Archives

Czech Potato & Pickle Soup | Polévka okurková

Serves 6-8 One bowl of this soup takes the bite out of winter. Thick, creamy, and vegetarian, you’ll be amazed at how well the flavors meld. Special thanks to Clifford A. Wright who shared a version of this recipe in his book, The Best Soups in the World. As he states in the recipe introduction: As they spoon some soup, your guests won’t be able to put their finger on what they like so much… Ingredients: 2 lbs potatoes *I used Yukon Gold, peeled & diced 2 1/2 quarts water 1 tsp lightly cracked caraway seeds salt 1 cup sour cream 1 cup flour a handful of chopped dill 4 sweet gherkins, chopped Method: In a large pot, add water to cubed potatoes… splish, splash, splosh… Then, if you’re in the mood, lightly crack caraway seeds in a mortar in pestle to release their aroma. Add the caraway seeds and some salt to the potatoes. Bring to a boil… NOTE: This could take a while with so many ingredients. Just keep an eye on it. …

Refrigerator Dough for Czech Desserts & Snacks

Makes 1 large batch of dough for… – 2 dozen Sweet Prune Buns/Kolaches (Slivkové Koláče) – a dozen Spicy Kielbasa Buns/Klobasneks/Klobasnikis (Klobásové Buchty) Refrigerator Dough takes the stress out of party prep work. This Czech recipe is slightly sweet and tender. According to LaVina Vanorny-Barcus, in My Czech Heritage Cookbook, there are four ways to shape this dough. The first three are for sweets, the last one is for savory, or Klobasneks. 1. Cut a square; add filling in the center, then bring the four corners together over the top of filling. Pinch to seal. Let rise and bake. 2. Cut a rectangle; spread with filling, then roll up like a cinnamon roll. Cut log into discs. Take discs and pinch the two sides to hide the filling. Bake. 3. Make small balls with dough. Let rise, then press the center down with thumb or fingers until it looks a bit like a doughnut. Fill indentation with filling, let rise again, and bake. 4. Cut a rectangle – spread with meat filling. Roll up and …

Cuban Bread | Pan Cubano

Makes 2-3 loaves The quickest way to a person’s heart is with homemade bread. The incredible flavor of this soft, doughy bread is unreal. I’ve been making bread for a long time (even wrote a hundred page thesis about Artisan bread baking in France), so that’s saying a lot. Great recipe – just make sure you start it a day ahead of when you need it! Special thanks to Kitchen Warfare for a detailed post on how to make this wonderful Cuban bread. Without their help, I would have been lost in making my adaptation! Ingredients: For the starter 1/2 tsp instant-dry yeast 1/4 cup cool water 1/4 cup all-purpose flour For the dough 1 cup cool water 1 1/2 tsp salt 1 1/2 tsp sugar 1 Tablespoon lard 1 1/2 tsp instant-dry yeast starter 31/2 -4 cups all-purpose flour Method: For the starter: Combine starter ingredients in a small bowl… Cover with saran wrap and place in a cool spot for about 12 hours. I usually do this right before bed. In the winter, …

Ham & Cheese Bread | Prisnats

Makes one 9″ square casserole Breakfasty, bready prisnats are great comfort food. You’ll want to cut the ham smaller or add more flour so the little pieces won’t sink to the bottom. Enjoy warm! Ingredients: 8 eggs, room temperature 8 oz ham steak, cut into small cubes 4 oz bacon diced & fried 3 green onions, sliced 1 cup cottage cheese 1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature 2 cups flour (perhaps up to 2.5 cups so the ham won’t sink) 2 tsp yeast 2 oz Monterey Jack cheese, cubed Method: Preheat the oven to 350F. Meanwhile, gather the ingredients. Beautiful ham… but cut yours 1/2 the size of mine, so they won’t sink. Fresh, green onions. A taste of spring, even in winter. Then, crack 8 eggs into a large bowl and whisk until light and frothy. Add the milk… Cottage cheese… (this makes everything nice and moist) Yeast… And flour… Top it off with the rest of the ingredients…bacon, ham, cheese, and green onion. Pull out the whisk and put in a wooden spoon. …

