Sauerkraut with Kielbasa

To be honest sauerkraut is not the most sophisticated food in the world, but in the winter time everybody craves it. Add some meat such as pork, sausage and bacon and you’ll get perfect harmony of ingredients. Sauerkraut is very popular in Middle and Eastern Europe, it is almost like a staple.

This time I chose Kielbasa, a sausage that has origin from Eastern Europe, to marry sauerkraut. And, I added pasta too. It goes very well with sauerkraut, especially if it is made of whole wheat. 

My favorite combo is sauerkraut with smoked pork intestines. It sound wild, but that’s really good food. I used to eat it when I was a child visiting my grand-parents on country side. Grandpa had a smokehouse where he made interesting stuff. (See picture on the bottom).

Recipe is super easy.

You need:

• 1 medium jar (1 lb) sauerkraut
• 1 big (14 oz) Kielbasa (I like pork, beef and turkey mix), sliced into ½ inch tick pieces
• 2 oz diced smoked bacon
• ½ package (about ½ lb) of whole wheat penne pasta
• 1 medium onion
• 2 tbs. vegetable oil
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt (maybe you wont need it) and black pepper

Steps:

1. Drain sauerkraut.
2. Heat the oil in the large pan. Add bacon, and after 5 min add sliced Kielbasa and chopped onion. Cook it together for additional 7 min on medium heat.
3. Then, add drained sauerkraut, bay leaves and black pepper. Cook it covered on low medium heat for 45 min. More you cook it’s better. Stir it occasionally.
4. Make pasta. Follow directions from the package. Keep in mind whole wheat pasta needs more time to be done.
5. In meantime preheat the oven to 350F (175C). Remove everything to casserole pan, add pasta, mix it, try to see if you need salt. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and put in the oven. Bake it for 45 min. I like crispy top so I uncover it 15 min before the end.

This dish goes best with beer.



My grandpa's smokehouse

Gorgeous Risotto with Wild Mushrooms

Last fall I became addicted to risotto...  to any kind. Finally, I found a good recipe how to make a great basic risotto. And, I started to make different combos... with saffron, different veggies, cheeses and spices, etc....and, I ended up with Ina Garten's wild mushrooms' risotto. I have to admit I didn't follow all details from her recipe, I did many things on my own, because I knew it could be even more better than hers. That was such a feast for all my senses! I don't have words to describe it... earthy, creamy... an incredible flavor. I have never tried anything so good as this risotto.

You need:

• 1 pound fresh crimini mushrooms
• 1 oz of each: dried porcini and crimini mushrooms (all can be found in Whole Foods)
• 1 1/2 cup Arborio rice (why Arborio, it's simply the best for risotto)
• 1 big finely chopped onion
• 5 chopped scallions ( I always add scallions whenever recipe asks for onion, because they have such a great flavor)
• 1 chopped shallot
• 1 oz diced pancetta
• 3 tbs. butter
• 3 tbs. olive oil
• 5 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• salt and black pepper

Steps:

1. Soak dried mushrooms in 2 cups of hot water for 30 min. Drain them and cut, and add the rest of water,  where mushrooms have been soaked, to chicken broth.
2. Slice fresh mushrooms, chop onions and dice bacon.
3. Bring chicken broth and mushroom liquid to a simmer.
4. In a large pan heat olive oil and butter. Add onion and bacon, and after 5 min all mushrooms. Saute them altogether for 5 min over medium heat.
5. Add rice and stir to coat the grains with butter. Cook for 2 min on medium-low heat.
6. Pour white wine and two full ladles of chicken broth and cook for 7 min. Add a cup of broth every time when rice absorbs liquid with constant stirring.
7. Rice will be done in about 25-30 min total. Time sometimes varies as the amount of liquid. It should be al dente done.
8. Add grated Parmesan cheese, salt and fresh black pepper and last ladle of chicken brought. Stir it until you get dense and creamy texture.
9. Serve it immediately.

Notes: I served this risotto with broccoli rabe sauteed with garlic and flavors came up perfectly together.
If you want to eat risotto later, just reheat it and add some chicken broth.

How to make Turkish coffee?

