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A Pocketful of Rye
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by Louise Frazier
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The Swiss used to fill
their deep pockets with roasted rye grains for nourishment when going
to the mountains or to work for the day--remember the nursery rhyme?
Try it as an easy rye snack-- teens like it! Rinse whole rye berries in
a sieve, drain, and spread on a metal jellyroll or baking pan and bake
at 300° (until dry and crunchy).
Rye is
the strongest grain, having high, powerful form and holding stance. Its
forming power relates to the spine, strengthening the process of
uprightness and posture. Rye helps with breathing and in speech,
developing a full-sounding voice. Potassium-rich rye stimulates and
supports the liver--good for timid people. Rye is especially important for teens
as it grows and ripens in all four seasons, offering the fullness of
the earth with its streaming cosmic forces. Rye requires strong
digestive activity, which is strengthening for the whole organism. No
wonder the Swiss Guards were long regarded as paragons of health and
strength!
Some complementary seasonings for rye
are fennel seeds, rosemary, tarragon,
thyme and mustard.
To cook rye--rinse
in sieve, toast in pot, cook using 3 parts water to 1 part rye--use at
least 1 cup, as the more grain, the better it cooks. Add bay leaf and
heat on medium until pot starts to bubble, then cook on low for 30
minutes-- add 1 tsp rosemary or thyme with ½ tsp salt per cup of
rye after cooking. Let stand 6–8 hours off heat--overnight or all
day--best kept warm when pot is put in an insulated (grain) box or
wrapped in terry cloth towels or covered with a down pillow. (Hard well
water may require more cooking time.) Reheat rye before serving, adding
more water as needed. A delicious and simple one pot dish can be made
by adding vegetables* to the cooked, standing rye when preparing the
meal. Add seasonal chopped vegetables. Cook until they are done and rye
berries puff up, with some starting to burst--20 to 30 minutes.
Rye and rice
are a tasty combination! Mix the cooked rye, after its standing time,
with newly cooking rice when preparing the meal. Rye and rice are nice
served simply as a grain or can be used in the one pot dish. Toss in
selection of vegetables to cook with the rye and rice, as above.
Use rye in
stuffing, for Thanksgiving especially tasty with the old
favorites parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme. Cook rye the evening
before, allow to stand and the following morning fold in minced onions
with choice of coarsely grated carrots, celeriac, and or rutabaga.
Season and stuff!
Try rye berry Ruben: put a
layer of sauerkraut between 2 layers of cooked rye berries, top with a
Swiss-type cheese or tofu slices sprinkled with allspice and tamari and
bake until heated, but not too hot!
Note: Rye may contain ergot, a fungus that looks like a grain
berry, but is black. Put rye on a light-colored surface and discard any
ergot-- or submerge in water to float and remove ergot.
* Vegetable suggestions:
cauliflower flowerettes with minced onion and chopped fennel bulb in
season, or fennel seeds, to aid digestion. One can replace fennel bulb
with celery slices or chopped celeriac-- parsnip slices, too--add dried
thyme leaves for flavor. Leek slices are also tasty with rye. Mix
cooked rye with the vegetables and seasonings, and cook until
vegetables are fork tender. Vegetables can be sautéed or
simmered before folding into the rye. Top each serving with optional
tamari roasted nuts, seeds or tofu cubes--or a dollop of yogurt.
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| Source: Simple & Good Whole
Grain Complementary Cookery. All rights reserved by Louise Frazier
2/1/10. |
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