Bulgarian cuisine n Bulgarian cuisine combines and uses
Bulgarian cuisine
n Bulgarian cuisine combines and uses skillfully the fruits of the Earth which have grown and riped under the warm Bulgarian sun. The heat treatment of the products, especially the simmering at low temperature preserves the nutritiousness of the vegetables and makes the dishes taste much more delicious. There are three specific products which are essential part of Bulgarian national cuisine. Their unique versions originate from the ancient Thracian past of our country.
n WHITE BRINED CHEESE It is made of sheep, cow or buffalo milk. It is used as a separate dish, as well as a delicious part of other dishes-the famous Shopska salad or the traditional Bulgarian "banitsa".
n YOGURT It is also made of sheep, cow or buffalo milk with the very special help of Lactobacterium Bulgaricum bacterium. It is really one of a kind. The Bulgarian yogurt is a substantial ingredient of many Bulgarian traditional dishes.
n SAVORY it is a plant which the botanists classified as a spice. It belongs to the group of Satureia hortensis. Savory grows everywhere. It enriches the taste of the salt perfectly.
Shopska Salad
n In its ultimate form it is pure white resembling the Shopp national costume. The traditional Bulgarian Shopska salad is beautiful, tasty, juicy, spicy and flavor. it is like nature-indescribable. It may be served as a single meal as a starter, together with the main course, after meal, or just as a snack. Shopska salad is an excellent dish for your guests. You can welcome and farewell them with this delicious salad. To make Shopska salad you need white cheese. You will never prepare the real Shopska salad if it lacks the white cheese.
n INGREDIENTS: /4 -5 portions/ 300 -350 g red tomatoes 1 fresh cucumber (about 200 g ) 1 small hot pepper 150 g white cheese 2 onions 4 -5 green or red peppers 10 -15 olives a bunch of parsley vegetable oil (about 1/4 cupful)
n DIRECTIONS: Cut the onion in small pieces. Remove the stems and seeds of the peppers(raw or roasted and peeled) Cut them into stripes and then to smaller pieces. Chop the hot pepper. Cut the cucumber in four stripes(you don't have to peel it if ecologically safe)Cut the stripes in smaller pieces. Cut the tomatoes in slices or small pieces. Mix everything and some salt. Shape the mixture in a pile in a large salad dish or in the salad plates. Pour with the vegetable oil. Grate the white cheese and sprinkle the salad with it on top. It will look like a snow cup. Garnish with the olives and the chopped parsley. The decoration is up to your taste and preferences. You may also season the salad with some vinegar.
WHITE CHEESE IN GUVECHE
n Ingredients: 400 g white cheese 2 spoonfuls vegetable oil 4 eggs 2 red tomatoes red pepper/grinned/ 1 hot pepper Preparation: Cut the white cheese in thick slices. Place them into the clay pots. You can sprinkle the pieces with spiceschopped parsley, savory, basil. Cover the cheese with thin slices of red tomatoes and add some vegetable oil. Add a small hot pepper. Put an egg into each pot. Bake the dish in the oven for short. Sprinkle with the grinned red pepper. Put the dish in the oven again. Serve it hot.
TARATOR /cold soup great for the hot summer days/ n
n It is made of yogurt, cucumber, water, vegetable oil, dill and salt, garlic'walnuts. It is best served chilled or even with ice-very refreshing on a hot day. INGREDIENTS: 2 cucumbers, peeled and chopped(or grated) 1 garlic clove, minced 4 c plain yogurt 1/2 c water 1/4 tsp salt 2 tbs dill chopped 2 tsp oil finely chopped walnuts
n DIRECTIONS: 1 Mix the garlic with salt and then add to it grated or finely chopped cucumbers 2 Add the mixture to a large bowl and pour in the well-stirred yogurt. 3 Gradually pour the water. The thickness is up to the taste and depends on how flavored yogurt you are using is. 4 Add some more salt to taste. 5 Add finely chopped walnuts and fresh dill as well as a couple of teaspoons of sunflower oil. 6 Best if cooled at least two hours before serving to allow flavorsmix. 7 Serve chilled.
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