Radio România Internațional

Tag: dishes

  • Dishes from Moldavia

    Dishes from Moldavia

    Today we’ll be presenting you with dishes from Moldavia, a region in eastern Romania famous for its dishes and wines. Actually each region of Romania stands out through traditional specialties, some of them bearing the mark PDO — protected designation of origin, such as the wines. Moldavia boasts such specialties with designation of origin as tochitura moldoveneasca — Moldavian stew or sarmale moldovenesti — Moldavian cabbage rolls. It also has special dishes that are simply typical of the region like the ‘poale-n brau’ cheese pies or the minced meat patties known as ‘parjoale’.



    In Moldavia’s traditional communities, one popular breakfast consists of two fried eggs with fried pork lard known as fatback cracklins and grated cheese. For lunch, Moldavians have some favorite dishes such as potato or bean stew, stewed cabbage, bean soup or chicken giblets soup usually made with carrots, rice, onion and parsley root garnished with egg yolk and soured with natural sour juice made of fermented wheat bran, maze flour and water. Giblets soup is also served after long parties with lots of wine.



    Since we’ve mentioned wine, let’s not forget that Moldavia boasts a rich offer of wines, many from Romanian grape varieties such as “Galbena of Odobeşti” and of “Şarba” from Vrancea region, Romania’s largest wine-producing region, “Busuioaca de Bohotin” from Huşi area, “Grasa”, “Feteasca” and “Frâncuşa” from the Cotnari vineyards in Iaşi.



    Let’s now see the recipe for meat patties. They are roughly the size of a hamburger, and are made with pork, beef, or both. The meat mixture also contains soaked stale bread, two medium-sized chopped onions, 4 eggs, chopped dill, salt and pepper. After kneading the mixture well, douse them in flour, then soak them in beaten egg, then in breadcrumbs, and fry them in vegetable oil. Meat patties can be served with bean stew or mashed potatoes.



    Now here is the recipe for ‘poale-n brau’ cheese pie. These pies are prepared from leavened dough which you will have to flatten with a rolling pin. Cut the flattened dough into small squares of side 15 cm. Place a mixture of sweet cheese and raisins in the center of the square dough and wrap, bringing the 4 corners to the center, then bake! Enjoy! (translation by L. Simion)

  • Dishes from Moldavia

    Dishes from Moldavia

    Today we’ll be presenting you with dishes from Moldavia, a region in eastern Romania famous for its dishes and wines. Actually each region of Romania stands out through traditional specialties, some of them bearing the mark PDO — protected designation of origin, such as the wines. Moldavia boasts such specialties with designation of origin as tochitura moldoveneasca — Moldavian stew or sarmale moldovenesti — Moldavian cabbage rolls. It also has special dishes that are simply typical of the region like the ‘poale-n brau’ cheese pies or the minced meat patties known as ‘parjoale’.



    In Moldavia’s traditional communities, one popular breakfast consists of two fried eggs with fried pork lard known as fatback cracklins and grated cheese. For lunch, Moldavians have some favorite dishes such as potato or bean stew, stewed cabbage, bean soup or chicken giblets soup usually made with carrots, rice, onion and parsley root garnished with egg yolk and soured with natural sour juice made of fermented wheat bran, maze flour and water. Giblets soup is also served after long parties with lots of wine.



    Since we’ve mentioned wine, let’s not forget that Moldavia boasts a rich offer of wines, many from Romanian grape varieties such as “Galbena of Odobeşti” and of “Şarba” from Vrancea region, Romania’s largest wine-producing region, “Busuioaca de Bohotin” from Huşi area, “Grasa”, “Feteasca” and “Frâncuşa” from the Cotnari vineyards in Iaşi.



    Let’s now see the recipe for meat patties. They are roughly the size of a hamburger, and are made with pork, beef, or both. The meat mixture also contains soaked stale bread, two medium-sized chopped onions, 4 eggs, chopped dill, salt and pepper. After kneading the mixture well, douse them in flour, then soak them in beaten egg, then in breadcrumbs, and fry them in vegetable oil. Meat patties can be served with bean stew or mashed potatoes.



