Valašský kontrabáš

INSTRUCTIONS

• 1
  Sort the buckwheat, rinse it in a colander, pour into a small saucepan and cover with 500 ml of boiling water. Season with half a teaspoon of salt, bring to a boil together and simmer gently for 5 minutes under a lid. Then remove the buckwheat from the heat, do not uncover, and let stand for 20 minutes. During this time, it should soften, increase in volume, and absorb all the water. Gradually sauté the meat, onion, and garlic in a pan.
• 2
  While the buckwheat is steaming, cut the smoked meat into small cubes, finely chop the garlic, and coarsely chop the onion. First, put the meat into a pan, add one tablespoon of water, and heat over medium-high heat until the meat releases its own fat. If you use lean meat, almost fat-free, you will need to add a tablespoon of lard. Then increase the heat and briefly sauté the meat until it turns golden in places. Then add the onion and garlic, reduce the heat slightly again, and let them soften and become translucent, stirring occasionally.
• 3
  While the buckwheat is softening, also preheat the oven to 200 degrees and peel the carrots and potatoes. Cut the potatoes into bite-sized cubes, and the carrots into 3-4 sticks. Cook both together in salted water until tender, for about 10 minutes.
• 4
  Remove the cooked carrots and cut them into small cubes, add to the smoked meat. Drain the potatoes and mash them coarsely. Combine the steamed buckwheat, the smoked meat mixture, and the mashed potatoes, then pour the mixture into a baking dish. Sprinkle with crumbled bryndza or grated cheese, place in the hot oven and bake for 20 minutes until golden brown.
• 5
  Serve with sauerkraut, or with pickled gherkins, sprinkled with herbs.