Chilli Con Carne

This wonderful Mexican dish is one of favourites in my family.

Ingredients:
2 tbs oil
2 onions, chopped
2 clove garlic, chopped or pressed
1 stick celery, chopped
1 chilli, chopped
2 teas cumin
2 teas paprika
1 teas oregano
500 gr mince
400 g caned tomatoes, chopped
3 tbs tomato paste
800 g canned red kidney beans
1 cup beef stock
salt, pepper, chilli to taste

Method:
Heat the oil, soften onions, add garlic, celery and spices. Cook 2 minutes, then add mince and cook it until change its colour. Add tomatoes and paste, stock and beans.
Cook for 15 minutes; add salt, pepper and chilli powder if needed.
Serve with rice or polenta.


Meksicki grah sa mljevenim mesom i chili paprikom

Potrebno:
2 kasike ulja
2 glavice crvenog luka, sjeckan
2 cena bijelog luka
1 stabljika celera
1 chili papricica
2 kasicice kima
2 kasicice paprike
1 kasicica origana
500 gr mljevenog mesa
400 gr paradajza, sjeckanog (konzerva)
3 kasike gustog kuhanog paradajza
800 gr konzerva crvenog graha (ili kuhanog)
1 solja govedje supe
so, biber i chili prah po ukusu

Priprema:
Zagrijte ulje, proprzite luk. Dodajte celer, bijeli luk i zacine. Promijesajte, pa dodajte meso. Kuhajte dok meso ne promijeni boju. Uspite paradajz, gusti paradajz, grah i supu. Kuhajte 15 minuta. Dotjerajte ukus sa solju, biberom i chili prahom.
Sluzite sa kuhanom rizom ili palentom.

Polish Poppy Seed Kolache

Poppy seeds are very popular in eastern Europe. This is how Polish people like to use it.

Ingredients:
4-4,5 cups flour
1 package dry yeast
1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teas salt
2 eggs
1 teas vanilla essence
1 teas lemon zest
Canned poppy seed filling (or make one - bellow)
1 egg, for glazing

Poppy seed filling:
1 cup poppy seeds, grounded
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup dates or raisins, chopped
1/3 cup nuts, chopped
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and cook for a few minutes, stirring often. Cool before use.

Method:
Let all ingredients be at room temperature at least 2 hours before using them.
Activate yeast with a bit of flour, sugar and warm milk.
Mix all the dry ingredients, add yeast mixture, beaten eggs and milk. Knead the dough until soft and smooth, use extra flour if needed. Let it double on a warm spot, then re knead and divide into 2. Rest it for 10 minutes.
Roll out a 40X20 cm rectangle out of each dough. Cut each rectangle into 8 squares , size 10X10cm. On each square place a heaped tablespoon of filling. Brush the corners of the dough with water, then draw the corners up and gently press together. Secure with a toothpick. Cover and let it rest for 30 min.
Before baking (190-200*C 10-12 minutes)brush with a beaten egg.
Before serving, remove toothpicks and dust with icing sugar.


Makovi Kolaci na Poljski nacin

Potrebno:
4-4,5 solje brasna
1 paket suhog kvasca
1 solja mlijeka
1/2 solje putera
1/4 solje secera
1/2 kasicice soli
2 jaja
1 kasicica vanile
1 kasicica limunove korice, ribane
Konzervirani fil od maka (ili napravite svoj)
1 jaje, za premazivanje

Fil od maka:
1 solja mljevenog maka
1/2 solje mlijeka
1/4 solje meda
1/3 solje datula ili grozdjica
1/3 solje oraha
Kuhati sve zajedno nekoliko minuta sa mijesanjem. Ohladiti prije upotrebe.

Nacin:
Aktivirajte kvasac, pa ga umijesite sa ostalim sastojcima. Ostavite tijesto da dostigne dvostruku velicinu.
Premijestite i podijelite u 2 lopte. Neka se odmori jos 10 minuta.
Razvaljajte na 2 pravougaonika velicine 40X20cm. Isijecite svaki na kocke (8) velicine 10X10cm. Stavite po 1 kasiku fila na svaku kocku, navlazite krajeve pa ih sastavite na sredini; zabodite cackalicu.
Ostavite nadolaziti oko 30 minuta.
Prije pecenja (190-200*c 10-12 minuta)premazite sa umucenim jajetom.
Posluzite posuto secerom u prahu.