    Now here is the recipe for ‘poale-n brau’ cheese pie. These pies are prepared from leavened dough which you will have to flatten with a rolling pin. Cut the flattened dough into small squares of side 15 cm. Place a mixture of sweet cheese and raisins in the center of the square dough and wrap, bringing the 4 corners to the center, then bake! Enjoy! (translation by L. Simion)

  • Catholic Easter Customs and Traditions in Romania

    Catholic Easter Customs and Traditions in Romania

    This year, Catholic Christians across the world celebrate Easter on April 21st. The date of the biggest Christian celebration of the year rarely coincides for the Catholic and Orthodox denominations. Since the big Schism of 1054, the two have usually been one week apart. This gap is explained by the fact that, since 1582, the Orthodox Church has used the Julian calendar, while the Catholics have divided the year in keeping with the Gregorian calendar. They say that, in the same year, Pope Gregory VIII discovered a two-week gap between the real time and the one set in keeping with Julius Caesars calendar, dating back to the year 46 BC. So, Catholic Easter does not have a fixed date, and it is calculated depending on the ecclesiastic full moon, based on tables drawn up by the Church, in direct relation with the spring equinox. Sabina Ispas, head of the ‘Constantin Brailoiu Ethnography and Folklore Institute, explains:



    Sabina Ispas: “There were talks, and decisions were made to reverse the situation, but eventually the Ecumenical councils decided to recalculate the Easter date. Its a mobile date, because it is calculated in keeping with the phases of the moon. This is actually the old system used for the ancient Passover, the historical period in which the events related to the Christian Easter seem to have actually occurred. That is why Palm Sunday doesnt have a fixed date either. Generally speaking, there are some limits. What we are interested in is the maximum date, which is early May.



    In certain parts of Romania, Transylvania and Banat in particular, the Roman–Catholic Easter is celebrated by the ethnic Germans and Hungarians in keeping with centuries-old traditions. Besides traditional dishes, such as painted eggs, lamb dishes, Easter cake and red wine, the Roman Catholics here have preserved other specific customs, as Delia Suiogan, an ethnologist with the North University of Baia Mare explains:



    Delia Suiogan: “We have the candle, the Light that we get on Saturday at midnight. We also have the lamb, symbolizing the supreme sacrifice of Jesus Christ. This ritualistic gesture actually symbolizes the rebirth of man and his right to resurrection. The same is true for the egg, Christs tomb; through its symbolic capacity to symbolize food and the primary seed, the egg stands for peoples right to start over a new cycle and thus be part of the cosmic cycle.



    For Easter, the Catholic Christians in Transylvania decorate fir-trees at the gates of unmarried girls, and sprinkle girls with water or perfume, just like in pre-Christian times. In Mures County, in central Romania, there are groups of boys who walk around and sprinkle the girls, and then, on the third day of Easter, its their turn to be given the same treatment. However, Easter becomes a solemn event during the religious service.



    Delia Suiogan: “There is this custom, sprinkling, a ritual that the Orthodox believers in Transylvania have taken over too. As the different cultural specificities always influence the evolution of any civilization, a beautiful blend has taken shape. All the Catholic Christians in the traditional communities observe this custom, which has been introduced by ethnic Germans. On the first and second day of Easter, there is this sprinkling ritual that takes place. It originates in the pre-Christian period, when there was a ritual praising Ostera, the goddess of fertility and rebirth. So, on such celebration days, everybody had to be sprinkled with water, as a ritual of purification but also of fertility. In modern times, the Catholics sprinkle one another with perfume, making an extension from fertility towards spiritual rebirth, as perfume is viewed as annihilating the ugly, the rotten, and reinstating a state of order, by restoring cosmic harmony.



    The Catholics were also the ones who, more recently, introduced chocolate figurines as Easter symbols. The chocolate bunnies and eggs given to children on Easter are also fertility allegories.



    Delia Suiogan: “Another ritual, which is a Catholic tradition, is that of the Easter Bunny. These days, all shops are full of chocolate bunnies and eggs. This is another remnant of the ritual celebrating goddess Ostera. Legend has it that this goddess, while on a stroll in the fields, meets a bird with broken wings. Moved by this image, the goddess wants to help the bird stay alive. A divine voice tells her that, if she manages to turn it into an animal that needs not fly, then the bird will survive. So, the goddess turns her into a rabbit. What is interesting is that this rabbit keeps its ability to lay eggs. So, once a year, the bird-turned-rabbit offers painted eggs to the goddess, as a sign of rebirth into a different form, of the right to live again. They say that, ever since, eggs have been painted and are to be found in the grass, following the trails of the rabbit. So, here it is, the symbol of rebirth; the painting of the eggs is interpreted as a gift rewarding kindness.



    The significance of the red eggs and of the other dishes on the Easter table, such as lamb dishes or Ester cakes, is related to the spirit of sacrifice. It also provides a guarantee for continuity to all those who believe in the miracle of resurrection.


