Buckwheat with Mushrooms and Caramelized Onion with homemade vegetable stock

👨‍🍳 Method

For the Fried onion

1. 1
   Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat.

   StoveFrying pan
2. 2
   Add the onion and fry for 25-30 minutes over low heat, stirring, until the onion is caramelized.

   Stove

   💡Add by cooking time: what needs long (onion, carrot, meat) goes in first, and what burns fast (garlic, dry spices) goes in last, only until fragrant.
3. 3
   Add the garlic and fry about 30 seconds to 1 minute, just until fragrant. Don't let the garlic brown.

   Stove

   💡Garlic burns quickly and turns bitter. Add it only after the onion has softened, over medium heat, and add the next ingredient as soon as it smells fragrant.
4. 4
   Add the mushrooms and fry 8-10 minutes, stirring, until the mushrooms release their liquid and it evaporates.

   Stove

To assemble

1. 5
   Put the onion, carrot, celery, parsley, garlic, bay leaves and thyme in a large pot with the cold water.

   Large pot

   💡Start with cold water: the vegetables release their flavor slowly as the water heats up.
2. 6
   Bring to a boil over high heat and skim off the foam.

   Stove
3. 7
   Turn down to medium-low heat and simmer uncovered 30–45 minutes.

   Stove

   💡A gentle simmer, not a boil: a hard boil dries the food out and clouds it, a slow simmer cooks it evenly.
4. 8
   Strain the stock through a fine sieve.

   Fine sieve
5. 9
   Season the onion and mushrooms with salt and black pepper and the oregano.
6. 10
   Heat a dry skillet over high heat and toast the buckwheat in it 3-4 minutes, stirring.

   StoveFrying pan
7. 11
   Add the vegetable stock and bring to a boil.

   Stove
8. 12
   Turn down to low, cover and simmer 15 minutes without opening the lid, until the liquid is absorbed.

   StoveLid
9. 13
   Turn off the heat and leave covered 5–10 minutes.

   💡Don't open the lid during cooking: the steam is what cooks the top layer. A towel between the pot and the lid absorbs the drips, so the rice doesn't get soggy.
10. 14
    Gently stir in the parsley.
11. 15
    Gently fluff with a fork, transfer to a serving plate and arrange the onion and mushrooms on top and serve.