EUROPE DAY 2021

Sole meunière is Belgium’s classic fish dish. The latter part of its name translates as ‘miller’s wife’ which refers to the way she would dip the fish in seasoned flour before pan-frying it in a small amount of butter. Traditionally, you add lemon juice and chopped parsley to make a rich brown butter sauce. Most people enjoy the dish with a serving of potatoes; either frites, boiled or mashed. This popular Belgian food is also a firm favorite in France.

In Greece, koupepia are known as dolmades or dolmadakia; they can be found in Turkey and the Middle East as well.

In both Greece and Cyprus, they are made with a filling of ground beef and pork along with rice. The wrapping consists of blanched grape leaves.

The Cypriot version is different in that along with the ingredients above, it is traditionally served in a sauce containing cinnamon and tomatoes. The Greek version is typically served in an avgolemono sauce, which is made with eggs and lemon.

There is a vegetarian version that is made without the meat; that is the version usually served at Lent.

While koupepia most likely originated in the Middle East, it was brought to Cyprus by Greeks who immigrated around 1200 BC.

Koupepia are typically made in large batches; they can be frozen and then cooked later. They are often served as a part of a meze platter or at buffets.

Koupepia make excellent finger food and can be found at most celebrations and other social events.


Ingredients:

    50 vine leaves
    100-150 grams minced pork
    3 quarters cup olive oil
    1 small onion minced
    Parsley minced
    1 quarter tea spoon pepper
    Mint (optional)
    1 cup rice
    1 tblsp tomato sauce or 2 cups tomato
    1 – 2 tblsp lemon juice
    1 cup warm water
    1 tsp salt

Preparation

Wash the vine leaves and put them in warm water to get soft. The color will change and will go darker than they are.

Put the olive oil in a pan to warm and lightly cook the minced onion.

Add the minced ground pork and leave it to lightly cook.

Add the rice, pepper, parsley, mint, tomato sauce mixed with water. Leave them to cook for 3-5 minutes and mix occasionally.

When the mixture cools, put one teaspoon of filling on each vine leave and wrap them up. Be careful as some leaves might be bigger or smaller than others so sometimes you might need to fill them with less or more than one teaspoon.

Put all the koupepias in a 4-quart pot. Place a small plate on top of them to keep them in place and add the water and lemon juice, or chicken stock if preferred.

Let them cook on low heat for about half an hour.

The recipe makes 6 servings.

epřo knedlo zelo is the national dish of the Central European country of Czechia, also known as the Czech Republic. The entree is made of pork loin roasted in onion and caraway gravy and served over sauerkraut with a side of the Czech stapled boiled bread dumplings called knedlíky. Vepřo knedlo zelo is a classic of Czech cuisine and a must-eat when traveling to the Central European country.

Vepřo knedlo zelo is a dish that is representative of typical of Czech cuisine, which is heavy on meats like pork, beef, and chicken. Czech cuisine is also known for pickled cabbage and other root vegetables like carrots, parsnips, and onions, and also includes many breads, pastries, cakes, and dumplings. The dish also uses caraway seeds and onion as flavoring, which are common flavor profiles in Czech cuisine.

Vepřová pečeně, or roasted pork, with sauerkraut and dumplings, like that found in Czech vepřo knedlo zelo, is a very common dish enjoyed throughout many countries and cultures in Central Europe. In Bavaria, a similar dish of ham hocks, sauerkraut, and spätzle, known as Schweinshaxe und Leberkäse is a similar Bavarian baked pork dish that is formed into a mold with kraut on the side.

Kassler, a smoked pork loin found in the Northern German area of Lower Saxony, is also served similar to vepřo knedlo zelo with sauerkraut and knödel, the German version of the Czech boiled bread dumpling knedlíky. Other German and Austrian dishes similar to vepřo knedlo zelo are mecklenburger rippenbraten, which consists of a pork rib roasted in fruit and served with a dumpling and sauerkraut. Also, königsberger klopse is smoked meat served in a white sauce with red cabbage and a potato or bread dumpling. Schäufele is an entrée of pork shoulder braised in beer with sauerkraut or red cabbage and dumplings and in Austria, selchfleisch is a smoked pork loin served with cabbage or kraut and spätzle or knodle, or dumplings.

epřo knedlo zelo is a classic entrée to order in Prague and a variation on the dish can be found on most menus in restaurants and pubs throughout the country. Pickled and sour cabbage like sauerkraut and red cabbage are the most common vegetable accompaniments and are often flavored with sugar, caraway, and fruit juices. Knedlíky is a staple Czech boiled bread dumpling served on the side, and is perfect for dipping in the pork roasting sauce. At times, the pork will also be roasted with fruits, garlic, or other flavors for a twist on traditional flavors.

Roasted pork with sauerkraut is not only a typical dish of many Central European countries, it is also a traditional entrée eaten to bring good luck in the new year. Variations of the dish are consumed on New Year’s Day throughout Europe and in areas of the world where Germanic and people of Slovak heritage have settled, such as Argentina, Brazil and the mid-Atlantic United States.

Vepřo knedlo zelo is made by slow roasting the boneless pork shoulder cut with onion or other vegetables flavored with caraway, salt, and pepper. A roasting pan is most commonly used in the Czech Republic, but a large cast iron skillet is also preferred as searing the meat before roasting brings out a richer and deeper meat flavor. The pork is covered and slow roasted for hours, and then a gravy is made from the juices left in the roasting pan. Sauerkraut is cooked with caraway and sugar and served with the meat and juices on top. Knedlíky are made by boiling dumpling loaves and slicing before serving on the side for dipping.

Vepřo knedlo zelo is a delicious and hearty dish enjoyed by many cultures throughout Europe, but is the heart of Czech cuisine. We hope you enjoy the roasted pork entree and let us know your variations!



Ingredients
For the vepřová pečeně (pork roast)

    3 lb boneless pork shoulder , cut in individual size portions
    1 onion , diced
    4 cloves garlic , thinly sliced
    4 tablespoons oil
    1 tablespoon salt
    Freshly ground pepper
    1 teaspoon caraway seeds
    2 tablespoons flour

For the knedlíky (dumplings)

    4 cups flour quick-mixing flour (or instant flour)
    1 cup milk (warm)
    1 egg
    1 teaspoon yeast
    1 teaspoon sugar
    1 teaspoon salt

For the dušené kyselé zelí (cooked sauerkraut)

    1 quart sauerkraut , drained
    1 onion , finely chopped
    4 tablespoons butter
    1 teaspoon caraway seeds
    5 cups water
    4 tablespoons sugar
    1 teaspoon salt
    3 tablespoons flour

Instructions
Vepřová Pečeně (Pork Roast)

    Season pork with salt, pepper and caraway seeds.
    Heat a cast iron pan with the oil. When oil is hot, sauté onion in pan for about 8 minutes or until light golden.
    Push onion to the side and add pork roast. Brown the pork roast on all sides.
    Add 1 cup/250ml of water and scrape the pan.
    Cover the pan with a lid or tin foil. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 F (180˚C) for 2 hours.
    Turn meat over every 30 minutes.
    At the end of the cooking, remove the lid (or tin foil), increase temperature to 400 F (190˚C) and bake for another 45 minutes.
    Remove from the oven. Remove the pork roast from the pan and place on a plate covered with tin foil.
    Place the pot back on the stove, and add ½ cup/100ml of water to the drippings. Scrape the sides and bottom of the pot.
    Add flour mixed in 4 tablespoons of water and add to the drippings. Cook for 5 minutes to make a gravy.
    Serve pork roast in a plate with a couple sliced of dumpling, the cooked sauerkraut, and the gravy on top.

