You won't need sterilized jars or much time for these pickles.
Barley is a tragically overlooked grain. Available in nearly every grocery store across the country it is the essence of simplicity -- toothy, rustic nutty and delicious. In this version, you boil the barley as you would pasta, in a generous amount of salted boiling water. While we prefer it with a little bit of firmness, you can keep cooking it until it reaches the texture you prefer.
(Potage Aux Féves Fraîche)
An elaborate preparation for a special meal, you can cook everything except the Brussels sprouts the day before. Reheat the vegetables, blanch the sprouts, and combine them at the last minute. Instead of chestnuts, which I find to be disappointing and expensive (and the canned ones are just too soft), I use walnuts instead.
We often overlook the bell pepper, which bestows an uncanny, slightly smoky sweetness to a dish.
Ingredients
This shows just how delicious frugality can be.
Sautéeing the cabbage ahead, even a day ahead, works well, but finish it with the butter and mustard just before serving.
This puree reheats nicely and holds for a couple of days in the fridge, but it is prime the day it's cooked.
Ingredients