Apple and Poppy Seed Galette

From Eric Kayser's book 'New French recipes'.
I was slightly disappointed with this, as pictures in his book show a lot more of apple/poppy seed filing. Next time I will double the apple/poppy seed mixture!

Ingredients:
3 green apples
65 g poppy seeds
2 tbs butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 sheets of puff pastry (250g)
Method:
Melt butter in a saucepan, add poppy seeds and fry them a minute. Add sugar and peeled and cored apples. Cover and cook for for 15 min.
Preheat the oven to 190*C.
Prepare a baking tray, cover with baking paper.
Cut 2 circles out of puff pastry (in original recipe it was 30 cm diameter; I did 25 cm). Place one circle on a tray, brush edges with a beaten egg. Spoon apple/poppy seeds mixture, and cover with another circle of puff pastry (make incisions in the top pastry half way trough). Press the edges, and brush with the egg.
Bake for 30 minutes.



Jabuke i mak u lisnatom tijestu

Napominjem da je ovo originalan recept; sljedeci put cu definitivno staviti duplu mjeru fila!

Potrebno:
3 zelene jabuke, oguljene i isjeckane
65 gr maka
2 kasike putera
1/2 solje (110gr) braon secera
1 jaje
2 lista lisnatog tijesta

Metod:
Proprziti mak na puteru, dodati secer i jabuke, poklopiti i dinstati 15 min.
Ukljuciti rernu na 190*C. Pripremiti pleh, obloziti papirom.
Izrezati 2 kruga u lisnatom tijestu (30cm po originalnom, 25 cm po mom nacinu).
Staviti jedan krug na pleh, krajeve premazati umucenim jajetom. Istresti fil, ostaviti 1cm bez fila oko ruba. Poklopiti sa drugim krugom tijesta, koje ste prethodno 'izrezbarili' za efekat. Pritisnuti krajeve prstima da se slijepe.
Premazati jajetom i peci 30 min.

Emperor's Pie

This easy-to-make savoury slice is very popular in Balkan countries. It can be adapted to your personal taste, and/or according to your fridge content.
For my Aussie friends, who asked for recipe!


Ingredients:
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup yogurt (or buttermilk)
3/4 cup oil
1/2 cup cottage cheese (or feta)
150 g ham, diced (or salami, frankfurters...)
1 small red capsicum , diced
100 g cornichons (pickled cucumbers), diced
1 -1,5 cups SR flour
1 cup corn meal
1/2 teas baking powder
1 teas salt
Pepper, oregano (optional)
Sesame seeds, sliced Kranski, olives or cheese for topping (your choice)

Method:
Preheat oven to 180*C, prepare a baking dish (25X30 cm), or muffin tins. Put all ingredients in a bowl, mix well. Pour into the dish and bake for 40 min (less if using muffin tins), or until golden at top.
Good alternative for kids lunch!

Carska Pita

Sastojci:
4 jaja
1 jogurt
3/4 solje ulja
1/2 solje sira, feta ili obicni
150 gr nekog suhomesnatog proizvoda
1 mala crvena paprika
100 gr kiselih krastavcica
1 solja sitnog kukuruznog brasna
1-1,5 solja brasna sa praskom za pecivo
1 kasicica soli
1/2 kasicice praska za pecivo
biber, origano (po zelji)
tvrdi ribani sir, sezamovo sjeme, masline za po povrsini (vas izbor)

Nacin:
Umutiti jaja, dodati jogurt, ulje, sjeckano povrce, i ostale sastojke. Dobro izmijesati. Sipati u pleh 25X30 cm velicine, ili mafin kalupe; peci na 180*C oko 40 minuta (manje za mafin kalupe).
Recept je prilagodljiv sadrzaju vaseg frizidera!

Chicken Mousse

Decorative and unusual way to prepare chicken breasts.

