Mar 16, 2022 • Salad "Shirazi" is a very sophisticated version of a tomato and cucumber salad. The origin, I believe, is Persia/Iran, but I tried it in my local Middle Eastern restaurant and it was listed on the menu as 'Arabic salad'.
The key here is cut tomatoes and cucumbers in very small and uniform squares. This takes time. That is why this salad, in restaurants, is usually served in small portions and as part of appetizer platter, along with hummus and other popular appetizers.
Ingredients:
3 Roman/Italian tomatoes
4 Persian cucumbers
1 small bunch of parsley
1 small bunch of mint
1 small purple onion
The juice of one lime
Salt
Green pepper
Olive oil to taste
Dec 17, 2021 • The Italians love their desserts, but when there is a special gathering or celebration, then the special effort is made. So, for that Christmas Dinner, we are making Zabaglione!
INGREDIENTS:
5 egg yolks
100g/3½oz caster (superfine) sugar
100ml (or less)
½ cup Marsala or sweet sherry
Amaretto cookies to serve.
(Please keep in mind that Marsala has a very strong flavor, so if you not familiar with it, use less in this recipe)
This dessert has some variations:
Variation #1: Any other type of liqueur can be used instead of Marsala. Use 1tbsp of Amaretto or Frangelico.
Variation #2: Serve with berries like raspberries or strawberries and add whipped cream on top.
METHOD:
Separate the eggs. (We only need ythe olks.) Add sugar and start whipping the egg yolks until the mixture is pale yellow, doubles in size and all the sugar has dissolved (about 5 minutes).
Gradually add the Marsala and mix. Bring water to a simmer in a pot that will fit your mixing bowl. (The bowl should not touch the water.) Place mixing bowl on the bain-marie (double boiler) and continue mixing. Cook the egg custard until it thickens (about 10 minutes).
Spoon out into clear glasses and refrigerate for 30 minutes (or you can enjoy it warm).
Decorate and serve with Amaretto cookies! What a beautiful dessert! Enjoy!
Nov 4, 2021 • Pljeskavica is a grilled dish(Serbian Hamburger) consisting of a spiced meat patty mixture of pork, beef and lamb. It is one of the national dishes of Serbia and is very popular in the neighboring Balkan and former Yugoslavian countries of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Montenegro. The name comes from word "pljesak", in Serbian ,means "to clap the hands. Meat mixture usually kneaded for a long time to achieve viscosity in texture.
PLJESCAVICA RECIPE:
Ingredients:
2 llbs lean beef
200gm lamb (fat)
2 medium onions (minced)
2 tablespoons olive oil (used for the purpose of preserving)
300ml sparkling mineral water (or club soda)
Spices:
1½ tbsp kosher salt
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp paprika
½ tsp chili pepper (Aleppo pepper)
Some oil for frying.
(In the original recipe, a combination of three meats is used: beef, pork and lamb. You could use all three or just two of them.It's a question of taste.
This dish is usually served with pickled onions:
2 medium purple onions (half-moon slices)
100ml water
1 tbsp sugar
½ tbsp kosher salt
1 tbsp pickling spices
2 tbsp white vinegar
These patties are usually served well-done and slightly charred. They are very juicy, full of flavor and often served on their own.
Sep 25, 2021 • I usually make this stew either in a fast cooker or slow cooker, but today I want to show you how to make it in just the oven. My grandmother used to make this stew quite often and it was cooked in traditional Russian stove known as a pechka.. This stove was the heart and soul of country living. It made food, baked bread and also gave heat in winter days to warm up the house.
INGREDIENTS:
2 lb stew meat [UK: stewing steak]
2 large onions
1 cup beef stock (or water)
1 cup tomato puree
3 tbsp clarified butter (ghee)
4-5 cloves
minced garlic
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp chili pepper
1 bay leaf
The meat, the METHOD and the cooking pot:
Best cuts of beef for stew are chuck, sirloin or boneless short ribs. This dish is made entirely in the oven and does not require any pre-cooking. The secret is in the temperature of your oven. Add all ingredients to a cast iron Dutch oven [UK – casserole]
Place in the oven (uncovered) at 350°F (180°C) for 1 hour.
Mix it and cover it either with the lid or foil.
Lower the temperature of your oven to slow a cooking temperature of 220°F (120°C) and cook for a further 3 - 4 hours.
Total cooking time would be 5 hours and will result in a thick sauce, full of flavor. The meat will be very tender.
Serve with mashed potatoes or noodles.
Vegetables like: carrots and mushrooms can be added at the end, when there is about 1 hour of cooking time left.
Enjoy!
Stuffed Cabbage Rolls is a common dish to the cuisines of the Balkans, Central, Eastern Europe, Azerbaijan and Iran, as well as the Middle East and West Asia and Northern China. But it is probably the most popular cabbage dish in Russia, after Borscht [Borsch] ,of course.
Ingredients:
1 head of cabbage
For the sauce:
3 medium carrots (grated)
1 large onion
1 large can of tomatoes
5 cloves garlic (pressed)
½ cup of fresh dill and parsley
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp cooking oil
Method:
Sauté the onions in butter and oil (you need 2 onions in total)
Add salt and pepper
Reserve half for the filling.>br />
In a large sauce pan, add cooking oil.
Add grated carrots and onion.
Add garlic and crushed tomatoes (reserve ½ cup of tomato puree for the filling).
Add fresh herbs, salt and pepper.
Set aside.
Filling:
1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground pork
1 onion
1½ cups of rice (al dente)
fresh herbs (parsley and dill)
½ cup tomato puree
¼ cup cold water
salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients and set aside.
Prepare cabbage leaves. Cut the core of whole cabbage around with sharp knife. Place it in a large pot with boiling water, ‘core’ side down.
Remove some of the outer leaves as they start cooking and place them on the paper towel.
Repeat the process until you are left with pretty much just the core.
To make rolls:
Place a generous amount of the filling on each cooked cabbage leaf. Roll tight. In a large pot, add some of the sauce, then cabbage rolls, then sauce again, then cabbage rolls. Cover with more sauce and simmer on a low heat for 45 minutes. Serve with sour cream and fresh dill! Enjoy!
