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🍽️ Crispy Green Barley Balls with Creamy Spinach and Ajvar

786 kcal · 30 min · 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 150 g green kernel groats
• 300 ml vegetable broth
• 0.5 handful parsley
• 200 g spicy ajvar
• 2 eggs
• 100 g whole wheat breadcrumbs
• salt
• pepper
• 750 g leaf spinach
• 1 organic lemon
• 200 g crème fraîche
• 1 tsp chili flakes
• 4 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 1 tbsp sesame (à 15 g)
• 1 tbsp black sesame (à 15 g)

Instructions

1. 1. Wash the bell pepper and remove the inside. Cut it into very small cubes.
2. 2. Peel the onion and the garlic. Cut both into very fine cubes.
3. 3. Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a pot.
4. 4. Add the bell pepper cubes and half of the onion and garlic to the hot oil.
5. 5. Sauté the vegetables for two minutes over medium heat.
6. 6. Add the green barley groats and the vegetable broth.
7. 7. Bring the mixture to a boil.
8. 8. Let the mixture simmer on low heat for about ten minutes.
9. 9. Stir occasionally while doing so.
10. 10. Transfer the barley mixture into a bowl.
11. 11. Let the mixture cool down to lukewarm.
12. 12. Wash the parsley and shake it dry.
13. 13. Finely chop the parsley leaves and the thin stems.
14. 14. Add the chopped parsley to the cooled barley mixture.
15. 15. Add fifty grams of ajvar.
16. 16. Add the eggs to the mixture.
17. 17. Add the breadcrumbs to the mixture.
18. 18. Season the mixture with salt and pepper.
19. 19. Knead everything together into a moldable mass.
20. 20. Moisten your hands with water.
21. 21. Form about twenty balls the size of walnuts.
22. 22. Set the balls aside covered.
23. 23. Clean the spinach and wash it.
24. 24. Let the spinach drain well.
25. 25. Heat the remaining olive oil in a large pot.
26. 26. Add the second half of the onion and garlic to the hot oil.
27. 27. Sauté the onion mixture.
28. 28. Add the still dripping wet spinach.
29. 29. Let the spinach wilt briefly.
30. 30. Rinse the lemon with hot water.
31. 31. Dry the lemon.
32. 32. Grate the zest of the lemon.
33. 33. Halve the lemon.
34. 34. Squeeze the juice of the lemon.
35. 35. Stir the lemon juice into the spinach.
36. 36. Add the lemon zest to the spinach.
37. 37. Add the crème fraîche to the spinach.
38. 38. Add the chili flakes to the spinach.
39. 39. Season the spinach with salt.
40. 40. Heat rapeseed oil in a large pan.
41. 41. Add the barley balls to the hot pan.
42. 42. Fry the balls on all sides.
43. 43. Fry them for about five minutes.
44. 44. Fry them until they are browned.
45. 45. Heat a hot pan without fat.
46. 46. Roast the sesame seeds over medium heat.
47. 47. Roast the sesame seeds for about three minutes.
48. 48. Plate the barley balls.
49. 49. Add the creamy spinach.
50. 50. Add the remaining ajvar.
51. 51. Sprinkle the balls with the sesame seeds.
52. 52. Serve the dish.

Nutrition per serving

• kcal: 786
• Protein: 21 g · Fett/Fat: 52 g · Carbs: 55 g