How to make Bircher muesli

Bircher muesli step 1).
Bircher muesli step 1).
Bircher muesli step 2).
Bircher muesli step 2).
Bircher muesli step 3).
Bircher muesli step 3).
Bircher muesli step 4).
Bircher muesli step 4).
Bircher muesli step 5)
Bircher muesli step 5)
Nut and seed cereal step 1).
Nut and seed cereal step 1).
Nut and seed cereal step 2).
Nut and seed cereal step 2).
Nut and seed cereal step 3).
Nut and seed cereal step 3).
Nut and seed cereal step 4).
Nut and seed cereal step 4).
Cutting pineapple step 1).
Cutting pineapple step 1).
Cutting pineapple step 2).
Cutting pineapple step 2).

Daniel Pfyl, hospitality management lecturer at Otago Polytechnic, shares some professional techniques to make your cooking easier. This month he shows us how to make two types of muesli and cut a pineapple.

Bircher muesli was developed around 1900 by Swiss physician Maximilian Bircher-Benner for patients in his sanatorium in the Swiss Alps.

It is best soaked overnight, so start the night before - even when making porridge, Chef Pfyl likes to soak oats overnight in water before cooking them. Use cup oats to 1 cup water for porridge.

 


Bircher muesli
serves 4-6

Ingredients

2 cups rolled oats
250ml oat milk (or other milk or orange or apple juice)
juice of half a lemon
¼ cup sultanas or other dried fruit
2 Tbsp ground almonds
2 apples
500ml quality yoghurt
2 cups seasonal fruit

Method

1) Put the rolled oats in a bowl and stir in the milk, lemon juice, dried fruit and ground almonds.

2) When all is moist, cover and refrigerate. This removes the raw flavour of the oats and allows them to swell and absorb the liquid.

3) Next morning, grate the apple, stopping just short of the pips.

4) Stir the grated apple into the muesli with half the yoghurt.

5) To serve, put about ½ cup into each serving bowl, top with the rest of the yoghurt and plenty of fresh fruit.  

 


Nut and seed cereal

This does not contain rolled oats so is not a muesli or granola and it's gluten-free, but it is filling.

Ingredients

1 ½ cups sliced almonds, skin on
¾ cup pumpkin seeds
¾ cup sunflower seeds
½ cup sesame seeds
1 cup shredded coconut
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
4 Tbsp rice bran oil
½ cup oat milk, other milk or orange juice
1 tsp vanilla essence.

Method

1) Mix the nuts, seeds, coconut, cinnamon and salt together. Spread on a roasting dish that has been lined with baking paper.

2) Pour over the mixed oil, milk and vanilla essence. Mix well with your fingers so all is coated.

3) Place in a moderate oven, 170degC or 160degC fan, for about 30 minutes, stirring and turning the seeds 3-4 times or every 8-10 minutes. Then turn the oven off and leave to dry out for a few minutes. When cool and dry, the cereal can be stored in an airtight jar.

4) To serve, allow about cup of nut and seed cereal per person, top with a couple of spoons of yoghurt and fresh fruit. Sprinkle a little more of the nut and seed cereal over, if you wish.

 


Cutting a pineapple

1) If you just want a small amount of pineapple, cut a slice with the skin off the base and discard. Cut a slice of flesh with skin on.

2) Cut the skin off the pineapple slice, cut into quarters, remove the core and cut the flesh into small pieces. The rest of the pineapple can be stored, cut side down, on a plate in the fridge.

 


If you would like to request a particular technique we haven't already shown, please let us know. Write to Cooking 101, Editorial Features, Otago Daily Times, PO Box 181, Dunedin or email odt.features@odt.co.nz with cooking 101 in the subject line.

To check earlier Cooking 101 columns visit: www.odt.co.nz and search for ''cooking 101''.

More information on cooking from Otago Polytechnic can be found on www.otagocookeryl4.blogspot.com


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