Buckwheat Soup with Porcini, Beef and Kale

Name: Buckwheat Soup with Porcini, Beef and Kale
Prep time: P0Y0M0DT0H20M0.000S
Cook time: P0Y0M0DT1H35M0.000S
Total time: P0Y0M0DT1H55M0.000S
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients: 1 ounce, or a generous handful, dried porcini mushrooms; 8 cups beef stock; Salt; 1 cup kasha (buckwheat groats); 2 tablespoons EVOO, plus extra for drizzling; 4 ounces guanciale, bacon or pancetta, diced; 1 pound stew beef, cut into small cubes; Freshly grated black pepper; 4 cloves garlic, chopped; 2 onions, finely chopped; 2 fresh bay leaves; 1 bundle flat kale, stemmed and chopped; Whole nutmeg; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce; Crusty bread and shaved pecorino, to pass at table

Getting reviews...

Level: Intermediate
Total: 1 hr 55 min

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 1 hr 35 min

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Level: Intermediate
Total: 1 hr 55 min

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 1 hr 35 min

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

1 ounce, or a generous handful, dried porcini mushrooms

8 cups beef stock

Salt

1 cup kasha (buckwheat groats)

2 tablespoons EVOO, plus extra for drizzling

4 ounces guanciale, bacon or pancetta, diced

1 pound stew beef, cut into small cubes

Freshly grated black pepper

4 cloves garlic, chopped

2 onions, finely chopped

2 fresh bay leaves

1 bundle flat kale, stemmed and chopped

Whole nutmeg

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Crusty bread and shaved pecorino, to pass at table

Directions

Watch how to make this recipe.

Place the mushrooms and a couple of cups of beef stock in a small pot. Simmer to reconstitute the mushrooms.
Boil 1 3/4 cups water in a saucepot, season with a little salt, add the kasha and stir. Cover and reduce heat to simmer. Cook until tender, 18 to 20 minutes. Drizzle with a little EVOO and cool. Store separately from the soup base until the soup is served, to avoid mushy buckwheat.
In a soup pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons EVOO, a couple of turns of the pan, and add the guanciale. Brown the guanciale and then remove. Pat the beef dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Brown over medium-high heat in the guanciale drippings and remove. Add the garlic, onions and bay and stir and cook to soften, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the kale and wilt, and season with a few grates nutmeg. Add the tomato paste and stir until fragrant, then add the Worcestershire, the remaining beef stock, beef and guanciale. Remove the mushrooms and chop, then add the mushroom and the mushroom stock to the soup. Cook partially covered until the beef is tender, about 1 hour. Cool and store.
To serve, combine the kasha with the hot soup and serve in shallow bowls with bread and cheese curls.