KeukenHeksen at WolfHaven

This “health soup” is one way my grandmother kept 7 children going through wet Dutch winters a century ago, when everybody was on a 50-mile diet.

Ingredients:
pearl barley
dark red berries, dried, canned, or fresh
raisins
fruit juice, leftover cider or wine
other fruits, chopped into tidbits
cinnamon, cloves, anise

Throw everything except the barley into a large pot over medium heat. Bring mixture to a brief boil and toss in the barley, maybe a cup for a 10-12-quart pot. Spice to taste and let it simmer until the barley is done and the raisins, craisins, and dried fruit are plumped up. The liquid will have thickened somewhat. Adjust the spices and add a little honey, steevia or sugar if necessary. A touch of lemon juice can add interest.

Go easy on adding fruits like apples or pears that turn to mush when cooked. That’s another recipe.

Served hot for winter breakfast, or cold with a little whipped cream for dessert, gezondsheit brei when thickened to the next level can be used as a fruit compote, on toast, waffles, or those wonderful eggy pizzella available at our farmers’ market.

You can freeze or can gezondsheits brei. How long it keeps in the fridge depends on how spiced it is.