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Bündner Gerstensuppe
Barley and smoked meat soup
Bündner Gerstensuppe: thick Graubünden barley soup with vegetables, cream and smoked meat
Bündner Gerstensuppe is the soup of every mountain hut and ski restaurant in Graubünden, from Davos to Arosa: pearl barley simmered slowly with leek, carrot, celeriac and cabbage and a piece of smoked pork or air-dried beef until thick and creamy, finished with a splash of cream and chives. This version uses smoked pork shoulder (Rippli), so it contains pork. A common mistake is skipping the soak, so the barley takes far longer and the vegetables turn to mush. Chef's tip: soak the barley overnight and cook the smoked meat in the soup from the start; it seasons the broth. Smoked pork should be heated through to 71 °C.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the soup
- 5 ½ oz pearl barleysoaked overnight
- ⅔ oz butter
- 1 onionchopped
- 1 leeksliced
- 2 carrotsdiced
- 5 ½ oz celeriacdiced
- 5 ½ oz savoy cabbageshredded
- 7 ½ cups vegetable stock
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ cup double cream
- ½ tsp salt
- ⅓ oz fresh chiveschopped
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Method
0/5 doneStep 2: Add drained 5 ½ oz pearl barley, 7 ½ cups vegetable stock, 10 ½ oz smoked pork shoulder or bacon in one piece and 1 bay leaf. Simmer gently, partly covered, for 1 hour.
60 minStep 3: Add 2 carrots, 5 ½ oz celeriac and 5 ½ oz savoy cabbage and simmer 30 minutes, until the barley is creamy and the vegetables tender. Common mistake: unsoaked barley; it takes far longer.
30 minStep 4: Lift out the pork, dice and return it to the pot. Stir in ½ cup double cream and ½ tsp salt and heat through.
Step 5: Serve with ⅓ oz fresh chives.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 18 g
- Carbs
- 36 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does bündner Gerstensuppe take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 100 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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