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Houbový kuba
Houbový kuba: Christmas Eve bake of pearl barley, dried mushrooms, garlic and marjoram
On Štědrý den, the Czech Christmas Eve, many families kept a meat-free fast until the evening carp, and houbový kuba was what filled the gap at lunch. Village cooks in Bohemia baked pearl barley with mushrooms picked and dried in autumn, plenty of garlic and marjoram, until the top went crunchy. The inside stays moist and chewy, almost like a mushroom risotto, while the edges crisp. It used to be made with lard; this version uses oil and is fully plant-based. Serve it on its own with sauerkraut or a sharp pickled salad, or as a side to roast vegetables. A common mistake is boiling the barley until soft right through, which turns the bake to paste; it should still have a little bite before it goes in the oven. Chef's tip: save the mushroom soaking water and cook the barley in it, for flavour all the way through.
- Total time
- 75 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the bake
- 1 ¼ cups hot waterfor soaking
- 10 ½ oz pearl barleyrinsed
- 2 ½ cups water
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 5 tbsp sunflower oil
- 2 onionsfinely chopped
- 5 garlic clovescrushed
- 2 tsp dried marjoram
- 1 tsp caraway seeds
- ½ tsp black pepper
To serve
- 10 ½ oz sauerkraut or pickled salad (optional)
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What you'll need
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Soak 1 oz dried forest mushrooms in 1 ¼ cups hot water for 20 minutes, until soft. Lift them out, chop finely and strain the liquid through a fine sieve or kitchen paper.
20 minStep 2: Put 10 ½ oz pearl barley in a pot with 2 ½ cups water, the mushroom liquid and half the ¾ tsp salt. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer gently for 25–30 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the grains are tender but still chewy in the middle.
30 minStep 3: Meanwhile, heat 3 tbsp of the 3 tbsp sunflower oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry 2 onions for 10 minutes, until soft and golden.
10 minStep 4: Add the chopped mushrooms and fry for 3 minutes more, until they smell toasty. Heat the oven to 375°F (350°F fan) and oil a 20 x 25 cm baking dish.
3 minStep 5: Stir the onion and mushrooms into the barley with 5 garlic cloves, 2 tsp dried marjoram, 1 tsp caraway seeds, ½ tsp black pepper and the rest of the ¾ tsp salt. Taste: it should be well seasoned and garlicky.
2 minStep 6: Spread the mixture in the dish, press it down lightly and drizzle with the rest of the 2 tbsp sunflower oil.
2 minStep 7: Bake for 25 minutes, until the top is golden and crisp and the edges are browned and pulling from the dish. Serve hot with 10 ½ oz sauerkraut or pickled salad.
25 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbs
- 68 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 13 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does houbový kuba take?
- About 75 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 55 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of dried forest mushrooms?
- Aubergine, diced, same weight.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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