Knedlíky (Dumplings)

    Combine the sugar, the yeast, and the milk. Whisk and set aside for about 10 minutes or until it is foamy.
    In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, the egg, the salt. Add the yeast mixture and knead until the dough detaches from the edges of the bowl.
    Cover the bowl with a cloth and let it rise for 2 hours, in a warm area away from drafts.
    Dust the work surface with flour and form the dough into 3 loaves.
    In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil. Carefully place the dumplings in the pot.
    Reduce the heat to low and cook covered for 20 minutes, turning the dumpling half way through the cooking. You need to maintain a rolling boil throughout the cooking.
    Take the dumpling out of the pot. Poke the dumpling in a few places with a fork to let the steam out.
    Slice the dumplings delicately with a sewing thread, a dental floss, or a serrated knife. Slices should be about ¾ inch thick.

Dušené Kyselé Zelí (Cooked Sauerkraut)

    In a pot, add the drained sauerkraut, water, sugar, caraway seeds, and salt. Bring to boil then reduce the heat to low. Simmer covered for 30 minutes.
    In the meantime, in a saucepan on medium heat, melt the butter and add the onion. Sauté while stirring regularly for about 12 minutes or until golden brown.
    Add the flour. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes.
    Add the flour and onion mixture to the pot with sauerkraut. Cook on medium for a few minutes while stirring.

While there are many meat dishes, fried pork with parsley sauce and potatoes (stegt flæsk med persillesovs og kartoffler), is Denmark’s national dish. Pieces of pork meat seasoned with salt and pepper are fried until crisp, then served with potatoes and parsley sauce.


     800g-1kg pork belly, at room temperature (see recipe tip for super-crispy crackling)
    1/2 lemon
    1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
    800 gram evenly sized baby new potatoes
    pickled vegetables and/or sauerkraut, to serve
    steamed green vegetables and/or roasted parsnip, to serve

Parsley sauce

    25 gram butter
    3 tablespoon flour
    1 cup milk
    1/2 cup finely shredded curly or flat-leaf parsley, plus extra to serve
    1/4 cup cream or milk
    pinch freshly grated or ground nutmeg

    Method

    1
    Preheat oven to 240°C. Prepare an oven tray with baking paper or place a rack inside an oven tray. Set tray/rack in the middle of the oven. Score lines across the pork rind (skin) with a sharp knife, at 5mm intervals; make them deep but don't cut into the meat. Dry the rind with paper towels, then rub the rind with the halved lemon and season with the sea salt.

    2
    Place pork, rind-side up, on rack and roast, uncovered, until the rind is blistered (about 25 minutes). Reduce oven to 160°C and continue to roast for 1½ hours until meat is very tender. Remove from oven and rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing into 8 thin pieces.

    3
    Towards the end of the pork's cooking time, place potatoes in a pot, cover with cold, salted water and bring to boil. Cook for 20 minutes or until tender.

    4
    To make the parsley sauce, melt the butter in a pot over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk then simmer, stirring continuously, for 3-4 minutes or until the sauce has thickened. Add the parsley, cream or milk, and nutmeg and season to taste with salt and pepper.

    5
    Serve pork with potatoes, pickled veges/sauerkraut and steamed/roasted vegetables. Drizzle with parsley sauce.

Mulgikapsad is the national dish of Estonia. It’s prepared and eaten during major celebrations, such as Christmas and New Year, but also throughout the year.

The people of Estonia love it so much, you can even find canned versions of it in stores and supermarkets!

Mulgikapsad is very simple to prepare. It also requires very little cleaning up, as it is all made in one pot.

First, sauerkraut is put in a pot with barley and meat. Commonly, bacon or smoked pork products, rich in flavor, are used.

The stew is then cooked slowly, with care, until the sauerkraut and barley are tender.

Mulgikapsad is often served with fried onions and slices of pork. Although a much-loved main course, some Estonians even enjoy it as a snack or appetizer.


Ingredients

    1 kg sauerkraut
    ½ gl barley groats
    400 - 500 g bacon
    1 - 2 onions
    salt, sugar (according to taste)
    water

    Put sauerkraut in a saucepan with barley and meat.
    Cover it with water and stew it under the lid.
    It is important to see that the water does not boil off.
    When it gets hots (a little before boil).
    Add salt and sugar.
    Cut the onions into little cubes and fry them with little fat or oil.
    Add them to the sauerkraut.
    Serve with boiled potatoes or pork.

Poronkäristys is the national dish of Finland, prepared by sautéing reindeer meat. The dish originates from the Arctic Lapland where the semi-nomadic, indigenous people called Saame have been herding reindeers for a very long time.

Thin slices of reindeer meat are usually sautéed in butter, with or without onions, and slowly simmered in beer or stock until they develop a tender and succulent texture. The most common and traditional accompaniments for the dish include creamy mashed potatoes and lingonberry jam, but it can also be accompanied by pasta or rice.

Although the dish can often be found in restaurants throughout Finland, frozen meat can also be bought in most supermarkets. According to recent studies, along with being extremely tasty, reindeer meat is one the healthiest foods, high in B-12, omega-3, and omega-6, a possible reason why poronkäristys is consumed throughout the year in Finland.

2 to 3 lbs boneless reindeer, venison, bison, or beef steak (round, sirloin, or chuck)
2 tbsp butter
1 yellow onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp salt, more to taste
½ tsp black pepper, more to taste
½ tsp ground allspice
1 cup water
sliced chives to garnish
lingonberry or cranberry preserves to serve
mashed potatoes to serve
sliced pickles to serve

1. Freeze the meat for 20 minutes then slice as thin as possible; set aside.

2. Warm the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until softened, about 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and saute until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the meat, salt, pepper, allspice, and water; stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, then cover, reduce heat to low and gently simmer until the meat is tender, about 1 hour.

3. Remove the lid and increase heat to medium-high. Saute, stirring often, until the water has evaporated and the meat turns dark brown and crispy, about 10 minutes. Serve atop mashed potatoes, garnished with sliced chives and serve with mashed potatoes, lingonberry preserves, and sliced pickles.

It is difficult to know when the name pot-au-feu first appeared and when its meaning changed to describe the dish instead of the pot in which it is cooked. While pot was used to describe the rounded pot to cook on the fire at least since the 11th century (even in English),[6] there seems to be no written trace of pot-au-feu until 1673.[7]

In 1600, King Henry IV of France (1553-1610) declared, "I want no peasant in my kingdom to be so poor that he cannot have a poule au pot on Sundays."[8] Poule au pot literally means "chicken in the pot" and the so-called traditional recipe resembles the one of "pot-au-feu".[9] However, peasants' food was mainly based on bread (c. 500 g/day), root vegetables, in-season vegetables and soup. They rarely ate meat except salted pork, hog-grease, bacon, or other meat, whether it was during religious celebrations or when they dared to poach game from their lord's land. For people living in towns, it was easier to buy inexpensive pieces of meat, which needed long cooking times.

