DER ANDERMATTER Sommer 2016

HEIDELBEER-CHIÄCHLI
BLUEBERRY "CHIÄCHLI"
Wer sucht, findet Heidelbeeren. Blueberries come to those who seek.
Blueberries can be found in the autumn all over the canton of
Uri – once you have developed an eye for where to look. The small,
dark blue fruit is hidden within dense, reddish-green leafed bushes,
which grow knee-high and flourish in the peaty mountain valleys.
The German word for blueberry, Heidelbeere, takes its name from
the heath-like local countryside, with its barren, acrid soil. The local,
wild variety (forest blueberry) has a significantly different, stronger
taste than the larger cultivated blueberries from America. And only
forest blueberries have the strongly staining flesh that immediately
betrays a furtive snacker. There is no greater taste than a handful
of fresh berries, plucked straight from the bush, warmed in the sun
and delightfully aromatic. This "forest caviar" can be found at every
wayside in the Uri alps and is a delight savoured by young and old
alike. So it's worth packing a water bottle when hiking, so you can
wash the fresh berries as you pick them and savour them as you
go. If you want to collect a lot of berries it might be worth taking a
wooden comb, although this method has the drawback of harvesting
unripe berries along with those that are ready. Only the almost
black, fully ripe fruit gives the truly delicious taste. They don't keep
for long once picked, but they can be easily frozen.
And of course there is no shortage of recipes for these berries and
other wild varieties. The simplest of all: gently heat the berries in a
pan, add sugar as required and then pour the warm compote over
a scoop of vanilla ice cream. This delightful dish is on the dessert
menu in almost every Swiss restaurant.
165 g weiche Butter mit einem Ei, einem Eigelb, 1 Prise Salz und 85 g
Puderzucker geschmeidig rühren. 275 g Weissmehl zugeben und zu
einem homogenen Teig vermengen. Den Teig 2 cm dick ausrollen und
mit Klarsichtfolie zugedeckt 24 Stunden im Kühlschrank ruhen
lassen. Für den Guss 1 Ei, 30 g Puderzucker, 10 g Maizena und 50 g
Vollrahm mit dem Schwingbesen gut verrühren. Den Teig 2 mm dünn
ausrollen und Rondellen (Durchmesser je nach Förmchen) ausstechen.
Förmchen mit Teig auslegen, mit frischen Heidelbeeren auffüllen.
Wenig Guss zugeben. Die Küchlein im vorgewärmten Ofen bei 180 °C
circa 20 Minuten backen.
Beat 165 g soft butter with 1 egg, 1 egg yolk, 1 pinch of salt and 85 g icing
sugar until soft. Add 275 g plain flour and mix together. Roll out the dough
to 2 cm thickness, cover with cling film and place in a refrigerator for
24 hours. For the glaze, whisk 1 egg, 30 g icing sugar, 10 g corn starch and
50 g full cream thoroughly. Roll the dough out to a thickness of 2 mm
and cut out circles (diameter depends on the mould). Place the dough in
the mould and fill with fresh blueberries. Add a little of the glaze. Bake the
small cakes in a pre-heated oven at 180 °C for approximately 20 minutes.
A healthy delicacy
Berries are more than a culinary treat; they are also popular in herbal medicine.
The fruit is high in fibre and low in calories, which is good for regulating digestion.
Forest blueberries are also rich in vitamins and have anti-inflammatory properties.
Their plant pigments (anthocyanidins) are said to have almost miraculous
qualities: they protect our cells from free radicals and strengthen the capillaries.
In short, forest blueberries are good for the heart, the memory, digestion and
our general wellbeing – but above all these small, wild
berries are a welcome treat for anyone who is out
and about in the mountains, enjoying the
delights of nature.
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