Italian Hunter's Chicken (Pollo Alla Cacciatora)

3 lb chicken pieces

Salt and pepper

1/4 cup butter

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 bell peppers, chopped

5 oz mushrooms, quartered

1 tbsp all-purpose flour

4 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped

1 cup white wine

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

2 tbsp tomato paste

1/2 cup black olives

1/2 cup capers

1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven, melt the butter. Brown the chicken on both sides. Set aside. Add the onion and garlic to the drippings, cook for 3 minutes, until onion is soft. Add the bell peppers and mushrooms, cook for 3 minute. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in the tomatoes, wine, vinegar, tomato paste, olives and capers. season wits salt and pepper. Return the chicken to the Dutch oven. Stir a little, to make sure it is covered with the tomato mixture. Simmer, covered, for 1 hour. Add parsley and let stand for 10 minutes. Serve with pasta.

Adapted from THE 1000 BEST RECIPES by Bay Books

Greek Milk Pie (γαλατόπιτα)

Galatopita is a custard-like Greek dessert

5 cups milk

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup fine semolina

3 eggs

1/2 tsp cinnamon

In a large saucepan, bring milk to a simmer. Add butter, sugar and cinnamon. When butter is melted add the semolina, cook until, stirring continuously, until the mixture thickens. Take the saucepan of the heat and let cool slightly.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter 9x13 inch baking dish.

In a small bowl, beat the eggs. Add to the semolina mixture, a little at a time. Beat well to incorporate.

Pour into the prepared baking dish and bake for 40-60 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean. Remove and let cool. Serve sprinkled with cinnamon or powdered sugar (or both).

Link: http://seeminglygreek.blogspot.com/2010/12/galatopita-me-kanela.html

Beef Wellington

This is an elegant yet surprisingly easy British recipe 

3 lb fillet of beef

4 tbsp butter

4 oz mushrooms, chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

6 oz liver pate

Salt and pepper

14 oz puff pastry

1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup sour cream

3 tbsp horseradish 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Rub the fillet with salt and pepper. Melt 2 tbsp butter in a large, oven-proof, skillet and sear the meet on all sides until brown. Transfer to the oven and cook for 20 minutes. Remove the meat from the oven and let cool completely.

Melt 2 tbsp butter in the skillet, add mushrooms and garlic, cook for 5 minutes until soft. Cool slightly. Add the liver pate to the mushrooms and mix well. Season with salt and pepper.

Roll out the puff pastry, spread the pate mixture down the middle, and place the fillet on top. Fold up the pastry, brush the edges with beaten egg and press the edges together, to seal. Place the wrapped meat, seam down, on a baking sheet, cut a few slits in the dough. Use pastry trimmings to cut shapes to decorate the top. Brush with beaten egg.Cook for 50-60 minutes in the oven. If pastry starts to brown too quickly, cover loosely with foil.

Allow the meat to stand for 15 minutes in a warm place, before serving.

In a small bowl, mix the sour cream and horseradish. spoon the sauce over the sliced beef.

Adapted from THE BEST OF TRADITIONAL BRITISH COOKING by Christopher Trotter, Annette Yates, Georgina Campbell

Brandy Snaps

These  sweet and crisp cookies are a popular desert in England and Ireland.

2 oz butter

2 tbsp golden syrup or dark corn syrup

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp ground ginger

Whipped cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.. Line a cookie sheet with baking paper or non-stick foil.

In small saucepan, melt the butter, golden syrup and brown sugar over low heat. Once melted remove from the heat. Add the flour and ginger. Mix well; do not over beat.

Drop batter by rounded teaspoons 5 inches apart onto the cookie sheet. (prepare only 3 cookies at a time). Bake for 6 minuter or until bubbly and lightly browned.  Let stand 30 seconds on cookie sheet, then wrap each cookie around the greased handle of a wooden spoon and allow to set. Then transfer to a wire rack and let cool. Before serving fill cooled snaps with whipped cream.

Adapted from  THE ESSENTIAL FINGERFOOD COOKBOOK 

Dutch Mashed Potatoes And Eggs (Pik in Het Potje)

2 lb potatoes, peeled

2 tbsp milk

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2/3 cup butter, softened

5 hard-boiled eggs

1 tbsp vinegar

5 tbsp warm water

Salt and pepper, to taste

Boil the potatoes in salted water. Mas and add the milk, salt, pepper and 1 tbsp. butter. Beat until well blended. Cut eggs into large pieces and stir into the potatoes. 

