Many people start the new year with good intentions. Eating healthier and maybe weighing a little less is part of it for some. Then an old grain should be served more often, says Marc Ladiges. He cooks with barley – healthy and of course delicious.
Many of us have made resolutions for the new year. Most of the time, living healthier or losing weight is part of it. In order to put these resolutions into practice, I would like to introduce you to a special grain today. Barley, also called Urkorn. Barley has earned this name.
The oldest evidence of human use can be traced back to 15,000 BC. This makes Urkorn the longest-used grain in the world. Due to the triumph of wheat during industrialization, barley was only used as animal feed and for the production of beer. Today it is back in the limelight as barley has many health-promoting ingredients.
It is not only cholesterol-lowering and positive for the blood sugar level, but it also promotes digestion and is even said to prevent cancer. From a culinary point of view, barley is particularly interesting as pearl barley or so-called rolled barley. Pearl barley has a nutty taste and retains its pleasantly firm consistency even after prolonged cooking. To bring even more healthy ingredients together, today we are cooking:
preparation
Wash the pearl barley well and cook in unsalted water for 30 minutes. Strain and place in a large bowl (do not deter!). Put in a warm place and cover. Completely remove the stalk and stalks from the cauliflower until small florets form. Peel the kohlrabi and cut into cubes.
Boil the cauliflower in heavily salted water. Then add the kohlrabi and bring to the boil again. Drain and add to the barley while still hot. Peel and dice the carrots and parsley roots. Cut the top and bottom of the celery with a knife and pull off the threads. Cut diagonally into strips. Put on new, heavily salted water and blanch the root vegetables in it for two minutes. Then add the celery and cook for another minute. Strain and add back to the hot barley.
Peel the peppers (this takes a little practice – but it’s worth it). Remove the stalk, seeds and white skins. Finely dice and salt a little. Halve the chicory lengthwise and cut out the stalk. Soak in cold water for 20 minutes. The bitter substances are extracted and the chicory tastes sweet.
Add the paprika, vinegar, oil and fleur de sel to the salad bowl and mix all the ingredients gently. Leave in a warm place for at least 15 minutes. Now grate the lemon zest, squeeze the lemon and add the juice and zest. If desired, season with allspice or chili.
Drain the chicory well and cut off the individual leaves. Line deep plates with chicory leaves so that the salad can be placed in the middle. Pile the lettuce up the middle and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
This dish now really contains all health-promoting substances and also tastes very good. The salad will keep in the fridge for up to a week. For consumption, however, it should return to room temperature. So it is also suitable as a snack for the office or on the go.
Stay healthy, wishes Marc Ladiges
