Everyone is familiar with the many variations of stuffed peppers, Balkan or not. In fact, you can even find them at Costco these days as the dish is very well known. We from the Balkans enjoy our fair share of vegetables stuffed with meat and rice. Did someone say Sarma? […]
Entrees
Entrees and Main Dishes
Pilav sa Piletinom/Chicken Rice Pilaf
If you came over on any given weekend when we were growing up on the Northwest side of Chicago, you’d encounter a couple of staple things. The smell of Windex in the air as weekends were for cleaning, the sound of cartoons playing on our old-school box tv, and the […]
Äulbastije/Balkan-Style Meatballs in Bechamel Sauce
When I think of Balkan comfort food, I think of slow-cooked meats and stews, baked savory dishes, and hot, freshly baked bread. So when I remembered this Äulbastije recipe last weekend, I knew I had to share it right away so you can enjoy some comfort too! This is one […]
Leskovacka Muckalica / Muckalica
Notice the absence of an appropriate translation for this recipe. Yeah, I had no idea how to go about even attempting to translate it. It’s not a stew and it’s not a gravy. It’s not a sauce. It’s literally its own thing – a Muckalica! By the way, am I […]
Sarmice u Zelju / Swiss Chard Rolls
Nothing is more refreshing in the summer than not having to slave away next to the stove all day. The simpler the better, preferably with as little cooking as possible. Even better if one cooking session can result in multiple meals that can be stretched for 2-3 days. Today I’m […]
Slane Knedle / Savory Potato Dumplings
One of my first recipes on this blog was my sweet knedle or potato dumplings. One of our favorite fillings is a whole Ferrero Rocher chocolate wrapped up in the vanilla flavored dumpling dough although plum is the OG. It results in a creamy, dreamy, chocolate and hazelnut flavor bomb. […]
Posna Sarma/Vegan Cabbage Rolls
If you’ve had food from the Balkans then you’ve undoubtedly heard of or tried Sarma. Sarma, stuffed pickled cabbage leaves, is a staple on holiday tables and serves as both an every-day food as well as a special occasion main dish. Savory, tangy, and full of comforting flavors, it’s one […]
Prebranac / Balkan Baked Beans
Summer is slowly turning to fall and I’m craving all the comfort food. For me, that’s lots of beans (both stew and baked), warm homemade bread and pogaÄa, and of course all the soups, stews, and indulgent dishes one could think of. It’s the season of pepper roasting, making jams, […]
SataraÅ”-BeÄarac/Pepper, Tomato, & Egg Skillet
First off, let’s get something out of the way. In the Balkans, there are many many names for the same dish. What’s SataraÅ” to me may be BeÄarac for you. Technically speaking, SataraÅ” is a vegetable skillet stew made with yellow onion, bell pepper, and fresh tomatoes. BeÄarac is the […]
Losos u Paketu / Baked Salmon Packets
While we’re not big seafood fans, we do enjoy fish at least once per week for the health benefits. Growing up, fish was only eaten in our home during lenten holidays so it was a bit of a rediscovery process for me when I started cooking it (and not frying […]