The method of cooking all food together and for extended periods of time (the whole day sometimes) gave what was called a "pot-pourri" in French and imported into English in the early 17th century.[10] The relation between pot-pourri and pot-au-feu was attested in 1829 in the Etymologic dictionary of the French language: "Pot pourri. The name our fathers gave to the pot-au-feu".[11]

One batch of pot-au-feu was maintained as a perpetual stew in Perpignan from the 15th century until World War II.[12]


Ingredients

    2-pound piece beef shank (with bone)
    2-pound piece beef chuck
    2 pounds beef ribs
    2 pounds large beef marrow bones
    2 whole cloves
    1 large white onion (peeled)
    1 bouquet garni
    1 small cinnamon stick
    1 teaspoon black peppercorns
    2 bay leaves
    1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
    5 stalks celery (cut into large pieces, plus leaves)
    12 medium carrots (peeled and quartered)
    8 leeks (washed, cut lengthwise and then into large pieces)
    1 1/2 pounds turnips (peeled and quartered)
    1 1/2 pounds small new potatoes
    1 fresh or day-old baguette (sliced and toasted)
    Garnish
    Coarse sea salt
    Cornichons
    Mustard
    Horseradish



    Steps to Make It

    Gather the ingredients.
    Tie the beef shank, chuck, and ribs into a tight bundle with kitchen twine and place it in a large stockpot.
    Wrap the marrow bones in cheesecloth, secure it tightly with the string, and place it in the stockpot.
    Pour enough cold water into the stockpot to cover the ingredients.
    Bring the mixture to a boil, skimming often.
    Turn the heat down as soon as the water boils, so it is just a low simmer.
    Push the cloves into the onion and wrap the bouquet garni, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, and bay leaves in a piece of cheesecloth. Place the onion and the bundle into the stockpot.
    Season the mixture with the salt and continue simmering, uncovered, for 2 1/2 hours. Add more water, if needed, to keep the meat and marrowbones covered. Do not allow the mixture to boil.
    Wrap the celery, carrots, leeks, turnips, and potatoes each in a separate cheesecloth bundle, securing them tightly with string.
    Add the celery, carrots, leeks, and turnips to the pot and continue simmering for 40 minutes.
    Check the vegetables for doneness, and then remove any that have turned tender and cooked through.
    Add the potato bundle to the pot and continue simmering for an additional 20 to 25 minutes, until the potatoes are cooked through.
    Remove each vegetable and meat bundle from the pot, unwrap it, and arrange the vegetables in groups around the meat on the serving platter. Keep warm.
    Discard the clove-studded onion and strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve.
    Return the broth to a clean saucepan and bring it to a boil for about 10 to 15 minutes, until it has reduced in volume and has a good, strong flavor. Season it with additional salt, if needed.
    Transfer the hot broth to a serving bowl and offer as soup. Spread the marrow on the slices of toasted bread (called croûtes) and serve as an appetizer or alongside the broth. Present the meat and vegetable platter as the main course with small bowls of the garnishes on the side.
    Enjoy!

Sauerbraten is a traditional German roast of heavily marinated meat. It is regarded as a national dish of Germany, and is frequently served in German-style restaurants internationally. It can be prepared from a variety of meats, most often from beef, but also from venison, lamb and mutton, pork and horse. Before cooking, the raw meat is marinated for three to ten days in a mixture of vinegar or wine, water, herbs, spices, and seasonings. Usually, tougher cuts of meat such as rump roast or bottom round of beef are used, and the long marinating tenderizes the meat. A Sauerbraten dinner is almost always accompanied by a hearty gravy resulting from its roasting and is most often served with potato pancakes (Kartoffelpuffer), potato dumplings (Kartoffelklöße), or Spätzle pasta.

Julius Caesar has been assigned a role in the inspiration for sauerbraten as he sent amphoras filled with beef marinated in wine over the Alps to the newly founded Roman colony of Cologne. According to this legend (Julius Caesar was murdered in 44 BC and the Roman city of Cologne was founded in 50 AD), this inspired the residents of Cologne to imitate the Roman import. While quite common, these claims are largely unsubstantiated.

Several sources believe sauerbraten was invented by Charlemagne in the 9th century AD as a means of using leftover roasted meat. Saint Albertus Magnus, also known as Saint Albert the Great and Albert of Cologne, is also credited with popularizing the dish in the 13th century.

Sauerbraten was not originally made from horse meat, but this is done by many restaurants today, in the Rhineland, but most areas today sauerbraten is most often made from beef.

ingredients

3 lbs. beef rump        
10 whole cloves        
2 large onions (diced)        
1 cup red wine vinegar        
2-3 bay leaves        
1 tbsp. white sugar        
1 cup water        
10 gingersnap cookies (crumbled)        
2 tbsps. Vegetable oil    
2 tbsps. All-purpose flour        
1 tbsp. salt        
1 tbsp. black pepper        

Directions for Preparing Sauerbraten

    Create a marinade for the meat by combining the red wine vinegar, black pepper, white sugar, onions, salt, cloves and bay leaves.
    Marinate the beef rump in a covered container for 2-3 days in the refrigerator, turning it daily.
    Remove the meat from the container and pat dry with paper towels.
    Reserve the marinade.
    Combine the flour with a little salt and black pepper, then coat the beef rump with the flour mixture.
    Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven pot.
    Place the beef in the pot and fry for about ten (0:10) minutes or until all sides are brown.
    Pour in the previously reserved marinade so that it coats the meat.
    Cover the pot and reduce the heat to medium low.
    Allow the beef to cook for about four (4:00) hours or until it is tender and thoroughly cooked.
    Transfer the cooked beef rump to a serving platter and use a sharp knife to slice the beef.
    Strain the cooking liquid to remove any solids, then return the liquid to the pot.
    Add the crumbled gingersnap cookies and simmer for ten (0:10) minutes till the gravy thickens.
    Pour the gravy over the sliced beef.
    Serve hot with potato dumplings.

Moussaka is a baked meat and eggplant casserole covered with a thick layer of béchamel sauce that turns crispy and golden.  It is usually found in Balkans and the Middle East in many variations depending on the country.

No one knows what the exact origins of moussaka are, although it is widely believed that the Arabs introduced the dish when they brought the eggplant into the area.

Research points to a medieval Arabic cookbook, A Baghdad Cookery Book, in which a food historian found a recipe of the ancestor of moussaka, related to the musakhkhan, a variant from the Levant.

Ingredients

General
3 potatoes
5-6 tablespoon(s) olive oil
1 onion
2 zucchinis, medium
2 eggplants
thyme
salt

For the ground meat
1 onion
2 tablespoon(s) olive oil, for sautéing
1 clove(s) of garlic
3 pinches granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon(s) nutmeg
1 level teaspoon(s) cinnamon
1 tablespoon(s) tomato paste
500 g ground beef
400 g canned tomatoes
salt
pepper

For the béchamel sauce
100 g butter
100 g all purpose flour
750 ml milk, 3,5%
pepper, ground
1 pinch nutmeg, ground
100 g parmesan cheese, grated
3 egg yolks


Method
Place a deep pan over high heat. Add the sunflower oil and let it get hot.

Peel the potatoes and slice them into thin rounds.

Slice the eggplants and zucchini into thin rounds and fry in a separate pan for 5-10 minutes.

Remove  with  a  slotted  spoon  and  transfer  to  a  baking  pan  lined  with  papertowels. Allow to drain from excess oil.

For the ground meat

Place a pot over high heat and add the olive oil.

Coarsely chop the onion and add to pan.

Finely chop the garlic and add to pan along with thyme and sugar. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until they caramelize nicely.

Add the ground meat and break it up with a wooden spoon. Sauté until goldenbrown.