Melt the remaining butter and whisk in the vinegar and water. add more salt and pepper if needed. 

Pour the sauce over the mashed potatoes. Serve hot.

Adapted from LET'S GO DUTCH AGAIN by Johanna (van der Zeijst) Bates and Jan Walrabenstein

Emperor's Pancake (Kaiserschmarren)

Kaiserschmarren is a very popular dessert in Austria. Translated it means "Emperor's rubbish" or "Emperor's mishmash". Legend says it was created for  Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph I.

2 eggs, separated

2 tbsp sugar

1 cup milk

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup raisins

4 tbsp unsalted butter

Powdered sugar

In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks and sugar until creamy. Whisk in the milk. Add the flour and rasins, beat until well blended.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg white until stiff. Carefully fold the egg whites into the batter.

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Pour the batter in to the skillet. Cook for 3-4 minutes until lightly browned on the bottom. Flip the pancake and cook for 3 minutes more. With two forks or spatula pull the pancake into peaces. Remove to a plate , sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with apple sauce or stewed fruit.

Adapted from BEST OF AUSTRIAN CUISINE by Elisabeth Mayer-Browne

Fish Pie

Rich and creamy classic British fish pie

1 lb potatoes

1 lb white fish fillets(cod, haddock, flounder)

2 bay leaves

1 1/2 cups milk

Salt and pepper

4 oz butter

8 oz peeled raw shrimp

1 medium onion, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

1/3 cup flour

Boil the potatoes in salted water. Once cooked mash with 2 oz butter until smooth and creamy.

Simmer the fish with bay leaves, salt and pepper, in milk until the fish flakes easily. Drain and reserve the milk. Flake the fish and put in a baking dish.

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large saucepan, melt 2 oz butter, cook the shrimp until it turns pink. Remove the shrimp to the baking dish.  In the same butter cook onions and celery until soft. Stir in the flour. Gradually pour in the reserved milk stirring constantly until thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce  over the fish and shrimp. Top with mashed potatoes. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

Adapted from GREAT BRITISH COOKING:A WELL-KEPT SECRET by Jane Garmey

Ladies' Kisses (Baci di Dama)

These delicious Italian cookies are perfect with a cup of coffee.

10 tbsp butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg yolk

1/2 tsp almond extract

1 cup ground almonds

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 oz semisweet chocolate

In a large mixing bowl beat butter with sugar until fluffy. Add the egg yolk, almond extract, ground almonds, and flour. Beat until combined, scraping sides of the bowl occasionally. Chill the dough for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Roll dough into 1-inch balls with your hands. Place the balls 1 inch apart on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand on the baking sheet for 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

Melt the chocolate. Spread about 1 tsp of the chocolate on the flat sides of half of the cookies. Top with remaining cookies, flat side down. Let stand until chocolate is set.

Adapted from 500 BEST-EVER RECIPES:CHOCOLATE by Felicity Forster

Rösti

This is a traditional Swiss potato dish. Potatoes are shredded, shaped into a cake and fried. Rösti is typically eaten for breakfast, but can be served as a side dish as well. Raw or cooked potatoes are used in this dish.

4 tbsp butter or oil

1 medium onion, diced

6 medium potatoes, peeled and shredded

Salt and pepper

In a large non-stick skillet, heat the butter or oil over medium-high heat. Add diced onions and cook until soft. Add shredded potatoes, salt and pepper. Cook covered for 10 minutes. stirring a couple of times. Firmly press down the potatoes with a spatula, to form a round cake. Cook uncovered for 5 minutes or until bottom is crispy and golden brown.. using a large plate, flip the cake, cook for 5 minutes more. Serve immediately. 

Adapted from ALL ALONG THE RHINE by Kay Shaw Nelson

Shashlik

Shashlik is a variety of skewered meat commonly eaten in Central and Eastern Europe.

2 lb fatty pork, lamb or veal

3 medium onions, sliced

1 tsp sweet paprika

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp sugar

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 cup red wine vinegar

1 cup water

Cut the meat into 2 inch cubes. Put it into  a large glass dish. Add the onions, paprika, garlic powder,

cumin, nutmeg, sugar, salt and pepper. Mix with your hands, rubbing the spices into the meat.

