This is one of my favourite childhood meals: juicy meatballs, smothered in sticky creamy horseradish and dill sauce (great for fish also) served with a generous helping of buckwheat.
Most Australians run into buckwheat used in the form of flour in pancakes and breads. But there are many advantages of using whole buckwheat as a base for a meal, because it’s high in fibre, protein, B vitamins and just like barley, helps with slowing the release of sugars into the blood stream. It cooks in no time and it’s also gluten and wheat free, despite the name suggesting to the contrary!
I will say that buckwheat is a bit of an acquired taste – it’s strong and earthy, a little like quinoa, but with a texture closer to split peas. Because it’s porous and quite strong in flavour it goes well with mellow, cream-based sauces such as this or a mushroom one.
If you’ve never tried it before, you can start by substituting half of the buckwheat for rice and mixing it together in the cooking process (it cooks in about 7 minutes so time it to go with your rice).
Serves 4
Meatballs in a creamy horseradish and dill sauce with buckwheat
- 450g turkey mince // or pork mince // or veal mince
- 2 sprigs of spring onions, chopped
- handful of basil leaves, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 egg
- pepper to taste
Sauce
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- 300ml cream
- 1 sprig of spring onions, chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped dill
- 2 tbsp creamed horseradish
- salt to taste
- 1 tbsp oil
Buckwheat
- 1 cup buckwheat groats
- 2 cups boiling water
- 1 tsp oil
- pinch of salt
To make meatballs, mix all ingredients thoroughly in a bowl. Shape 12 even meatballs (about 1 heaped tbsp each).
Heat oil in a large stockpot and add chopped spring onion. Cook until slightly fragrant. Add meatballs and fry until browned, using a pair of tongs turn over to brown the other side.
To make sauce, add stock, cream and chopped spring onions into the stockpot. Bring to the boil and add horseradish cream. Lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken. Add dill and stir through. Season with salt and pepper to taste and turn off the heat.
In the meantime, heat 1 tbsp of oil in a medium saucepan and add buckwheat groats. Stir for about 2 minutes to toast. Add 2 cups of boiling water to the pot. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for about 5-7 minutes, or until the groats become tender and all water is absorbed.
Serve in a bowl with some meatballs and a good helping of the sauce.
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