Add the tomato paste and sauté so that it loses its bitterness.

Add the chopped tomatoes, lower heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes until the sauce thickens.

Remove from heat and add the parsley and coarsely chopped basil. Season with salt and pepper.

For the béchamel sauce

Place a pot over medium heat.

Add the butter and let it melt.

Add the flour and whisk until it soaks up all of the butter.

Add the milk in small batches while continuously whisking so that no lumps form.

As soon as the béchamel sauce thickens and bubbles start to form on the surface, remove from heat.

Add the nutmeg, salt, pepper, 100g parmesan and 3 egg yolks. Whisk thoroughly.

To assemble

Preheat oven to 180* C (350* F).

In a 25x32 cm baking pan, spread a layer of potatoes, cover with a layer of eggplants and top with a layer of zucchini. Season in between layers.

Add 2-3 tablespoons of béchamel sauce to the ground meat mixture and mix. Spread the ground meat over the vegetables.

Cover with the béchamel sauce, spreading it evenly and sprinkle with 50 g ofgrated parmesan.

Bake for 35-40 minutes.

When ready, remove from oven and allow to cool.

Serve with fresh herbs and olive oil.

Goulash (Hungarian: gulyás) is a soup or stew of meat and vegetables seasoned with paprika and other spices. Originating in Hungary, goulash is a common meal predominantly eaten in Central Europe but also in other parts of Europe. It is one of the national dishes of Hungary and a symbol of the country.

Its origin traces back to the 9th century to stews eaten by Hungarian shepherds. At that time, the cooked and flavored meat was dried with the help of the sun and packed into bags produced from sheep's stomachs, needing only water to make it into a meal. Earlier versions of goulash did not include paprika, as it was not introduced to the Old World until the 16th century.

The name originates from the Hungarian gulyás [ˈɡujaːʃ]. The word gulya means 'herd of cattle' in Hungarian, and gulyás means 'herdsman' or 'cowboy'.

The word gulyás originally meant only 'herdsman', but over time the dish became gulyáshús ('goulash meat') – that is to say, a meat dish which was prepared by herdsmen. In medieval times, the Hungarian herdsman of Central Europe made use of every possible part of the animal, as was common practice. As meat was scarce, nearly all of the animal was often used to make the soup; even part of the hide that provided foot protection was considered a necessity.

Today, gulyás refers both to the herdsmen, and to the soup. From the Middle Ages until well into the 19th century, the Puszta was the home of massive herds of cattle. They were driven, in their tens of thousands, to Europe's biggest cattle markets in Moravia, Vienna, Nuremberg and Venice. The herdsmen made sure that there were always some cattle that had to be slaughtered along the way, the flesh of which provided them with gulyáshús.

Ingredients

    ▢ 2 medium onions
    ▢ 2 teaspoons butter or lard (preferred)
    ▢ 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
    ▢ 2 tablespoons paprika
    ▢ ¼ cup flour
    ▢ 1 ½ pound stewing beef trimmed and cut into 1" cubes
    ▢ 2 cups beef broth or water
    ▢ 1 cup diced tomatoes canned
    ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
    ▢ ¼ teaspoon pepper

Optional

    ▢ 1 ½ cup carrots optional
    ▢ 3 cups potatoes optional

    Instructions

    In a large pot, melt butter and add onion. Cook till translucent. Stir in caraway seeds and paprika and mix well.
    In a bowl, dredge the stew beef with flour. Add beef to the onion mixture and cook for about 2-3 minutes.
    Slowly add about ¼ cup of the beef broth to lift the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Then add remaining broth, diced tomatoes (potatoes and carrots if using), salt and pepper.
    Stir and bring to a boil, cover, then reduce to a simmer for about 1 ½ -2 hours or until tender.

Irish stew (Irish: stobhach/Stobhach Gaelach) is a lamb or mutton and root vegetable stew native to Ireland. As in all traditional folk dishes, the exact recipe is not consistent from time to time, or place to place. Basic ingredients include lamb, or mutton (mutton is used as it comes from less tender sheep over a year old, is fattier, and has a stronger flavour, and was generally more common in less-affluent times), as well as potatoes, onions, and parsley. It may sometimes also include carrots. Irish stew is also made with kid goat.

Irish stew is a celebrated Irish dish, yet its composition is a matter of dispute. Purists maintain that the only acceptable and traditional ingredients are neck mutton chops or kid, potatoes, onions, and water. Others would add such items as carrots, turnips and pearl barley; but the purists maintain that they spoil the true flavour of the dish. The ingredients are boiled and simmered slowly for up to two hours. Mutton was the dominant ingredient because the economic importance of sheep lay in their wool and milk produce and this ensured that only old or economically non-viable animals ended up in the cooking pot, where they needed hours of slow cooking. Irish stew is the product of a culinary tradition that relied almost exclusively on cooking over an open fire. It seems that Irish stew was recognised as early as about 1800.

Irish stew is considered a national dish of Ireland.

Ingredients
 
For the stew

    2 tbsp sunflower oil
    1 large onion
    2 garlic cloves
    1½ kg beef
    1 tbsp salt
    1 tbsp tomato purée
    2 tomatoes
    4 carrots
    2 celery sticks
    2 parsnips
    120 ml water
    500 ml Guinness beer
    1 cube beef stock
    fresh thyme
    fresh rosemary

Mashed red potatoes

    8 red potatoes
    2 tbsp butter
    120 ml milk
    ½ tsp salt

Instructions
 
Stew

    Chop the onion and garlic. Chop the tomatoes and celery. Cut the carrots and parsnips into chunks.
    Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add onions and garlic and cook for 3 minutes or until they are translucent.
    Cut beef into large chunks then add beef and cook over high heat, until the meet has browned. Stir and add salt, tomato purée, tomatoes, carrots, celery, parsnip, water and beef stock.
    Stir and pour everything in a casserole, add beer, thyme and rosemary.
    Bring the stew to boil and reduce heat. Simmer slowly for 1 1/2 hour until tender.

Mashed red potatoes

    Place potatoes in a large saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are very tender.
    Drain well. Add the butter, milk and salt; mash.
    Serve warm.

Ragu alla Bolognese, also known simply as Bolognese, is recognized as the national dish of Italy, and it enjoys widespread popularity by Italians both domestically and abroad. Ragu alla Bolognese is a meat-based sauce prepared through the sweating, sautéing, and braising of its ingredients, which include meat (either pork, beef, or veal), onions, carrots, pancetta, and butter. The cuisine traces its origins in Bologna, Italy, the city from which the meal gets its name.

While the meal has been enjoyed in Italy for more than a century, the earliest written record of Bolognese was a recipe dating back to the 18th century, which was found in Imola, a town near the city of Bologna. Pellegrino Artusi, renowned 19th-century Italian chef, is credited with writing a recipe for the meat sauce in his 1891 publication. Artusi named the meat sauce “Maccheroni alla bolognese,” which is believe to have signify the origin of the sauce in Bologna. In his book, Artusi states that the key ingredients in the preparation of Bolognese were lean veal fillet, butter, carrot, onion, and pancetta. These ingredients were cooked with butter and later with broth.

