Zeljanica

I had a hard time choosing my third Bosnian recipe, mainly because they ones I found take a lot of time to make, which I'm kind of short on these days. Eventually, I settled on a spinach and cheese zeljanica burek that reminds me very much of Greek spanakopita.

I found a slightly different version of this pie that used feta cheese, so my version is actually a blend of the two. It does take a while to make - I think that's a given with any recipe that uses filo - but it's definitely worth the effort. I'll spare you the mechanics of dealing with filo and leave that fun for you to discover if you aren't already familiar with it. Once you've got the knack for it, you end up with a creamy and tangy and truly satisfying meal.

Here's how I made it:

olive oil
1/2 package filo pastry
2 bags washed fresh spinach, blanched
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream, divided
1/2 lb ricotta cheese
7 oz feta cheese
1/4 cup milk

Preheat the oven to 350. In a medium bowl, blend the eggs, 1/4 cup sour cream, ricotta and feta till smooth. Add in the spinach (squeeze out any excess water).

Layer about 5-6 sheets of filo in the bottom of a 13x9 pan and brush them with olive oil. Spread some of the spinach mixture over the filo. Repeat until the mixture is gone and end with filo on top.

Bake for 30 minutes. mix together the remaining 1/4 cup of sour cream with the milk, pour it over the top of the pie and bake for another 10 minutes.

The Secret Garden

If you're in the Utica area and want to sample some of the local Bosnian cuisine, stop by The Secret Garden restaurant on Culver Ave. It's highly recommended by one of the Bosnian nurses to whom this week's cooking is dedicated!

Coincidentally, she dined there just the other day and ordered cevapi, my first Bosnian creation! Glad to know my traditional selection was legit!

You'll enjoy recipes from Italy, Germany and other eastern European countries at Secret Garden, so next time you're not in the mood to cook, head there instead!

Cevapi with Ajvar, Yogurt & Shopska Salata

Drawing upon Middle Eastern influences in Bosnian cuisine, tonight's dinner features grilled meat kabobs with some traditional garnishes and sides.

Cevapi are a mixture of beef, pork and lamb mixed with simple seasonings that don't overpower the flavors of the meats. Ajvar is a puree of roasted eggplant and red bell peppers, with garlic, lemon, parsley and other spices. The chopped shopska salad is made with 4 fresh Roma tomatoes and 2 green bell peppers. And, I drained some plain Chobani yogurt, just to remove any excess water and make it extra thick. We enjoyed all that goodness with some naan bread.

It took me a while to get my act together and cook, and still I was eating by 6:30 - not bad! Even if you're only slightly adept at multi-tasking in the kitchen, you too can pull this dinner together quickly and easily.

Here's how I made it:

Ajvar:
1 large purple eggplant
3 red bell peppers
1 small onion
1 head of garlic (but only use 3 cloves for this recipe)
1 lemon, juiced
3 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Cevapi:
3 lbs ground meat (I used lamb, beef and pork)
2 slices bacon, rolled together, frozen and grated
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
2 cloves roasted garlic, minced
1/2 cup seltzer
1 Tbsp baking powder
2 tsp smoked paprika
3 tsp dried parsley
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

For the ajvar, grill the eggplant, peppers, onion (rubbed with a little olive oil) and garlic (put the skinned cloves in a foil pouch with a little olive oil) over high flame till the skin is blackened and they're very soft. Cook's Note: The garlic won't take nearly as long to roast as the veggies, so put the pouch over indirect heat to prevent burning. When done, put the veggies in a bowl and cover with cling wrap till they cool enough to handle. Then, remove the charred skin and seeds and place the cooked flesh into a food processer. Add the remaining ingredients and blend till smooth.

Meanwhile, combine all the cevapi ingredients in a large bowl and mix well by hand. Shape the mixture into oblong patties about an inch in diameter. Grill over medium flame till nicely browned on all sides and cooked through.

Week #22: Bosnia and Herzegovina



In honor of the wonderful Bosnian nurses from Utica, NY, who helped my family recently, we're taking our tasty travels to the Balkans this week!

According to Wikipedia, "Bosnian cuisine is balanced between Western and Eastern influences. The food is closely related to Turkish, Middle Eastern, and other Mediterranean cuisines. However, due to years of Austrian rule, there are also many culinary influences from Central Europe.