Ingredients:
750 g breast fillets
1 egg
45 g butter, melted
150 ml thickened cream
1 teas salt
I added a bit of paprika, white pepper and garlic powder.
250 g each spinach, carrots and green beans, cooked
Method:
Put chicken breasts and all other ingredients (except vegetables)into a food processor; process it until smooth texture. Switch your oven on to 180*C.
Prepare bread loaf - line with silicon paper. Line with spinach leaves (smooth side down), and let the leaves overhung your loaf pan (picture).
Spread 1/3 of breast mousse on bottom of pan, line sliced carrots, spread another 1/3 of mousse, put beans over it, and then spread remaining 1/3 of mousse. Turn over the spinach leaves, adding some extra on top if needed.
Put the pan into another bigger pan, and pour boiling water until 2/3 of bread pan is immersed. Bake for 1 hour.
It's served with 'Beshamel' (white) sauce in which is added mustard and a garlic clove (pressed).




Mus od pilecih prsa

Potrebno:
750 gr pilecih grudi
1 jaje
45 gr putera
150 ml pavlake/vrhnja
1 kasicica soli
dodala sam jos bijeli biber, malo crvene paprike i bijeli luk u prahu
250 gr spinata, mrkve i boranije/mahuna - obareni

Nacin:
Piletinu i zacine stavite u multipraktik, meljite dok se masa ne izjednaci.
Ukljucite rernu na 180*C.
Pripremite duguljastu posudu (za hljeb)i oblozite je sa papirom za pecenje.
Preko papira poredajte listove spinata (glatka strana dole), ostavite da malo visi sa strane.
Stavite 1/3 pilece mase na dno posude, poredajte mrkvu sjecenu na reznjeve, stavite drugu 1/3 mase, poredajte mahune, pa zavrsite sa posljednjom trecinom mase. Preklopite listove spinata i dodajte jos koji na povrsinu ako je potrebno.
Ovako pripremljeno stavite u vecu posudu za pecenje u koju cete nasuti kljucalu vodu, visine 2/3 od posude sa musom. Pecite 1 sat.
Servira se sa Besamel sosom u koji ste dodali senfa i malo bijelog luka.

Stuffing for vegetables, Balkan style

For some dishes we don't need/follow recipes. In cooking this kind of food we(Balkans) follow our instincts,..a bit of this and a bit of that...Like our mothers used to do. I will try to recall and record 'classical' stuffing for Mediterranean vegetables, that my mother taught me. This way you can stuff Capsicums, Eggplants, Onions, Zucchinis...

Stuffing:
2 tbs oil
1 big onion, finely chopped
2-3 teas paprika, ground
500 g mince (your choice)
1 teas salt
1/2 teas black pepper, freshly grounded
1 teas 'Vegeta', or other powdered stock
80-100 g rice, short grain, half cooked
1 garlic clove, pressed
small bunch of parsley leaves, chopped
Vegetables for stuffing: Capsicums (take the seeds out), eggplants and zucchinis (cut lenghtwise in half, take some flesh out), onions (peel them and cook for 10 min in salted water with a teas of vinegar, then carefully push out the layers).
Paprika sauce:
50 g Ghee, or butter/oil
2 teas paprika
Sour cream for decoration.
Method:
Heat the oil and fry onion: add meat and cook until it changes the colour. Take off the heat, add paprika, spices and rice. Mix well.Stuff the vegetables, but don't push hard. Place vegetable into baking dish and bake 45 min at 180-200*C. If starts to darken too early, cover with AL foil.
When baked, prepare paprika sauce: Heat the ghee on low temperature and spoon the paprika into it. It should produce sizzling sound.
On each piece of vegetable spoon a bit of sour cream and then pour the paprika sauce. Serve immediately!


