When it gets cold outside and the last leaves fall from the trees, the time comes when the kitchen smells of old Czech goodies again. Cuba must not be missing among them, the food is simple, yet extraordinary. The combination of groats, dried mushrooms, garlic and marjoram has the power to transport a person to the times when cooking was done with respect for raw materials.
Even before roast goose was served on festive tables, Czech cuisine was ruled by Kuba. A modest dish made of groats, mushrooms, garlic and marjoram, which was once served not only at Christmas, but also on St. Martin’s Day. and after childhood, after the times when what was at hand was managed, and yet food was created that satiates and caresses. Today, it is often forgotten, while honest Kuba can smell the whole house and create an atmosphere of old Bohemian comfort.
Hail Cuba – St. Martin’s classic
Raw materials:
- 300 g of barley groats
- 2 handfuls of dried mushrooms
- 1 onion
- 4 cloves of garlic
- lard or butter
- 1 teaspoon marjoram
- salt, pepper
- a pinch of cumin
Procedure:
Rinse the groats thoroughly and cook them until soft in salted water. Soak the mushrooms in warm water for about half an hour and then stew them in a pan together with finely chopped onions and a spoonful of lard. As soon as the onion turns golden and the mushrooms release the smell of the forest, add the cooked hailstones and mix together. Salt, pepper, add pressed garlic, marjoram and a pinch of cumin.
Transfer the mixture to a greased baking tray and bake in the oven at 180°C for about 20-25 minutes, until the surface is golden. If you want, you can also add a few pieces of smoked meat or a teaspoon of lard on top for a better taste and smell.
Cuba is a food that does not suffer from pretentiousness. And that is precisely its charm. It combines simplicity and honesty . When the smell of garlic and mushrooms starts wafting from the oven, we return to traditions that are worth preserving.