Authentic Ragu alla Bolognese prepared in Bologna is supposed to be served with tagliatelle, which is a pasta made of soft wheat flour and eggs. If tagliatelle is unavailable, certain types of pasta can be used as alternatives, including fettuccine, rigatoni, pappardelle, and penne. However, use of the more popular pasta, spaghetti, as the accompanying meal with Ragu alla Bolognese is discouraged by traditionalists of Bologna. Italian chefs are known for using Ragu alla Bolognese together with béchamel in the preparation of the lasagna, which is traditionally baked in the local Bolognese style.


Ingredients

⅓ cup dried porcini mushrooms

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 ounces pancetta, finely diced (about ¾ cup)

1 medium yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)

1 medium carrot, peeled, finely diced (about ½ cup)

1 rib celery, finely diced (about ½ cup)

Kosher salt, to taste

1½ pounds skirt steak, patted dry and cut into ¼-inch cubes

4 ounces lean pork shoulder, ground

4 sage leaves

2 bay leaves

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 cup dry white wine

3 tablespoons double-concentrated Italian tomato paste

2 cups beef or chicken stock, divided

1½ cups whole milk

¼ pound (about 3 small) Parmesan rinds

Pinch nutmeg

Tagliatelle pasta

Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for serving

Directions

1. Place the porcini in a bowl and cover with ½ cup of boiling water. Allow to sit for 15 minutes to rehydrate. Remove the porcini, reserving the water and finely chop. Set both the chopped mushrooms and the liquid aside.

2. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring until the fat begins to render out, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the vegetables and season with salt. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables begin to soften, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the mushrooms and continue to cook until all of the vegetables are very soft and all the liquid has evaporated, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and set aside.

3. Return the pot to the stove over medium-high heat and heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Working in 2 batches, brown the skirt steak, 4 to 5 minutes for each batch. Remove the beef using a slotted and transfer to a plate. Add the ground pork to the pot, and using a wooden spoon, break the pork into small clumps. Season it with salt and brown, 2 to 3 minutes.

4. Place the sage, bay leaves and thyme in the center of a triple layer of cheesecloth. Gather up the edges and tie using kitchen twine to form a bouquet garni.

5. Reduce the heat to medium and return the browned beef and reserved vegetable mixture to the pot with the bouquet garni and cook, stirring often, until most of the liquid has evaporated, 4 to 5 minutes. Deglaze the pan by adding the wine. Scrape the brown bits on the bottom of the pan using a wooden spoon. Reduce until all the liquid has evaporated and the contents have taken on a rich chestnut color, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

6. Add 1½ cups of the stock and ½ cup of the milk and reduce by half, 12 to 15 minutes. Add the Parmesan rinds, nutmeg and remaining stock and milk, skimming any fat that rises to the surface, and continue cooking until the flavors have come together and the sauce has become very thick, 35 to 45 minutes. Season with salt and allow to cool. Remove and discard the bouquet garni. Make ahead: The sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead. Cover and chill. Toss with tagliatelle or the pasta of your choice and top with fresh-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano before serving.

Pelēkie zirņi ar speķi is the national dish of Latvia. This type of stew is made with local grey peas (similar to chickpeas), fried onions, and diced speck. The dish was invented when locals used their supplies of dried and preserved food. It is recommended to serve this dish with kefir or a few slices of dense rye bread on the side, such as īstā rupjmaize.

500 gr. Gray peas
1l of water
300 gr. smoked meat
3 pcs. onions
to taste salt
ground black pepper to taste

Pour the gray peas in a bowl and rinse until the water is clear.
Gray peas are soaked in cold water overnight. The next day, the peas are drained of water and rinsed under running water.
Pour the peas in a pot and a good dose of cold water and start cooking them. When the water boils, drain the foam, then reduce the fire to a little bubbling and boil. (average 40 - 60 min.) Pour the salt in the last minute of cooking, because when the peas are soft enough, we also take them off and strain them into a sieve.
We take bacon and onions in approximately equal amounts. Cut the bacon into small cubes and finely chop the onion.
In a heated pan, pour the bacon to melt the first layer of fat. When the bacon is lightly fried, add the onions. Add spices - salt and pepper and fry everything until the onions turn golden.
Season, fry the meat and fry everything until the onions turn golden
Pour the water out of the finished peas, strain them. Pour the peas back into the hot pot, put the lid on and allow the peas to rest for 5 minutes.
Serve peas warm bacon with onions on top. You can drink kefir or sour milk.

Dzūkija potato loafs are the pride of the region. Among locals, the potato loaf is a very popular dish. Baking them requires special preparation and knowledge, and most importantly – a real bakery oven fired with wood. Patience is also very important – Dzūkija potatoes loaves are baked for a long time. However, you still need cabbage leaves and loving hands of the hostess. This dish is included in the list of national heritage and has a deep tradition.

Dzūkija potato loaf – a potato grated pancake baked in the oven on dried cabbage leaves. The extracted loaves are torn, placed in a clay pot, poured with crackling, sour cream and butter sauce and pushed into the oven for another half hour. After serving, each member of the family tears off a portion of the loaf and soaks it in a crackling, sour cream and butter sauce. These potato loaves are also eaten with a darycinis – it is a curd and cream sauce.

Ingredients:
10 potatoes
Cabbage leaf
Salt
1 tablespoon of sour cream or kefir (fermented milk)
Oil

Preparation:

Grate the potatoes, pour out some of the grated liquid and, if the potatoes are less starchy, add a little starch, salt.

Pour the grated potatoes over the cabbage leaves and smooth until the porridge is about 2 fingers thick.

Bake for about 1 hour in a medium heat oven. Tear the extracted potato loafs, place in a clay or cast iron pot, pour the crackling sauce, sour cream and push into the oven for another half hour. You can also stack hot loaves on top of each other on a stretched canvas. Each member of the family then tears part of the herd and soaks it in a crackling, sour cream or butter sauce. These loaves are also eaten with curd and cream sauce, also called darycinis

Judd mat Gaardebounen is a savory dish of smoked pork collar and broad beans which is one of the most widely recognized national dishes of Luxembourg. It is associated with the village of Gostingen in the south-east of the country where the inhabitants have earned the nickname of Bounepatscherten as a result of their well-known broad beans.

The origin of the word "judd" is not clear. One possibility, suggested by the linguist Jean-Claude Muller, a member of Luxembourg's Institut grand-ducal, is that it comes from the Spanish word for bean (judía). He explains that in Galicia, there is also a pork dish served with broad beans which is locally called judia pronounced "shu-DI-a". Muller theorizes that the dish was brought to Luxembourg by Spanish troops during the 16th or 17th centuries. If that indeed is the case, then "Judd mat Gaardebounen" approximates to "Beans with Beans". It has also been argued that the term derives from the Jew (judío) because "the dark color of the beans reminded some of the dark skin of the Spanish Jews".

Ingredients

    4 1/2 pounds smoked pork neck or other smoked ham
    1/2 pound white onions, peeled and chopped
    1/2 pound of leeks, cleaned well, chopped
    1/4 pound carrots, peeled, chopped
    2 ounces celery, cleaned, chopped
    1 bay leaf
    1 bouquet of thyme
    2 cloves
    12 ounces plus 1 Tablespoon white wine (Moselle or Rhine wine are best)

For the Beans:

    3 1/4 pounds fresh broad beans
    1/2 pound diced bacon
    1 1/2 ounces unsalted butter
    1 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour
    1/2 pound white onions, peeled and chopped
    1 bay leaf
    1 clove
    1 bouquet of savory
    1/2 Cup heavy cream

Instructions

    Put the meat in a saucepan with cold water. When the water boils, renew it and cook the ham over low heat for an hour. This change of water reduces the salty taste of the ham and removes impurities. This is particularly important if using Country Ham, which can be salty.
    After 30 minutes, stir in the pieces of onions, carrots, leeks and celery to add flavor to the meat and fry the broth.
    While waiting for the meat to cook, bring to a boil a saucepan of salted water. Cook the beans until tender (3 to 5 minutes) then drain.
    In a saucepan, melt the butter and add the chopped onions and bacon. Then add the flour and stir well. Wet all with cooking water from the neck by constantly mixing with a whisk. About half of the meat broth will be used. Depending on your preferences, thicken with a little cornstarch mixed with water.
    Then add the beans, savory, cloves and bay leaf and cook for 10 to 15 minutes.
    Add the cream and season to taste.
    Serve and enjoy.

