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POLISH FOOD

BigosBigos Recipe

1/2 medium green cabbage 1 liter jar of sauerkraut 1 medium can of tomato paste 1/2 lbs bacon 1 lbs pork 1 lbs (Polish) kielbasa 1 large onion 2 cloves of fresh garlic pimento bay leaf salt pepper

Wash cabbage and chop very finely. Boil in a pot with a gal water until cooked and drain. Boil sauerkraut in a separate pot with 2 cups of water until cooked, drain to a clean container and save the sour water.

Wash pork meat and chop in about 1'' squares or so. Heat some vegetable oil on a saucepan and fry the meat until cooked.

Cut bacon and kielbasa also in small squares (about 1/3 of the meat chunks size since they won't shrink as much). Peal and finely chop the onion and garlic cloves. Fry bacon, kielbasa, onion and garlic together in a separate pan until golden brown.

Combine in a tall pot all precooked ingredients. Add tomato paste, spices, and saved earlier sour water to taste. Some people like it sourer, or some people like it more watery, so feel free to add more fresh or sour water if needed. Mix well and leave to stew for about 1 hour.

Taste it... you're good to go. Best served with fresh bread.

• Ingredients• Sauerkraut Filling:• 2 tablespoons butter• 1/3 cup chopped onion• 1 1/2 cups sauerkraut, drained and minced• salt and pepper to taste• • Potato Filling:• 3 tablespoons butter• 1/2 cup chopped onion• 2 cups cold mashed potatoes• 1 teaspoon salt• 1 teaspoon white pepper• • Dough:• 3 egg• 1 (8 ounce) container sour cream• 3 cups all-purpose flour• 1/4 teaspoon salt• 1 tablespoon baking powder

Pierogi

DirectionsTo prepare the sauerkraut filling, melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion, and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the drained sauerkraut and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then remove to a plate to cool. For the mashed potato filling, melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion, and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir into the mashed potatoes, and season with salt and white pepper. To make the dough, beat together the eggs and sour cream until smooth. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder; stir into the sour cream mixture until dough comes together. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until firm and smooth. Divide the dough in half, then roll out one half to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into 3 inch rounds using a biscuit cutter. Place a small spoonful of the mashed potato filling into the center of each round. Moisten the edges with water, fold over, and press together with a fork to seal. Repeat procedure with the remaining dough and the sauerkraut filling. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add perogies and cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until pierogi float to the top. Remove with a slotted spoon.

CZECH FOOD

Palacinky

Batter (for about 4 pancakes):2 cups of milk2 egg yolks1 Tbs sugar (leave the sugar part if you are going to make the the salty way)

1/4 Tsp saltlittle over a 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour (= 0.65 cup; or 8-10 Tbs)vegetable oil

Method:Mix flour with saltMix egg yolks with sugar and slowly pour this mixture into the salted flourMix the batter until it looks very smoothLightly grease a small, non-stick pan and wait until the oil gets hot (med-high)Pour a thin layer of the batter on the pan, using a ladleThe hard part: when one side seems to be done (about 2-3 minutes), flip the palacinka using spatulaOnce palacinka is done, scoop it with your spatula on a plate (Fig.1)spread jam and/or yogurt (or Nutella) all over the palacinka surfaceRoll it into a tubeTop with fresh cut fruit (strawberries, bananas..) and whipped creamSprinkle with cocoa powder or cinnamon

• Ingredients• 1 pound ground Beef • 1 medium Onion, minced • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill or 1 tsp. dried dill • salt, pepper • Pelmeni/Vareniki dough • White of 1 small egg, beaten • water, Chicken or beef broth • 1/2 cup butter

Directions Mix ground Beef, Onion, dill, salt and pepper to taste and enough water, about 1 cup, to make soft mixture. Roll our Pelmeni/Vareniki Dough, 3 or 4 at a time, to 3-inch circles. Place 1-tablespoon filling on each dough round. Brushedges with water. Fold to form half moons, pinch opposite ends to one another to seal. Repeat with remaining balls of dough. Brush pelmeni with beaten egg white. Bring large pot full of salted water to boil. Without crowding, drop pelmeni into boiling water, stirring to prevent sticking, until the pelmeni come to the surface, about 4 - minutes. Remove with slotted spoon. Melt butter over medium heat and drizzle over pelmeni. Or serve pelmeni with sour cream. Makes 100 pelmeni.

Pelmeni

• Ingredients - 1 large cucumber, chopped 2 Roma (plum) Tomatoes, chopped 1 (5 ounces) jar pitted Kalamata Olives 1 (4 ounces) package Feta Cheese, crumbled 1 Red Onion, halved and thinly sliced 1/2 (10 ounces) package Romaine Lettuce Leaves1/2 (10 ounces) package Baby Greens Vinaigrette Dressing:6 tablespoons Olive Oil 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano 1 teaspoon Dried Basil 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard 1 teaspoon Fresh Lemon Juice 1 1/2 cups Red Wine Vinegar

GREEK FOOD

Preparation:

Add chopped cucumber, chopped tomato,

Kalamata olives, feta cheese, sliced red onion, romain lettuce, and baby

greens to large serving bowl.

Greek salad

• Ingredients:• 1/2 cup olive oil• 2 lbs. ground beef (or ground lamb, or a mixture of both)• 1 large yellow onion, chopped• 1 cup dry white wine• 1 14 oz. can tomato puree or sauce• 3 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley• 1/2 tsp. ground allspice• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon• 1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese (or Kefalotyri if available)• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste• 3 tbsp. breadcrumbs• 1 pkg. #2 Macaroni for Pastitsio (500g)- available at • Greek or ethnic groceries. • You can substitute 2 lbs. ziti or penne • 4 egg whites (reserve the yolks for bechamel sauce)• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)

Pastitsio

Preparation:This recipe will yield about 24 servings depending upon the size of your pieces. I use a lasagna pan that is roughly 12 x 18 x 3 inches deep.