"Bosnian cuisine uses many spices, but usually in moderate quantities. Most dishes are light, as they are cooked in lots of water; the sauces are fully natural, consisting of little more than the natural juices of the vegetables in the dish."

Sounds good to me! I'm on the road and away from my kitchen, so I won't be cooking till Tuesday or Wednesday, but I'll still try to prepare three dinners by Saturday.

Stay tuned!

A Brief Hiatus...

Hi, folks!

Sorry that I disappeared for a while... I was called out of town unexpectedly in the middle of our "trip" to California on an urgent family matter. But, things have begun to settle down again, so I'll pick things up again next week.

I'll announce our destination on Sunday but probably won't be able to cook until Tuesday or Wednesday due to prior commitments that will keep me out of the kitchen.

Stay tuned!

Sweet & Spicy Salmon

While this dish isn't attributed to a particular place in California, it's very much in that state's style. Orange, honey and chili feature prominently in the glaze, and the finished product will knock your socks off.

We served ours simply on a bed of mixed greens - truly, that's all it needs. We also used ground chipotle powder instead of ancho chili powder, since we already has it on hand. Also, we subbed agave nectar for the honey. It has a "greener" taste that I thought would pair nicely with the fresh herbs, and the lower glycemic index doesn't hurt either. Lastly, we had some honey ginger balsamic vinegar that we bought at Gustare on a recent trip to Cape Cod, so I just had to use that here.

If you'd rather not heat up the house during these warmer months, you could probably grill this dish instead. For fish (ooh, swordfish or tuna steaks would be great...), just be sure to get the grates smokin' hot to help avoid sticking and keep the skin on so it doesn't fall apart. Scallops or shrimp skewers also would be outstanding with this glaze, I bet. Even pork is mild enough that I could envision a grilled tenderloin benefiting from it.

Hands down, this is my new favorite glaze that I'll definitely use again for chicken and other seafood. Hopefully, I've convinced you to give it a try.

Here's how I made it:

3 garlic cloves, minced
1 small shallot, minced
1 cup orange juice
1 Tbsp Gustare honey ginger balsamic vinegar
3 Tbsp agave nectar
2 Tsp ground chipotle powder
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Canola oil
1 lb salmon, skin on
Fresh cilantro and chives, minced

In a saucepan, saute the shallot and garlic over medium heat till lightly golden and softened. Pour in the orange juice, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer till reduced to about a quarter cup, about 30 minutes. Add the agave, chipotle, salt and pepper.

Meantime, in the last 10 minutes that the glaze is reducing, preheat the oven to 400. Heat the oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the salmon, skin side up. Flip and baste the cooked side with half the glaze. Bake uncovered for 8-10 minutes, then baste with the remaining glaze. Garnish with cilantro and chives, and enjoy!

Cobb Salad

Tinseltown provided the recipe for tonight's dinner.

Legend has it that late one night in 1934, Bob Cobb, the owner of the famous Brown Derby restaurant at Hollywood and Vine, was hanging out with Sid Grauman, who apparently wasn't needed over at his Chinese Theater. They got hungry, so Cobb decided to make a salad and raided the fridge for as many ingredients as he could find, even swiping some bacon from a busy chef nearby.

Grauman enjoyed it so much, he ordered one of "Cobb's salads" when returned to the restaurant the following night, and it was officially added to the menu not long after. The Cobb salad was born.

We tried a few markets in the area and couldn't find any watercress, which really stinks because I love the stuff. So, since it wasn't going to be authentic, I didn't worry about buying the precise lettuces either. You couldn't see it under all those delectable toppings anyway! Guess I should have used a bigger bowl...

I made the dressing cited in the article, too, but didn't follow that recipe to the letter for that either. I also didn't make nearly as much in volume. So, I won't bother reporting it here, mainly because I didn't really keep track of measurements and couldn't begin to guess now what they were. I will say, though, that I used garlic powder instead of fresh and Dijon mustard instead of dry English, since that's what we had on hand. And, it came out wonderfully!

As for the salad, the eggs were still warm and I used grilled chicken (also warm) instead of boiled or poached, which imparted more flavor in my opinion. It's a hearty salad and easily made a fresh and satisfying meal.