Croatian Holiday Nut Roll | Povatica

It’s all in the wrist. The secret to making good Povatica, that is. This famous Croatian Holiday Nut Roll gives its maker a workout. You will be rolling, and pulling, and stretching the dough until it is thin, thin, thin. We’re talkin’ paper thin, like a curtain of dough, blowing in the breeze. I bet Croatian grandmother’s everywhere compete for the most delicate, thin walled Povatica. (Note this bread is also common- under various names- in other areas, such as Poland, Austria, etc) Unlike cinnamon buns, which ooze fluffy bready goodness as much as anything else, Povatica is all about showing off the filling, framed by delicate layers of bread. And Povatica is worth the effort. Here’s one Croatian’s description of good Povatica: I’ve tasted many different versions of Povatica. Some are made with honey and tend to be heavy, others are too doughy. My grandmother’s version is, to me, the perfect balance of dough and filling. Made properly (with dough stretched thin), it is delectable. My mother put together the recipe while watching my grandmother make the bread, as …

Chinese Pancakes with Green Onion

Makes about 8 pancakes Chinese Pancakes are quick and easy to make… and wonderful for scooping up stir-fry. The key to obtaining the characteristic chewy texture is to use boiling water. Make sure you use a healthy dose of salt to flavor the dough. Serve with Moo Shu Pork. Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups flour 1/2 cup boiling water pinch salt 2 scallions, sliced thinly sesame oil, as needed Method: Add flour and salt to a food processor… Add boiling water … boiling water actually blanches the flour (cooks it briefly) and makes for a nice, chewy pancake. This is desirable because the texture will hold up better to moist stir-fry mixtures. Pulse until dough starts to come together. I used my hands to press the shaggy bits into a smooth ball. The dough is not sticky and should not cling to your hands much. Add more water or flour as needed to get the right texture. Let rest for about an hour. The dough will relax and become super easy to work with. Make small …

Chilean Rolls | Pan Amasado

Serves 8 A cross between a yeast roll and a biscuit, pan amasado has a crispy exterior and slightly doughy interior. Ingredients: 2 tsp yeast 1 Tbsp sugar 3/4 cup warm water 3 ½ cups all purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoon salt ½ Cup shortening, softened Method: Mix yeast, sugar and water together. Set aside. Add flour, salt, and shortening to the bowl of an electric mixer. Lard gives the dough rich fatty flavor, but shortening is okay too. Salt makes the flavor pop. Knead together until the shortening breaks up into pea-sized pieces. Add in the frothy, yeasty mixture. Knead with dough hook until the sides scrape clean. If you need a little more water or flour, adjust as necessary. Let rise for about 3 hours, covered and in a draft-free spot. Here’s what it looks like after the rise: Knead it as smooth as you can. I didn’t do a great job at this, so my biscuits are a bit shaggy looking. Spend some time on this step and you can have really …

Chilean Alfajores

Serves 4 While Alfajores (cookie and dulce de leche “sandwiches”) are made throughout South America, the Chilean version is unusual both in technique and presentation. They use an egg-based dough (in other countries shortbread is favored). In addition, Chileans only roll one side of the dough, which results in a curled leaf effect on the dough as it bakes. Ingredients 5 Egg yolks 1 cup sifted all purpose flour 1/4 cup cornstarch, plus 1/4 cup as needed ½ tspn. baking powder 1/4 tsp orange zest 2 Tbsp Orange juice Dulce De Leche (recipe) Method: Preheat oven to 400ºF. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and cornstarch. Add in some orange zest if you have it. Orange zest adds lovely fresh citrus flavor to the cookies. Beat egg yolks until pale yellow. Add the dry ingredients to egg yolks in three parts, mixing in the orange juice in between. I used OJ with extra pulp, for extra goodness. If the dough seems sticky, add extra cornstarch one tablespoon at a time, until the dough …

