Ingredients

• 1/3 cup Kasha
• 1/2 small onion, finely diced
• 1 cup, peas
• 1 clove garlic, finely sliced
• 2 cups hot stock (chicken or vegetable)
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/3 cup dried shiitake
• 2 large portobello mushrooms, thickly sliced
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme
• 2 tablespoons fresh marjoram
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/3 cup grated manchego cheese
• large spoonful soft goats curd*
• salt and pepper to taste
• truffle oil (optional but amazing!)

Directions

Boil the kettle and pour about 1/3 cup of water over the dried shiitake mushrooms in a bowl and sit aside.

Fill a saucepan with the stock and place on top of the stove to bring to boil. Once boiling, turn to a very low simmer and cover. In another saucepan on medium heat saute onion and garlic in olive oil. Once transparent add kasha and stir continuously for 2-3 minutes. Turn up the heat and add the wine. This will bubble, and spit so be careful! Keep stirring until all the wine is absorbed. Now add some of the hot stock and continue to stir through until taken up by the kasha grains.

Take the soaked dried shiitake from the bowl of water and finely chop. Add these in with the next ladle of stock. Continue with this process of adding stock until kasha becomes soften through. The process should take approximately 15-20 minutes. (There may be some stock left over, dependent on the consistency of your risotto). Whilst the risotto is cooking, place the sliced Portobello mushrooms in a hot pan with a good splash of rice bran oil and the chopped marjoram and thyme. Using tongs, turn them every 3-4 minutes creating a lovely deep crust on the mushrooms as you do so. This process should take at least 10-15 minutes.

Once the kasha risotto is ready (as described above), turn to low heat and stir through parsley, manchego, liquid from soaked shiitakes and a good seasoning of salt and pepper. Place lid on saucepan and leave for 1-2 minutes to settle.

To serve, place a serve of the kasha risotto on a plate, top with the Portobello mushrooms and finely a good dollop of goats curd. It using, finish with a drizzle of truffle oil.

If you'd like the add peas, steam the peas until ready and add on top.

Hint: Traditionally a risotto should be oozy on the plate when served. *If you cannot find goats curd, then use some lovely creamy chevre instead.