Malta’s undisputed national dish is stuffat tal-fenek—rabbit stew.

Wild rabbits were not indigenous to the Maltese islands. They were introduced by the Phoenicians, who brought some of their stock to the islands to ensure a supply of fresh meat. But the rabbits flourished in the Maltese countryside and became part of the local diet, providing meat for local hunters. They also became immensely popular because the meat was easily sourced and cheap.

In 1530, the Spanish king Charles V, in an attempt to protect Rome from an Ottoman invasion from the South, entrusted the islands to the Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem (also known as the Knights Hospitallier, or as I will refer to them, the Knights of St John)—a medieval Catholic military order that treated Christian pilgrims during the Crusades. The Knights presided over Malta for 250 years, shifting it culturally towards Europe and overseeing a golden age in art, architecture, and maritime power.

During the Knights’ era, rabbits were so popular that the Knights, fearing their extinction, issued several edicts restricting or prohibiting rabbit-hunting. In 1775, these restrictions exacerbated long-simmering tensions between the Knights and the Maltese clergy, resulting in a short-lived revolt called the Rising of the Priests, in which the clergy took over Fort St. Elmo and Saint James Cavalier in Valletta. (The Knights quashed the revolt in a matter of hours, capturing and executing them.) But eating and hunting rabbit became a symbolic resistance to the Order’s restrictions, cementing the dish as an expression of Maltese identity.

During and after the French occupation at the end of the 18th century, and after the ban on rabbit-hunting was lifted, the Maltese started to domesticate the local rabbits, breeding them as they did other livestock. Today, both domestically-reared rabbits and imported ones are used for cooking.

Fenkati—elaborate feasts starring rabbit—are a popular traditional event, and a large number of restaurants and bars specialize in rabbit feasts for large celebrations. Most fenkati tend to start off with spaghetti with a rabbit ragu as a starter, a blend of local cuisine and Italian influences. The main course is often a plate of steaming rabbit meat, garnished with rabbit liver or heart, with a choice of British-style chips (thick-cut fries) or traditional Maltese patata fil-forn, roast potatoes garnished with fennel seeds and rosemary. Needless to say, stuffat tal-fenek is paired with copious amounts of wine.

Mgarr, a rural village in the north of Malta, is synonymous with fenkati. According to Jason Sammut, the chef at Il-Barri, all the land around Mgarr was farmland in the 18th century, and almost all the farmers there bred and sold rabbits, destined for the cooking pot.

There are probably as many versions of Maltese rabbit stew as there are Maltese families. Quizzing my own nanna (who lives in the rural village of Siġġiewi) about her recipe has proven futile. Certain family secrets, it seems, will remain secret for now. She did, however, tell me to first cut the rabbit into joints and marinate them in a mixture of wine (she likes to use red), vinegar, bay leaves, and thyme.

Ingredients

    2 rabbits skinned and jointed, with or without liver and kidneysprint button transparent
    ¾ bottle robust red wine (cheap and cheerful)
    approx. 2 wine glasses of water
    2 onions, finely chopped
    4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
    8-10 bay leaves
    1 x 400g can tomato polpa or whole plum tomatoes mashed up
    3 tbsps tomato puree’
    2 carrots, peeled and sliced
    6-8 medium potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
    salt & pepper
    3 tbsp regular olive oil

Method

    Marinate the rabbit in the wine, garlic and bay for an hour or two, or if possible the night before cooking. Cover and chill in the fridge.
    When ready to cook, remove the rabbit joints from the marinade, shaking off excess liquid. Heat the olive oil over a high heat in a heavy-based casserole and sear the rabbit on all sides until lightly browned (approx 4 mins each side). Remove and set aside.
    Lower the heat under the casserole and add the onion and some fresh bay leaves to the pan. Brown the onion gently for around 5 minutes, then add the garlic and continue to fry gently for another minute.
    Add the tomato ‘polpa’ or peeled whole canned tomatoes mashed up, and increase the heat. Cook for around 5 minutes stirring a little, then add the marinade and bring to the boil. Return the rabbit joints to the pan, give a good shake and top up with water to just cover the rabbit. Cover, return to the boil, and then reduce to a medium simmer (gently bubbling).
    After half an hour, add the sliced carrots, potatoes and tomato puree’, shake the pot gently or stir to ensure the vegetables are covered with liquid. Continue to simmer the stew for around another half an hour.
    At one hour, prop the lid half off to allow the sauce to thicken up. Check the rabbit after 15 minutes – the stew is ready when the rabbit is just falling off the bone and the root vegetables are tender.
    Serve with fennel-seed and olive oil roast potatoes or regular potato mash and with white crusty bread to mop up the delicious and rich sauce.

Stamppot (English: Mash pot) is a traditional Dutch dish made from a combination of potatoes mashed with one or several vegetables.

These vegetable pairings traditionally include sauerkraut, endive, kale, spinach, turnip greens, or carrot and onion (the combination of the latter two is known as hutspot in the Netherlands and as wortelstoemp in Belgium). Leafy greens such as endive may be left raw and added to the potatoes only at the mashing stage. Some less common regional varieties of stamppot are made with fruit and potatoes, such as blauwe bliksem (blue lightning), made with pears, and hete bliksem (hot lightning), made with sweet apples. Pineapple may also be included in sauerkraut or endive stamppot. In recent years, variations on the traditional stamppot have been becoming more and more popular with people adding ingredients such as rocket, leeks, beets, sweet potato, mushrooms and various other vegetables. Sometimes, fish is used as an ingredient in stamppot as well instead of serving it as a separate dish. Stamppot is primarily a cold-weather dish.

Stamppot is usually served with sausage (in the Netherlands often smoked, in Belgium more often fried), julienned bacon, or stewed meat. Other accompaniments include cheese, gherkins, nuts or pickled onions.

Prepared stamppot can be purchased from shops and supermarkets. It can also be ordered in cafe-style restaurants, but more strict recent regulations about allowed foods in taverns versus restaurants has restricted the custom of offering simple dishes in many Belgian pubs.

The origin of stamppot is unknown, although legend attributes the invention of hutspot to 1574.[4] Using raw leafy vegetables instead of cooking them with the potatoes has not been dated to earlier than 1940.

Ingredients
5 large russet potatoes (peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes)        
2 tbsp. unsalted butter        
½ cup milk        
1 medium onion (peeled and chopped)        
2 cloves garlic (minced)        
1 bunch kale (de-stemmed and chopped into ½ inch pieces)        
½ tsp. white wine vinegar
3 tbsp. olive oil        
4 green onions (chopped)        
1 lb. cooked, smoked pork sausage (sliced)        
¼ cup water        
2 tsp. salt        
¼ tsp. black pepper        

Stamppot, also known as hutspot is a hearty dish made of mashed potato, vegetables and smoked sausages such as Dutch Rookworst, Spanish Chorizo or Polish Kielbasa. There are different versions of this dish depending on whether kale, sauerkraut or endives are used. Stamppot is traditionally made on October 3rd in the Dutch city of Leiden to celebrate its liberation from the Spanish.