Begin with the Meat Filling: Heat olive oil in a large saute pan. Add ground beef and cook over medium-high heat until pink color disappears, about 5 minutes. Add onions and cook until they are translucent, about 5 minutes more.Add wine, tomato sauce, parsley, allspice, cinnamon, salt, and pepper and allow sauce to simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. While sauce is simmering put water on to boil for pasta.Cook pasta noodles according to package directions and drain well. Rinse noodles in colander under cold water to cool them slightly.Stir in 3 tbsp. breadcrumbs to meat sauce to absorb excess liquid and remove from heat.Melt 1/2 cup butter in pasta pot and return cooked noodles to the pot. Stir in beaten egg whites and 1 cup of grated cheese and toss lightly, being careful not to break the noodles.Brush the bottom and sides of the lasagna pan with olive oil. Layer the bottom with half the pasta noodles and press down so that they are somewhat flat.Bechamel Sauce: Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Using a whisk, add flour to melted butter whisking continuously to make a smooth paste or roux. Allow the flour/butter mixture to cook for a minute but do not allow it to brown.Add warmed milk to mixture in a steady stream, whisking continuously. Simmer over low heat until it thickens but does not boil.Remove from heat and stir in beaten egg yolks. Add pinch of nutmeg. If sauce still needs to thicken, return to heat and cook over very low heat while continuing to stir.Bechamel is thicker than gravy but not quite as thick as pudding. It should be somewhere in between. One way to tell if it is thick enough is to dip your wooden spoon in the sauce and draw your finger across the back of the spoon. If the sauce holds a visible line then it is thick enough.

• Ingredients for 4:4-5 large potatossalt and pepper to taste2-3 spring onionsjuice of 1/2 a lemonolive oilfresh parsley or dill

How to prepare:Peel and boil the potatos for about 20-25 minutes, drain and leave to cool.In a salad bowl - add the finely chopped spring onions, salt, pepper to taste, the lemon juice and olive oil, and mix gently. Cut the potatos into cubes and add the the salad bowl. Gently mix, sprinkle with parsley or dill if you serve the salad with fish.

BULGARIAN FOODBulgarian potato salad

• Ingredients:

3/4 lb lean ground chuck1/2 lb lean ground pork butt4 cups 1/2-inch cut peeled potato cubes1 large onion fine chop1/3 cup crushed garlic3 large fresh tomato fine chop4 large eggs (beaten)1/2 cup feta cheese1 1/2 cup plain yogurt1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley1 Tsp fresh chopped oregano or chubritza (see note below)3 Tsps flour4 Tsps cooking oil1/2 cup chopped green onion Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. In a deep skillet, brown ground meat together in oil.2. Add onion, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper, cook for 5 more minutes.3. While this is cooking, mix eggs, yogurt, feta, and flour,well.4. Mix ground meat, potato, tomato, parsley together.5. Place in baking dish, and pour egg mixture over top.6. Sprinkle green onion on top7. Bake for 1-hr covered at 350 deg.Then 1/2-hr uncovered.8. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Bulgarian Rhodopean Moussaka

SLOVENIAN FOODPrekmurska gibanica

Dough:30 dag flour3 tablespoons lukewarm water2 tablespoons wine1 tablespoon sugar. salt to taste2 tablespoons oil 2 tablespoons melted butter for brushing dough

Fillings:

poppy seed feeling:40 dag poppy seeds20 dag sugarcinnamon to taste1 cup hot milk

Apple filling:50 dag apples, grated20 dag sugarcinnamon to taste1 lemon rind, grated1 tablespoon lemon juice

Cottage cheese filling:50 dag cottage cheese3 dl sour cream1 egg20 dag sugar2 tablesoons raisins, soaked in rumvanilla to taste

Walnut filling:50 dag ground walnuts20 dag sugarcinnamon to tastesour cream

HavreflarnSWEDISH FOOD

Ingredients1/3 cup butter1 1/8 cups rolled oats2/3 cup white sugar1 egg5 toasted bitter almonds, ground1 tablespoon all-purpose flour1 teaspoon baking powder

DirectionsPreheat the oven to 425 degrees F (225 degrees C). Melt the butter, and pour it immediately over the oat-grain. Let the mixture cool down. Add the sugar, the lightly whipped egg, and the ground bitter almond to the oat mixture. Combine the flour with the baking powder, and then stir into the dough. Drop by spoonfuls onto oiled cookie sheets. Since the cookies float out, just put 6 to 8 spoonfuls on each sheet. Bake the cookies in the middle of the oven for about 6 minutes. Remove and cool.

Ingredients: 200 g vit choklad 200g white chocolate 2,5 dl kokosflingor 2.5 cup coconut flakes 1,5 msk pressad citron 1.5 tbsp lemon juice

Follow these steps: Melt chocolate in water on the stove or in microwave. Mix the chocolate with coconut flakes and lemon juice. Season with lemon juice so that you get the flavor you want. Place dough in a cool place and let it cool for a while - but not as long as the batter time to solidify completely. The batter should be slightly semi-solid so that you can shape the balls. Shape the balls, roll with your hands. Roll the balls in either coconut flakes, sprinkles or powder with icing sugar. Put them in a jar with a lid and store in refrigerator

Snowballs- Snobollar