Here's how I made it:

Iceberg lettuce
Baby Romaine
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
2 hard-boiled eggs, diced
1 avocado, diced
6 strips of bacon, chopped
1 grilled chicken breast, sliced
Crumbled blue cheese
Fresh chives, minced
Original Dressing, to taste

Spread all the ingredients in rows on top of the lettuces. Drizzle with dressing, sprinkle with chives and dig in!

Week #21: California, USA

Like, grab your sunscreen and Daisy Dukes and join in the fun! We're headed for The Golden State!

I'm sure many cities and/or regions there have signature dishes, and some rad Cali recipes immediately come to mind - including the California Roll, of course!

I'll have fun researching this week's menu. Narrowing down my choices will be tricky, though... But, I'll take on that challenge!

So, stay tuned. It'll be a delicious week - totally!

Chicken Tagine with Potato Croquettes

I found several Algerian chicken stews to choose from, and I'm not sure why this one won out, but it's really tasty so I made a good choice!

I'm a big fan of chick peas, so perhaps that's why I picked it. And, the seasonings used in this tagine are wonderful. (I don't have an actual tagine, by the way, which seems like such a luxury! But, my Dutch oven worked just fine.)

The croquettes are delicious, too! Lightly seasoned and fluffy inside, they make a great side for this meal. And, I made a gravy out of the cooking liquid, which made them even better. They were perfect for sopping up every drop and cleaning my plate.

Honestly, it's not as complicated to make as it sounds, just leave plenty of time for prepping the ingredients and boiling (and cooling) the potatoes. You'll be rewarded with a flavorful, satisfying meal.

Here's how I made it:

Olive oil and butter
3 pounds chicken (we used halved boneless breasts for less fat; but a cut up roaster would work too)
1 large red onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp cayenne pepper
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 cup water

2 lbs potatoes, boiled, cooled and mashed or riced
2 eggs
½ cup gruyere cheese
1 small onion, grated
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced
Pinch of nutmeg
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Flour, for dredging
Canola or vegetable oil, for frying

Heat the oil and butter over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven and brown the chicken on all sides. Remove from pan and keep warm. Saute the onions till golden. Then, add the garlic and spices, return the chicken to the pan, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Add in the chick peas and water, cover again and simmer on low for an hour.

Meanwhile, heat the oil for frying in a deep pan to 375. Mix the potatoes and all other ingredients in a medium bowl. Roll into 2" balls (wet or grease your fingers to help prevent sticking), and dredge them in the flour. Shake of the excess and set them aside on a plate. Fry them a few at time, so the oil doesn't cool too much. Drain them on paper towels, and keep warm till you're ready to serve them.

When the chicken is done, remove the meat and chickpeas from the pan leaving the liquid behind. Bring the liquid to a boil. Make a roux using a 2 Tbsp each of butter and flour (or whisk the flour into a little of liquid to remove lumps and avoid the extra fat), and add it to the pot. Season with a little extra salt and pepper, if needed. Continue to boil for a few minutes till it thickens into a rich gravy.

Slk Fel Kousha

What an exotic name for baked spinach with cheese!

This dish is so simple it barely needs a write-up. Whether you serve it with your favorite starchy side or enjoy it alone for a light meal, you're going to love this recipe.

Add some extra seasonings to punch up the flavor if you prefer, but it honestly doesn't need it. We even made ours with ground turkey instead of beef, because we had some in the freezer, and I don't think we sacrificed anything in terms of taste.

Here's how we made it:

2 lbs spinach, chopped
½ cup cooking water, reserved
Olive oil
1 onion, diced
½ lb ground turkey
Salt and freshly cracked black peper, to taste
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced
2 oz gruyere cheese, grated
Preheat the oven to 350.
Boil spinach for just a couple minutes, reserve a ½ cup of the cooking liquid, and drain the rest. Squeeze out all the excess water. (If you use baby spinach, you could skip this step and just add it raw to the pan.)

Heat the oil in a large pan, and saute the onion till golden. Season with the salt and pepper. Add the meat and brown for 4-5 minutes. Stir in the parsley and spinach, cook for a couple minutes (enough to wilt the spinach, if it's not pre-cooked), and then transfer to a baking dish. Sprinkle the cheese on top and bake for 10 minutes till it's melted.