Klasicno punjenje za povrce, Balkanski nacin

Fil/punjenje/dolma
2 kasike ulja
1 veca glavica crvenog luka
2-3 kasicice mljevene paprike
500 gr mljevenog mesa, govedine
1 kasicica soli
1/2 kasicice crnog bibera, svjeze mljevenog
1 kasicica Vegete
80-100 gr rize, upola skuhane
1 ceno bijelog luka, protisnutog
malo persunovog lista, sjeckanog
povrce za filovanje: paprike, patlidzani, luk, tikvice
Preljev (‘zacvrka’)
50 gr masla (putera ili ulja)
2 kasicice mljevene paprike
malo kajmaka
Nacin:
1- Na ulju proprzite luk, pa smaknite sa vatre; dodajte mljevenu papriku, meso, rizu i ostale zacine. Dobro izmijesajte. Ukoliko rizu ne kuhate prethodno, u ovaj fil trebate dodati i malo (1/2 solje) vode.
2- Pripremite povrce: Paprike operite i izdubite. Patlidzane mozete presjeci na pola i malo izdubiti ili napraviti nekoliko horizontalnih reznjeva po duzini, s tim da kraj (drsku) ostavite u cjelini kako se fil ne bi raspao.
Tikvice (vece) izrezete na 6-7 cm visine i malo im izdubite unutrasnjost, ukoliko su sasvim male mozete ih po duzini prepoloviti i izdubiti ih (kao camci).
Crveni luk (vece glavice) prokuhate u vodi sa malo sirceta. Korijen dobro odrezati kako bi se slojevi mogli lako odvajati (Pazite da se ne prekuha)!
3- Pripremljeno povrce filovati, ne pritiskati jako kako se unutrasnjost ne bi stvrdnula. Redati u tepsiju i naliti oko 1,5 cm vode (ili supe) u koji je dodato malo Vegete.
4- Peci u rerni/ pecnici oko 45 min na temperaturi 180-200*C.
5- Peceno izvaditi, preliti kajmakom i ‘zacvrknuti’: Zagrijte maslo (puter) pa u vrelo dodajte crvenu mljevenu papriku (pazite da ne pregori). Prelijte preko povrca.Ovo treba da proizvede specifican zvuk, zbog cega se ovaj preljev i zove ‘Zacvrka’.

Poppy Seeds Spirals

Poppy seeds are very popular in central and eastern Europe; They're mostly used in grounded form (sweets, cakes), although whole seeds are used for enriching and decorating breads.

Dough:
60g butter, soft
100g caster sugar
1 egg
185 g flour
vanilla essence

Filing:
50 g walnuts, ground
50 g poppy seeds
90 g (4 tbs) honey, warmed
20 g butter, soft
zest of 1/2 orange

Method:
Make a soft dough, and let it rest
Meanwhile, make the filing; mix all the ingredients and keep it warm.
Roll out the dough to 25 X 35 cm rectangle (glad wrap will help). Spread the filing, and roll as a Swiss roll.Refrigerate until the dough is firm.
Cut the roll into 5mm discs, and place on a baking pan covered with silicon paper.
Bake 10 min at 180-200*C. Dough should stay pale for greater contrast.


Spirale sa makom

Prhko tijesto:
60 gr putera, omeksalog
100 gr secera, sitnog
1 jaje
185 gr brasna
malo vanilinog secera ili esencije

Fil:
50 gr oraha, mljevenih
50 gr maka, mljevenog ili ne – po vasem ukusu
90 gr - (4 kasike) meda, zagrijanog
20 gr putera, omeksalog
1/2 narandze – ribana korica samo

Priprema:
Od sastojaka za tijesto umijesite glatko tijesto i ostavite odmarati ga.
(U medjuvremenu pripremite filing; Pomijesajte sve sastojke i drzite na toplom mjestu)
Razvaljajte tijesto na pravougaonik velicine 25 X 35 cm. U ovome ce vam pomoci upotreba papira ili plasticne folije, ali moze i na klasicni nacin, tj. na brasnu.
Premazite tijesto sa filingom (mnogo lakse ukoliko malo zagrijete), te zarolajte.
Ostavite hladiti, sve dok se tijesto malo ne stegne.
Ohladjeno rezite ostrim nozem ; biskviti bi trebali biti otprilike 4 cm promjera, 5-7 mm debljine. Stavite na pleh i pecite 10-ak minuta na 180 - 200 *C (ne treba da rumene).