Ribel
Chef Andreas Handke
“Maize cultivation in the Rhine Valley in the eastern part of Switzerland is first mentioned in the early 16th Century. Around the middle of the 19th century, the Türggen, as it is called based on the Italian name “grano turco”
(Turkish grain), was the most important cultivated crop in this poor region. In fact, practically every Rheintaler family planted Ribelmais in their fields or in their own garden.
As my grandparents were farmers, I grew up with this simple dish.
It’s a perfect breakfast for the farmers’ tough work, because it’s filling, cheap and nourishing.
Grandma often cooked it for us children for lunch, telling stories from the hard and unimaginable times during the World Wars and how often they had just maize to eat. That really impressed me and is still influencing my kitchen.
She served it with fruit compote or with a bowl of milk coffee in her warm cozy farmhouse kitchen.
I still have this vivid picture in my heart.”
– Andreas Handke –
Ingredients
300ml water
300ml milk
1 tbsp salt
500g ribel corn / Semolina corn
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
25g butter in pieces
Method
- Bring the water and milk to the boil with salt, stir in the ribel corn, reduce the heat, simmer while stirring over the lowest heat to a thick paste. Cover and leave to swell for approximately 3 hours next to the switched off plate.
- Heat the oil in a coated frying pan, reduce the heat. Add the ribel corn mixture and roast, covered, over medium heat for approximately 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the butter in batches, "ribel" (roast) with a roasting shovel for approximately 20 minutes, until golden-brown crumbs form.
- Serve with milk coffee or a nice fruit compote.
Create the perfect main to go with your delicious side
