SERBIAN COOKING: POPULAR RECIPES FROM THE BALKAN REGION
BY DANIJELA KRACUN AND CHARLES MCFADDEN
Reading through this cookbook I had a sense of déjà vu as many recipes seemed familiar. I realized why when a map search showed that Serbia borders Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro and Kosovo; areas that some of my ancestors came from. It is no surprise that these different countries have influenced the cuisine in this landlocked country.
The 53 recipes tend to be hardy and rustic, such as chicken paprikash, lentil soup, stuffed peppers, sweet cabbage with beef or pork, and poppy seed strudel. Meat can easily be added to the vegetarian options.
Author Danijela Kracun was born in Serbia and came to the US when she was ten. The recipes in the book are from her Serbian and Romanian grandmothers and her mom.
Here is one to try:
Sweet Cabbage with Beef and/or Pork
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
3 onions, chopped
About 1 pound beef or pork
⅓ cup olive oil
1 large carrot, sliced
2 pounds fresh cabbage, chopped (1 large head)
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 pepper, sliced
2 tomatoes
1 cup water
Salt and pepper (peppercorns) to taste
Directions
Cut into pieces and lightly brown onions and beef/pork in ⅓ cup of oil. When the meat is tender, add carrots that have been cut into thin slices, and chopped cabbage. Ten minutes later, add a tablespoon of flour, cayenne pepper, sliced peppers, and tomatoes. Pour water over entire mixture and add salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook over low heat for about 30 minutes.
Recipe by Danijela Kracun and Charles McFadden, authors of Serbian Cooking: Popular Recipes from the Balkan Region (Schiffer Publishing, 2015).
The book is available at your local bookstore, Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and Schiffer Publishing.
Sweet Cabbage
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