Buckwheat is a gluten-free grain. Known as a “pseudo-grain,” not a true grain and related to Rhubarb, buckwheat originated in Asia and was introduced to Europe during Middle Ages and became an important food resource in Russia, France, and Northern Italy. Buckwheat is very nutritious due to its high protein, potassium, and phosphorus content. It came to be made into flour and pasta, such as the famous Japanese Soba noodles. Roasted buckwheat grains, or goats, are made into nutritious hot breakfast cereals. The ratio is one cup of buckwheat to two cups of liquid (water or milk). Rice can be used in place of buckwheat in the recipe.

For a buckwheat with mushrooms recipe, click here.

Rolled up cabbage leaves before baking, stuffed with ground beef and buckwheat (or rice).

Cabbage Rolls

Magda Born

Rolled up cabbage leaves before baking, stuffed with ground beef and buckwheat (or rice).

Cabbage rolls are a favorite comfort food from Eastern Europe and have been a classic of Jewish cuisine for some 2,000 years. It is a slowly cooked, savory cold weather dish.

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Ingredients

¾ lb Lean ground beef
1 small head Green cabbage
½ c Buckwheat
½ jar Tomato sauce
Onion (diced)
Garlic (minced or powdered)
½ tsp Marjarom
Salt and pepper (to taste)

Instructions

Gather ingredients.
Gently roast buckwheat without burning it. Add water in a ratio of one part buckwheat, two parts liquid. Cook uncovered, on low heat, until soft.
Gently peel 12 to 15 large leaves off of the cabbage head. Steam cabbage leaves (with the lid on)
Mix all ingredients for the stuffing together. Meat should be to well seasoned before cooking.
Place a tablespoon of stuffing on a cabbage leave and fold the two long sides over the meat.
Now fold over the bottom side of the leaf and roll tightly over the stuffing. Line up the cabbage rolls in a baking dish. If the rolls are not holding together, use a toothpick. When all of the meat has been stuffed into the cabbage leaves, cover the rolls with tomato sauce and bake at 350 until the meat is fully cooked about 20 minutes.
Cabbage rolls stuffed with ground beef and buckwheat, baked in tomato sauce.