Directions for Preparing Stamppot

    Boil the potatoes in salted water for about fifteen (0:15) minutes until soft.
    Drain the cooking water and return the potatoes to the pot.
    Add the butter, salt, and black pepper to the potatoes.
    Mash the potatoes with a potato masher until the desired texture is achieved, then set aside.
    Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet, add the onions and sauté for six (0:06) minutes until soft.
    Add the garlic to the onions along with the chopped kale.
    Add the white wine vinegar and water to the kale, then place the lid on the skillet.
    Cook the kale for about three (0:03) minutes until wilted.
    Remove the lid, stir the ingredients and allow the kale to cook for an additional three (0:03) minutes until tender.
    Season the kale with a pinch of salt and black pepper if desired, then transfer it to the mashed potatoes.
    Fold in the kale to the mashed potatoes until thoroughly combined, then set aside.
    Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in the same skillet and add the sliced sausages.
    Brown the sausages and set aside.
    Separate the mashed potato into serving bowls, then top each with the sausages.
    Drizzle olive oil over each bowl and garnish with the chopped green onions.

Kotlet schabowy Polish: [ˈkɔtlɛt sxaˈbɔvɨ] is a Polish variety of pork breaded cutlet coated with breadcrumbs similar to Viennese schnitzel or Italian Cotoletta[1] and South american Milanesa but made of loin (with the bone or without), or with pork chop. There's also the Polish variety of the chicken breast cutlet coated with breadcrumbs looking somewhat similar, or the turkey cutlet coated with breadcrumbs (kotlet z indyka [ˈkɔtlɛt z inˈdɨka]) made the same way.

The history of the Polish pork cutlet schabowy dates back to the 19th century. The collection of different recipes for cutlets such as schabowy is featured in an 1860 cookbook by Lucyna Ćwierczakiewiczowa entitled 365 obiadów za pięć złotych (365 Dinners for Five Zloty), but missing from the 1786 cookbook by Wojciech Wielądek called Kucharz doskonały (The Perfect Chef), thus suggesting, that the dish wasn't known (or at least, wasn't popular) before the 19th century. Typical ingredients include: eggs, lard or oil, spices, pork loin with or without bone, breadcrumbs and flour.

Ingredients

Original recipe yields 2 servings
Ingredient Checklist

    2 boneless pork chops
    salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
    1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
    1 egg
    5 tablespoons bread crumbs
    2 tablespoons vegetable oil, or as needed


Directions
Instructions Checklist

    Step 1

    Place pork chops between 2 sheets of heavy plastic on a solid, level surface. Firmly pound with the smooth side of a meat mallet, turning occasionally, until very thin. Season with salt and pepper.
    Step 2

    Pour flour onto a large plate. Whisk egg in a wide, shallow bowl. Place breadcrumbs in a separate shallow bowl.
    Step 3

    Dredge chops with flour. Dip in whisked egg. Coat with bread crumbs on both sides. Shake off excess coating.
    Step 4

    Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add breaded chops; cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side.

They say that this dish was born in Portugal, due to the economic need of Portuguese families. Sometime in the 17th century, someone decided to take advantage of leftover meals and less noble meats, placing them in a pan to cook for flavor. This was the cheapest and most effective way of cooking food. The dish was nicknamed “Portuguese stew”, because it is essentially prepared with the country's products. Despite this fact, each village, town or city has a very authorial interpretation of the recipe. For example, in the northern region, in the heart of the Minho region, where PREVIFORM is, the stew takes chicken, beef, chorizo, pig's ear, smoked beef snout, cabbage “penca” - typical Portuguese cabbage -, carrots, potatoes and rice cooked in the meat sauce. In the border region, in the Portuguese center, this dish is garnished with chorizo, black pudding (sausage made with pig's blood), “farinheira” (typical Portuguese sausage made from flour, pepper, wine and pork fat), ham, “chispe” ( pork leg), ear-rings, spare ribs, beef, red beans, turnips, carrots and potatoes. In the islands, more precisely in the Azores (São Miguel island), the stew is made inside a pan, in the sulfur furnaces, in the volcanic zone. This takes beef (“chambão” - from the leg of the cow or veal), pork, chicken, smoked bacon and black pudding.

INGREDIENTS
200 g beef to cook
200 g pork shovel
300 g chicken meat
1 black pudding
150 g smoked bacon
1 chorizo
400 g savoy cabbage
1 leek
4 potatoes
2 turnips
4 carrots
3 cloves garlic

1. Wash the meat thoroughly and place it in a pressure cooker to cook for 25 minutes. Once cooked, reserve the meat and broth.

2.  Wash  and  chop  the  cabbage  and  leek  into  pieces.  Wash,  peel  and  cut  in  half  the  potatoes, turnips, carrots and garlic. Then place them in a pan.

3. Add the previously cooked meat and cover half with water. The other half, with the meat cooking broth.

4. Cook covered for 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are cooked.

5. Remove the meat and cut it into pieces.

6. Place the meat and vegetables on a wide platter and serve.

7. We suggest that it accompany with white rice cooked in the remaining cooking water of the meats.

Traditional Romanian food has been influenced over the centuries by Turkish, Hungarian, Greek, Serbian, Russian, Polish, French and Italian cuisine, but innovations, local ingredients, Orthodox religious customs, preference for pork meat and other specific conditions make it unique. People say Romanian cuisine is delicious, diverse, and full of colors and flavors.

One dish that is a must at every important family event – Christmas, Easter, weddings, you name it – is Sarmale, arguably considered Romania‘s national dish. Sarmale can be described as stuffed cabbage rolls. A balanced mixture of minced meat (usually pork and beef, but veal is also used) and rice, with pieces of traditional bacon, chopped onions and herbs (dill, parsley, thyme) is rolled in sour white cabbage leaves (sauerkraut) and very slowly cooked in clay pots in the oven, covered with cabbage brine, tomato sauce and pieces of smoked meat or traditional bacon and fresh thyme sprigs or pepper. Sarmale is usually served with mamaliga (often translated as polenta – corn flour mush) or bread and sour cream. There are probably hundreds of various Sarmale recipes, as each household changes bits and pieces to adjust it to individual taste. For example, some prefer young grape leaves instead of sauerkraut, some use only minced meat and no rice at all for the stuffing. You can do with no meat at all, just rice and mushrooms, in case you prefer the vegetarian version, or serve them with a dollop of Greek yoghurt instead of sour cream, and hot peppers on the side.

Ingredients for 10 servings

– 2 tbsp vegetable oil (sunflower seeds, preferably)
– 2 chopped onions
– 1/2 cup of uncooked rice
– 1 kg ground meat (combined lean pork and beef)
– 1 big sour white cabbage head or 1 kg thin sour cabbage leaves
– approx. 200g bacon or smoked meat, chopped
– 4 cups or a can of tomato juice
– 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
– 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
– fresh thyme sprigs
– 4 bay leaves
– salt, ground black pepper and paprika (optional) to taste
– sour cream
Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a pan, add the chopped onions and cook until softened and translucent. Add the rice and cook for two to three minutes.