I like almost any kind of coffee, but Turkish is very special to me. I started to make Turkish coffee for my parents when I was 5 years old... they still refuse to drink any other kind of coffee. So, what is so special about it? Very finely ground coffee and process of cooking without filtering. Keep in mind that it doesn't matter what kind of coffee it is, but how it is ground. I heard that almost every grocery store in the U.S. had coffee grinder with option "Turkish coffee", but I have to admit I never tried it. I always buy Serbian coffee in the international food stores.

If it is too complicated for you to make this coffee, you can always drink it in Lebanese, Serbian, Bosnian, Turkish and Greek (as Greek coffee) restaurants.

You need:

• džezva (traditional coffee pot) or any other small pot
• water
• sugar
• Turkish coffee

Where to buy Turkish coffee? My advice is to go online.

Check out these web sites:
http://parthenon.gourmetfoodmall.com/ProductDetail.php?product=30202
http://parthenonfoods.com/kafa-roasted-ground-coffee-200g-p-3972.html


Steps:

1. Pour water in the pot and place it on the stove. Measure coffee cup of water per cup of coffee.
2. Add sugar. Teaspoon of sugar per one cup of coffee. If you like sweeter add more sugar.
3. Bring water to boil and then remove the pot from the heat.
4. Add coffee to water, one heaping teaspoon per cup, and stir.
5. Reheat coffee and when foam starts to form on the top remove the pot immediately from the heat.
6. Pour coffee into the cups. First put the foam with the spoon and then fill the cup to the top.

How to drink Turkish coffee?

Drink it while is hot. Serve coffee with sugar cubes, Turkish delights, dried fruits, nuts, etc. I like to have whipped cream on the top. In my opinion the best combo is Turkish coffee and delight with the glass of sparkling water. That's so irresistible!

And, there is fortune telling... When your coffee is consumed place the saucer on the cup top, make a wish, turn it counter-clockwise a few times and upside down onto the saucer, and wait for a while... wait for your destiny to settle down:) Open it, and find out your future by reading shapes and signs from the inner cup wall. Be careful, you can become addictive to it!

Oh, I forgot to tell you this is Serbian version of Turkish coffee, and it is a rather strong one.

Ana's Savory Muffins

I have just removed them from the oven and tried ... mmm, I have to say they are super tasty, moist and rich, and so easy to make. Thanks Ana for sharing this recipe. Hope you are happy I put your name in the title.

So, find your wooden spoon and bowl and start making them. My choice of ingredients depended on what I had in my fridge, so you can be creative too. But, keep in mind some combos are better than the others.





You need:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup Kefir or Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 4 tablespoons finely chopped pickles (dill pickles)
• 4 tablespoons finely chopped red pepper (fresh or roasted)
• 4 tablespoons. finely chopped ham
• 4 tablespoons finely chopped scallions
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
• salt and black pepper

Note: You can add bacon, cheese (Feta, Swiss cheese, Mozzarella), dry oregano, chives, etc.

Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 375F (190C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
2. Combine beaten eggs, yogurt, canola oil in a bowl, and flour, baking powder, salt and black pepper in another one.
3. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. And then fold in the rest of chopped ingredients. 
4. Fill the muffin liners with the batter to the top.
5. Put in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or when it is done.

Cream Puffs (Princes krofne)

Recept na srpskom

This was a top-notch dessert of my childhood. Elegant, creamy, harmonious in flavor and texture. What else to say about this gorgeous pastry. Although this dessert looks very complicate, it is rather easy to make, if you carefully follow steps below. Catch is to make perfect dough balls, risen and crispy. So, please do not miss any details from my recipe.



You need:

 for dough

• 6 large eggs
• 10 1/2 tbs (150g) butter
• 1 1/5 cup (150g) bread flour
• 1 cup water

for cream

• 4 cups milk
• 6 eggs
• 12 tablespoons sugar
• 2 bags of  Jell-O vanilla cook and serve pudding (no instant pudding)

Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 430F (220C).  Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Heat the butter in the pan and add water. Bring it to boil and add flour while stirring. Remove it from the heat before it becomes brown.
3. Beat 6 egg yolks and 6 egg whites separately.
4. Mix everything together (eggs and dough) with wooden spoon.
5. Make about 40 dough balls (1 tablespoon size) and put them on the baking sheet using spoon or pastry bag. You need 1 large baking sheets, or 2 smaller ones. You should make some space between balls since they will rise in the oven.
6. Bake the balls on 430F (220C) for 7 min, then reduce temperature to 400F (200C) and bake for another 13 min. Balls are done when they are golden brown and "airy" in the center.
7. Cut the balls in half when they are cooled down.
8. Make the cream filling:  mix 6 eggs with sugar, pudding and 1/2 cup of milk. When the rest of milk (3 and 1/2 cups) starts to boil add the previous mixture stirring constantly on low heat. When cream is tick enough remove it from the heat. You should chill it in refrigerator. 
9. Fill balls with cooled cream using pastry bag. Caps go on the top.
10. Sprinkle the puffs with the powdered sugar.

Baklava, Juicy and Fabulous

Baklava with Turkish coffee, OMG! What a treat! I just looove it!

I have to admit that it took me time and courage to make it, but it is so simple. You need only few ingredients: phyllo dough, walnuts, vegetable oil, lemon, sugar and water. That's it! I have baklava version that is juicier than usual and not heavy at all.

Just to let you know there many kinds of baklava...some are with butter, or with sheep lard (I tried one in Istanbul), other are with eggs, sour cream, raisins, etc. Baklava is originally from Turkey, some would say from Persia, and it is very popular in the Middle East and the Balkans.

You need:

• 1 package of phyllo (fillo) dough (you can find it in the freezer section in Whole Foods and some other stores; keep in mind that phyllo dough must be out of fridge for couple of hours before use, otherwise it will be sticky and difficult to handle)
• 1 lb chopped walnuts
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 lemons
• 2 cups water

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350F (175C). Find appropriate baking pan. If it is small one you can cut phyllo sheets and have baklava with more layers. Mine has dimensions 14x10 inch.
2. Slightly oil the pan using pastry brush or oil spray.
3. Unroll phyllo sheets. While you work cover phyllo with wet cloth to keep it from drying out. After you set  3 layers of phyllo dough sheets in the pan, oil and cover it with 1-2 tbs. of chopped walnuts. And repeat it until all sheets are used (the last one should be only oiled).
4. Cut baklava into small squares or diamond shapes using very sharp knife.
5. Put it in the oven and bake for 50 min.
6. Cook syrup in the meantime. Heat 2 cups of water, add 2 cups of sugar and juice of 2 lemons. Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract if you want. It's done in 20 min. 
7. When baklava is done (the top should look crispy and brown) immediately pour hot syrup over it . 
8. After some rest serve it... with a cup of coffee, of course!

Meze, Christmas Feast

Meze is my favorite part of any holiday dinner, then dessert and coffee part... We made Christmas dinner for our friends few days ago and my husband helped me making meze. I just love how he was creative with  decoration. Also, he found really great stuff for meze, most of it made in Europe. I don't have to tell you how challenging is to buy that stuff in the area where I live. Anyway, everything was delicious and I enjoyed it as much as, I hope, our friends.


In case you don't know, meze is an appetizer with a bunch of stuff  popular in the Balkans and the Middle East.


In our meze, we served pickles, cheese, olives, cherry tomatoes, smoked dried beef*, capers, pork pate, ajvar*, pindjur*, bread. You can add some phyllo dough pastry, hummus, baba ganoush, roasted peppers, etc.


Check out my pictures and few product recommendations for meze.

*smoked dried beef - more info and where you can buy it here

*ajvar - spread made of roasted red pepper and eggplant, more about it here

*pindjur - similar to ajvar but has more eggplant, more about it here

Christmas Bread (Česnica)

Verzija na srpskom

Today is the second day of my Christmas...I know it sounds strange, such a late Christmas, but some Christian Orthodox churches use old calendar that is two weeks late. So, I decided to make traditional Serbian Christmas bread. Serbian Christmas bread (Česnica) is regular bread but with a twist - coin added to a dough... after the bread is done you share it with the family members and who gets the coin in the piece of bread will be the lucky for the whole year. I made few of them before, but this time it turned out to be very beautiful. I think bread braiding added something special to a whole thing.

Here is my new video how to make Serbian Christmas bread  "Česnica"

Just Started

I am posting few pictures just to see if the blog works.

It works....