In a medium bowl, mix the vinegar and water. Pour over the meat. Let the meat marinade in the fridge overnight.

Skewer the meat cubes on to the steel skewers, separating each cube with the sliced onion. Grill shashlik on medium high heat for 30-40 minutes, rotating the skewers frequently. Serve with ketchup, marinated onions, chopped parsley and scallions.

Spanish Garlic Shrimp (Camarones al Ajillo)

This simple yet flavorful  dish is usually served as a tapa (appetizer) in Spain, but also makes a wonderful main dish. Serve with crusty bread to soak up all the garlicky oil.

6 tbsp olive oil

1 lb peeled raw shrimp

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Red pepper flakes, or fresh red chilies, diced 

Salt, to taste

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over high heat until shimmering. Add the garlic, pepper flakes or diced chilies, cook for 10 seconds. Add the shrimp and fry , stirring constantly, until shrimp turns pink. Season with salt and serve immediately. 

Adapted from  THE SPANISH KITCHEN by Clarissa Hyman

Rosettes (Rosettbakkels, Struvor)

These delicate cookies are very popular in Scandinavia, especially in Norway and Sweden. Rosettes are made from a thin batter that is fried using specially shaped irons.

2 eggs

2 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup milk

1 cup all-purpose flour

Oil for deep-frying

Powdered sugar

Combine the eggs, sugar, salt and milk. Whisk well. Add the flour little at a time, and beat until very smooth. Let stand for 30 minutes. 

Heat the oil to 365 degrees F

Dip a rosette iron into the hot oil for about 30 seconds. Remove the iron, shake off excess oil and immediately dip it into the batter. Make sure the batter covers only 3/4 of the mold. The batter should not run over the edges or the rosette will not come off the iron. Immerse the coated iron into the hot oil and fry 20-25 seconds. After rosette begins to brown, lift the iron, turn the pastry over and let it cook for few more second.

Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel. Dust with the powdered sugar.

Adapted from SCANDINAVIAN COOKING by Beatrice Ojakangas

Heaven And Earth (Himmel und Erde)

This is an old German farm recipe of mashed potatoes (from earth) and apples (from heaven).

6 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered 

4 tart apples, peeled, cored, and quartered

Salt, to taste

1 tbsp unsalted butter

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp ground pepper

5 rashers bacon, cooked and crumbled

In a medium saucepan cook the potatoes and apples in a salted water until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Drain. Mash until smooth and creamy. Add butter, sugar, pepper, and more salt (if needed). Mix well. Before serving, sprinkle with crumbled bacon.

Adapted from ALL ALONG THE RHINE by Kay Shaw Nelson

Swedish Herring Cocktail (Sillcocktail)

Serve this appetizer in small dessert dishes or cocktail glasses.

1 jar (8 oz) herring in wine sauce, drained and diced

4 medium potatoes, peeled, boiled and diced

8 Boston lettuce leaves

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp ground white pepper

1 tbsp minced green onions or chives

1 tsp lemon juice

Dill weed, to garnish

Place a lettuce leaf in each serving dish. Layer herring and potatoes on lettuce.

In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, salt, pepper, onions or chives and lemon juice. Mix well and and spoon  the dressing on to each serving. Garnish with dill weed.

Adapted from SCANDINAVIAN COOKING  by Beatrice Ojakangas

Cabbage Soup (Šviežių kopūstų sriuba)

Simple Lithuanian cabbage soup.

1 medium onion, diced

2 carrots, sliced

2 tbsp oil

1 small head of cabbage, shredded

5 cups water

3 tomatoes, diced

1 tbsp sugar

Salt, to taste

1/3 cup chopped dill weed

In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and carrots, saute for 5 minutes. Add cabbage, tomatoes  water, sugar and salt. Simmer on low heat until the cabbage is cooked, about 1 hour. Add the dill weed, cover and let stand for 10 minutes.

