food (cereal? grain?) is a staple of the East European diet but rarely appears on American tables. Pity. It’s good stuff with a unique nutty and toasty flavor. Try it as an accompaniment to a beef stew or brisket (one with lots of sauce). Toss ladlefuls into some steaming chicken broth. Use the pepper mill generously. Instant lunch. Better than any packaged ramen. Try a bowl topped with some Greek yogurt (HG likes to put Greek yogurt on almost anything but oysters). Kasha’s good with sauteed onions and mushrooms. Where to buy it? In the bulk section of Whole Foods or boxed in many supermarkets (the brand is Wolf’s, I believe). How to cook? Add a cup of kasha to a heated pan. Beat one egg. Add beaten egg to the pan.   Stir, under reasonably high heat, until the egg is absorbed and the grains of kasha are coated and dry.  Add 2 to 2- and -a- half cups of boiling chicken broth, salt, pepper and a bit of butter (my Mom, the health addict, would give it a big hit of chicken fat). Cover. Lower the heat and cook until the kasha gets soft (but not mushy). Give a few stirs during the cooking process. Eat like a Slav.