Millet Balls for Sauces & Stews

Serves 2-3 Millet flour tastes like wheat flour on steroids. These dense, rather pasty balls are traditional in parts of Africa, particularly central and eastern. They add body and substance to any number of stews and sauces. Ingredients: 1/2 cup flour 1/2 cup millet flour (available at some health food stores and African markets) 1/2 cup water Method: Combine all ingredients in the top of a double boiler. Once everything is mixed together, it will be pasty and sticky. Cover and cook over double boiler for about 30 minutes, or until it looks somewhat dried out, but still pasty and sticky. Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to boil. Drop in balls of dough and simmer until they float, about ten minutes. They’ll be dense – perfect filler for a hungry tummy. Serve with sauces or stews, like this Lamb Stew from Chad. Millet Balls for Sauces & Stews Votes: 0 Rating: 0 You: Rate this recipe! Print Recipe Millet flour tastes like wheat flour on steroids. These dense, rather pasty balls are traditional …

Grandpa’s Maple Dumplings | Grandpères

Serves 4 Hot, sweet, syrupy Grandpères served with two scoops of cold vanilla ice cream. Genius. And we have generations of Canadians to thank for keeping this age-old recipe alive. You can eat this for breakfast or dessert. Or a midnight snack. Ingredients: For the dumplings: 2 – 2 1/4 cups flour 1 Tbsp baking powder 1/2 tsp cinnamon pinch of salt 3 Tbsp butter 3/4 cup whole milk For the cooking liquid: 2 cups maple syrup 1 1/2 cups water Method: In a large bowl, mix together flour… … start with two cups and add more if you need to. Stir in the baking powder… A scoop of cinnamon (or Sin as my mom likes to call it) Whisk together with a pinch of salt. Can you see Keith? Now add some buttery goodness. Cut it into the flour with a pastry cutter. Stop when the butter is pea-sized. Next comes the milk. Mix it together until it forms a loose mass, like wet bread dough. Add water to a pot… make it a …

Fried Fish

Serves 3 Fried fish is a common food around the world. At its best this dish is crispy with a moist, flaky interior. The secret to great fried fish is to preheat the oil completely before adding the fish. Also, dredging the fish in a little flour ensures a golden, crispy surface. You can use any fish, just watch the thickness – thin pieces will cook up in a flash. Ingredients: 3 fish fillets (we used catfish) 1/4 cup flour 1 tsp pepper 1 tsp salt Method: In a large plate, stir together flour, pepper, and salt. Dip fish into the flour, lightly coating both sides. Shake off excess. Heat up enough oil to come up the sides of the pan about 1/4″ When hot (your flame should be around medium/medium-high), add fish. You can test to see if its ready by dripping a tiny drop of water in the pan. If it sizzles, it is ready. I love the sound of sizzling oil. Cook on each side until golden brown. Drain over paper towels to remove …

Balkan Baked Beans | Prebranac

Serves 2-4 Prebranac is rich, comforting, and tasty. This baked bean dish is like a warm hug from Bosnia, the “Heart of Europe.” The key is to slowly cook the onion until the golden, sweetness develops. I will be making Prebranac over and over again. I suggest you do the same! 🙂 Ingredients: 1 cup dry Lima beans, cooked (or 2 cans, drained) 2 medium onions, chopped 1/8 cup olive oil 3 garlic cloves, crushed 1 Tbsp paprika seasoning salt pepper 1 Tbsp of flour Method: 1. Preheat oven to 400F. Heat up olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until golden. 2. Add garlic, paprika, flour, salt, and pepper. Cook a few minutes until spices are fragrant and flour is moistened. 3. Add beans and stir to combine. 4. Pour into a casserole and bake until crusty on top, about 15 minutes. Enjoy hot! Just look at all those ooey-gooey, sweet onions! Awesome. Balkan Baked Beans | Prebranac Votes: 0 Rating: 0 You: Rate this recipe! Print Recipe Prebranac is rich, comforting, and tasty. This baked …