Turkish Pita Bread (Pide)

1 cup warm water

2 tbsp olive oil

3 1/2 cups bread flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

2 tsp active dry yeast

1 egg yolk mixed wit 2 tsp water, for glazing

Poppy seeds, for sprinkling

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water, let stand for 10 minutes until frothy. Add the salt, sugar, oil and flour. Knead the dough until smooth and elastic. Put in a lightly oiled bowl and let rice in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours. Punch the dough down and divide into three balls. Roll out each ball to form a 1/4 in. thick round. Cower with a towel and let rest for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Using your fingers, ridge the bread. Transfer  onto a lightly floured baking sheet, brush with the egg yolk and sprinkle with the poppy seeds. Bake for 10-15 minutes until puffy and the top is golden brown.

Adapted from  THE BREAD AND BREAD MACHINE BIBLE  by Christine Ingram and Jennie Shapter 

Cherry Clafoutis (Clafoutis aux cerises)

It's a French dessert originally from Limousin region. Traditionally, the cherries are not pitted, what gives the clafoutis stronger flavor

1 lb fresh cherries, pitted(if preferred)

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Pinch of salt

4 eggs, plus 2 egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

2 1/2 cups milk

1/4 cup melted butter

Confectioners' sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Lightly butter a shallow ovenproof dish. Add the cherries, in an even layer, to the prepared dish.

In a large bowl sift the flour and salt. Add the eggs, egg yolks, sugar and 1/2 cup milk. Whisk until there are no lumps left. Gradually whisk in the rest of the milk and butter. Pour the batter over the cherries.

Bake in the preheated oven for 40-50 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

Dust with confectioners' sugar. Clafoutis can be served with ice cream or whipped cream. 

Adapted from THE BEST EVER MEDITERRANEAN COOKBOOK by Jacqueline Clark and Joanna Farrow 

Russian Pancakes With Caviar (Оладьи с икрой)

1/2 cup buckwheat flour

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 oz fresh yeast

1 tsp salt

1 cup warm milk

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup sour cream

1/3 cup red or black caviar

Dill weed, to garnish

In large bowl, mix the buckwheat flour, all-purpose flour and salt.

In a medium bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm milk, let stand until creamy, about 5 minutes. Add the egg, mix well. Gradually pour the yeast mixture into the flour mixture, mixing well. Cover and let stand  in a warm place for 1 hour.

Heat a lightly greased griddle or frying pan over medium heat. Drop spoonfuls of the batter in to the pan to make small pancakes. Brown on both sides.

Place the pancakes onto a large serving plate, top with 1 /2 tbsp of sour cream and 1 tsp of caviar. Garnish with dill weed.

Adapted from

THE BREAD AND BREAD MACHINE BIBLE by Christine Ingram and Jennie Shapter 

Pizza Margherita

Pizza Margherita- a classic Italian pizza, named after Queen Margherita, wife of Italy's king Umberto I

Dough

1 oz fresh yeast or 2 packages active dry yeast

2/3-1 cup warm water

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

Topping

1 (14 oz) can crushed tomatoes

8 oz mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced

1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, torn

3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Let sit until creamy, about 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Add the yeast mixture and stir well. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover an let rice until doubles in volume, about 1-1 1/2 hour.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll out into a large pizza crust shape. Transfer to a pizza pan or cookie sheet. Spread the tomatoes evenly over the top, sprinkle wit basil, cover with mozzarella cheese.  Drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil.

Bake in the preheated oven until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling, about 20 minutes. Before serving, garnish with basil leaves and drizzle wit remaining oil.

Adapted from  SIMPLY DELICIOUS ITALIAN by Carla Bardi 

Sour Cream Pockets (Grietiniečiai)

Lithuanian cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup sour cream

3 cups all- purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 package cream cheese, softened

2 tbsp sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
In a large bowl sift together 3 cups flour, baking powder and salt. In separate  bowl, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add 1 egg and sour cream, beat well. Mix in the flour mixture until just incorporated. Knead a little on a lightly floured surface.
In a medium bowl, mix cream cheese, 2 tbsp sugar, 1 egg, vanilla extract and 2 tbsp flour.
Roll out the dough  onto a lightly floured surface to about 1/4 inch thick and cut into 4-inch circles.
Place a large spoonful of the cream cheese mixture on one half of each circle. Fold circle in half, press lightly but do not pinch edges together.
Place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Brush with the  beaten egg.  Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Adapted from http://vifsla.blogas.lt/grietinieciai-14.html