Portobello Pita with Buckwheat and Beans
While buckwheat is actually a seed, not a grain, it has an earthy taste and pilaf-like texture that complete this earthy main-course sandwich.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4
- 4 medium-sized portobello mushrooms, stems removed
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 pita pocket breads, medium-size (about 8 inches)
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise or soy mayo
- 1 cup buckwheat groats or medium-granulation kasha, cooked according to directions on package
- ¼ pound cooked green beans
Brush the portobello caps clean (do not wash under water); season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet until very hot, but not quite smoking.
Cook the mushrooms top-side-down over high heat until cooked through, about 4 minutes. Small pools of juice should appear where the stem was removed.
Cut an opening in a pita; slather the inside with mayonnaise. Spoon in a layer of cooked buckwheat groats (or kasha), and add ¼ of the green beans. Stuff in 1 mushroom cap. Repeat with remaining pitas.
Ungrainly Grains
Sometimes things aren't what they seem. Most people think of couscous as a grain, but it isn't; it's pasta. Some consider buckwheat a grain; it isn't. It's the seed of a fruit completely unrelated to any kind of wheat. FYI: Wild rice isn't rice at all, but the seed of a native American grass. And while we're at it, next time a server tells you the choice of “vegetables” is corn or peas, remember that these are grain and legume, respectively.
