Kurt Scheller Swiss living in Poland for 20 years, certified master of the culinary art, teaches the art of cooking in Kurt Scheller Academy in Warsaw.
GROATS In Poland known as kasha, or earlier as krupy – the crushed grain of various cereals. Most varieties are produced by processing the grain of cereals like barley, millet or wheat, whereas buckwheat groats are regarded as the healthiest. All groats preserve the nutritional content of the grain and seed from which they are produced. The only foodstuffs comparable to Polish groats are couscous and rice. Groats, however, have a great variety of shapes and sizes – from tiny, lemon yellow balls through flat, grey pearls to thick, golden, flattened clods with dark streaks. All of them, especially the least processed, are unbelievably healthy. They contain plenty of soluble fibre, which lowers cholesterol levels, as well as many vitamins, minerals and microelements. In Poland barley groats are usually added to soups or served as a side dish with meat. Friable ones, such as buckwheat or pearl groats are the best for salads. Sweet puddings are made with semolina, buckwheat groats or grits. Various groats mixed with other ingredients can be used as stuffing for cabbage leaves (known as gołąbki), fish (e.g. pike) or poultry. Groats were a staple food in Poland until the 18th century. Today they are also used in fusion cuisine. Health food stores offer kaszi - barley grits with other ingredients rolled in seaweed, sushi style. Agata Wojda (Opasly Tom PIWu/Warszawa) prepares mushroom and goose consommé with smoked Polish plum and pear, served with ravioli with buckwheat groats and goose. Pure Polish!
22
Buckwheat risotto • 60 g butter • 1 tbsp oil
• 20 g grated cheese (Polish Bursztyn or Parmesan)
• 1 small onion, chopped
• salt, pepper
• 30 g carrot
• parsley leaves for decoration
• 30 g celery • 30 g leek • 100 g buckwheat groats • a couple of tbsp of dry white wine
Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add chopped onion and vegetables. Fry on a low heat for 1 minute. Add buckwheat and stir. Add wine and wait until it is absorbed. Pour in boiling water, covering the ingredients by 1 centimetre. Cook for 3-4 minutes in a covered pot. Turn off the heat, leave under the lid for 15-18 minutes, until the buckwheat absorbs the liquid and is cooked. Add 30 g of butter cut into cubes, and cheese. Stir. Sprinkle with parsley leaves. Serve with a steak or breaded cutlets.
23