2. Mix the ground meat, salt, black pepper, parsley, dill, and the onion and rice mixture in a large bowl. Be careful with the salt, as the sour cabbage is already salty. Mix well using your hands.

3. Remove all the cabbage leaves. You can use the entire leaf for one roll or cut each leaf if it is larger than your palm (approx. 20 cm). Wash and drain the leaves.

4. Fill each leaf with a couple of teaspoons of the meat mixture and roll it, tucking in the ends. Repeat with all the remaining meat and cabbage. If you have any cabbage left over, chop it up to spread it over the bottom of the big pot you’ll use to bake the rolls.

5. Put a layer of chopped cabbage on the bottom of a large nonstick pot (ideally, a clay pot). Add half a can of tomato paste and some olive oil. Arrange the stuffed cabbage rolls in layers, adding the chopped bacon or smoked meat in between. Put all the rolls in the pot. Add on top the remaining chopped cabbage and the remaining tomato paste. The juice should cover the cabbage rolls entirely, so add some more water if needed. Season it with salt and black pepper. Add some fresh thyme sprigs or paprika. Cover the pot with aluminum foil or a lid.

6. Preheat the oven to 180° Celsius degrees for about 15 minutes, then place the pot in the oven and bake for about 2 hours, then remove the foil or lid, place back in the oven and cook for another 2-3 hours, until the cabbage on top is browned and charred in some areas. Serve hot with a bit of sour cream on top and bread or polenta and hot peppers on side.

Bryndzové halušky is one of the national dishes in Slovakia. This meal consists of halušky (boiled lumps of potato dough similar in appearance to gnocchi) and bryndza (a soft sheep cheese), optionally sprinkled with cooked bits of smoked pork fat/bacon.

Žinčica is traditionally drunk with this meal. There is an annual Bryndzové Halušky festival in Turecká that features an eating contest.

Ingredients

Halušky:

    250 grams (9oz) bryndza more or less to taste
    500 grams (18 oz) potatoes about 5 medium
    200 grams (about 2 cups) all purpose flour or gluten-free flour
    1 egg
    1 tsp salt
    200 grams (7oz) bacon
    chopped chives or parsley optional garnish

    BRYNDZA ALTERNATIVE:
    feta cheese
    cream cheese or sour cream
    1/2 c butter

Instructions


1. Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Meanwhile, grate raw potatoes on the fine holes. Add flour, egg, and salt and mix.
2. Use a halušky maker, or spaetzle maker, to drop the dough into the boiling water.
3. If you don’t have either, you can put the dough on a cutting board and use a knife to cut off small chunks into the water. Do in batches so there isn’t too many dumplings in the water.
4. When haluškyy are floating, use a slotted spoon to fish out.
5. Chop bacon and fry until crispy.
6. If making bryndza alternative, blend ingredients until smooth. You can make it as strong or mild to suite your taste – more feta will make it stronger, sour cream will make it milder; cream cheese will be thicker, sour cream thinner. To start with, try half a cup of each feta and sour cream and 1½ tbsp butter.
7. Heap up dumplings, put bryndza on top (it melts as it warms up), add sprinkle generously with bacon and optional chopped chives or parsley.I also add 1/4 c milk sometimes depending how strong bryndza’s flavor is. The milk will make it milder.

The first reference to the tortilla in Spanish is found in a Navarrese document, as an anonymous "Mousehole's memorial" addressed to the Navarra region's court in 1817. It explains the sparse conditions of Navarre's farmers in contrast with those in Pamplona (the capital) and la Ribera (in southern Navarre). After listing the sparse food eaten by highlanders, the next quote follows: "…two to three eggs in tortilla for 5 or 6 [people] as our women do know how to make it big and thick with fewer eggs, mixing potatoes, breadcrumbs or whatever."

According to legend, during the siege of Bilbao, Carlist general Tomás de Zumalacárregui invented the "tortilla de patatas" as an easy, fast and nutritious dish to satisfy the scarcities of the Carlist army. Although it remains unknown whether this is true, it appears the tortilla started to spread during the early Carlist Wars.

Another tale is that the recipe was learnt by Spanish prisoners captured after the Battle of Montes Claros during the Portuguese Restoration War in 1665. After the Portuguese victory, more than 6,000 Spanish soldiers were kept in captivity for 3 years until the 1668 Treaty of Lisbon was signed. Upon their release, these prisoners brought part of the culture of Alentejo to Spain, including many recipes, which featured a potato egg pie that evolved into the modern version of "tortilla".

Ingredients

    500g new potatoes
    1 onion, preferably white
    150ml extra-virgin olive oil
    3 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
    6 eggs

    Method

    STEP 1

    Scrape the new potatoes or leave the skins on, if you prefer. Cut them into thick slices. Chop the onion.
    STEP 2

    Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a large frying pan, add the potatoes and onion and stew gently, partially covered, for 30 mins, stirring occasionally until the potatoes are softened. Strain the potatoes and onion through a colander into a large bowl (set the strained oil aside).
    STEP 3

    Beat the eggs separately, then stir into the potatoes with the parsley and plenty of salt and pepper. Heat a little of the strained oil in a smaller pan.
    STEP 4

    Tip everything into the pan and cook on a moderate heat, using a spatula to shape the omelette into a cushion.
    STEP 5

    When almost set, invert on a plate and slide back into the pan and cook a few more minutes.
    STEP 6

    Invert twice more, cooking the omelette briefly each time and pressing the edges to keep the cushion shape. Slide on to a plate and cool for 10 mins before serving.

Ostkaka, "ost" meaning "cheese" and "kaka" meaning "cake" in Swedish (the definition of "kaka" includes "cookie" but is a wider concept), also known as Swedish cheesecake or Swedish curd cake, is a Swedish dessert that has its roots in two different parts of Sweden, Hälsingland and Småland, though there are some differences between ostkaka from Hälsingland and ostkaka from Småland.

The dish has a rather firm consistency and subtle, creamy taste with a hint of almonds. It is usually eaten lukewarm with different jams, typically cloudberry, cherries or strawberry though lingonberry is often used, as well as fruits, whipped cream or, more rarely, ice cream.

Despite the similarity in literal translation, ostkaka should not be confused with cheesecake. Swedes typically call the latter by its English name, sometimes making it "American cheesecake", to avoid confusion. Though even then, Scandinavian restaurant menus sometimes confuse the two.

Ingredients

    3 eggs
    75 g caster sugar
    400 g natural cottage cheese
    100 ml double cream
    50 g ground almond
    1 tsp vanilla sugar or vanilla bean paste
    pinch of salt
    1 tsp almond essence optional
    50 g flaked almonds
    dusting of ground cardamom

For the topping:

    125 g raspberries
    2 tbsp sugar
    dash of water

Instructions

    Turn the oven to 160 degrees celsius fan (170 degrees normal).
    Whisk the sugar and egg until light and fluffy. Add all the ingredients apart from the flaked almonds and cardamom and pour into your prepared tin.
    Scatter the flaked almonds on top, then dust the tiny bit of ground cardamom (less than 1/2 tsp - it's just for a bit of flavour).
    Place in the oven and bake until set and slightly golden on top. This depends on your oven - but around 30-40 mins is a good guideline.
    To make the topping: Place 100g raspberries in a saucepan, add the sugar and a dash of water and boil until the raspberries have broken down and it looks like a runny jam. Leave to cool. Use the remaining berries to decorate.