    (translated by: Mihaela Ignatescu)

  • Dishes in Marginimea Sibiului

    Dishes in Marginimea Sibiului

    The ceremony for granting this award, previously held by 7 regions in Europe, involved a culinary demonstration by 50 chefs, who prepared special meals for cadets with the Academy of Land Forces in the city of Sibiu. A national chain of stores had promotions dedicated to this event, selling locally made products. Representatives from the organization that granted the award, as well as representatives from other European regions granted the award, were invited to Sibiu to visit the county of the same name and take part in culinary events. Members of the local consortium who hold this year the event to promote Sibiu as a European Gastronomical Region plan to launch the concept of Sibiu local cuisine under the name of “Shepherd Cuisine.



    Shepherding is the traditional occupation for the inhabitants of the 18 Romanian and Saxon villages around Marginimea Sibiului, a tourist destination where we find many traditional households that are ready for hosting guests. The Romanian villages in Marginimea Sibiului have a rich food tradition with dairy and mutton as staples. One of them is the so-called ‘bulz’, which is sharp cured cheese covered in polenta. It is often cooked on a charcoal grill. To make bulz, you ideally would make a sturdy polenta out of traditionally milled maize. The balls of polenta with cheese are cooked on the grill until the crust starts cracking. They are then covered in sour cream. One other version is to cover the bulz in raw clay, and then set it right in the fire to cook. Speaking of covering in clay for cooking, the locals have a tradition of cooking an entire sheep covered in a layer of clay.



    One traditional dish from Marginimea Sibiului that drew our attention is a Saxon dish, a veal stew. If you happen to stay at a B&B in Marginimea Sibiului and you catch a day with nice weather, you may have the pleasant surprise of witnessing the host cooking this veal stew over an open fire in a Dutch oven. To make this at home, first take a few onions, peel and chop them finely. Sweat the onion in oil. Cube the veal in small chunks, place it in the Dutch oven, and add water to cover, then start simmering it. Slice two green peppers finely, finely cube 2 or 3 tomatoes, mince a few cloves of garlic, and add them to the preparation. When it is almost cooked, add a bay leaf, a cup of red wine, and salt to taste. The stew is served hot, with a side of polenta, and a glass of fine wine. Enjoy!

  • New Year Dishes

    New Year Dishes

    Most of the main dishes are made of pork, predictably, since the New Year party comes a very short time after the break of Christmas Advent. Typical entrees are devilled egg, cheeses, or fish roe with olives, among other things.


    One of the things most popular with partygoers on New Years Eve is aspic, typically made from pork, but more recently from rooster or goose, and even chicken. If you opt for the latter, you will need about one kilogram of wings, thighs, or both, as well as a few heads and feet to give it better coagulation. You also need two onions, two carrots, a head of garlic and a few sprigs of green parsley. Boil the chicken parts with the carrots and the onion. Skim the liquid once it boils, and leave to cook until the meat shreds off the bone.



    At the end add salt to taste. Take out all the meat and bones, and then shred the meat in medium sized strips. Strain the liquid, and then add to it the minced garlic. Take several small bowls which will make up the individual servings. Place in each bowl for decoration slices of carrot and sprigs of green parsley, and maybe slices of pickled bell pepper. Place some strips of meat in the bowl as well. Top the bowls with the chicken stock, which you have previously cooled, then place them in a very cold place to congeal. Since on New Years Eve it is very cold in Romania, most people just put them out on the balcony. Try it yourself, and enjoy!

  • New Year Dishes

    New Year Dishes

    Most of the main dishes are made of pork, predictably, since the New Year party comes a very short time after the break of Christmas Advent. Typical entrees are devilled egg, cheeses, or fish roe with olives, among other things.


    One of the things most popular with partygoers on New Years Eve is aspic, typically made from pork, but more recently from rooster or goose, and even chicken. If you opt for the latter, you will need about one kilogram of wings, thighs, or both, as well as a few heads and feet to give it better coagulation. You also need two onions, two carrots, a head of garlic and a few sprigs of green parsley. Boil the chicken parts with the carrots and the onion. Skim the liquid once it boils, and leave to cook until the meat shreds off the bone.



    At the end add salt to taste. Take out all the meat and bones, and then shred the meat in medium sized strips. Strain the liquid, and then add to it the minced garlic. Take several small bowls which will make up the individual servings. Place in each bowl for decoration slices of carrot and sprigs of green parsley, and maybe slices of pickled bell pepper. Place some strips of meat in the bowl as well. Top the bowls with the chicken stock, which you have previously cooled, then place them in a very cold place to congeal. Since on New Years Eve it is very cold in Romania, most people just put them out on the balcony. Try it yourself, and enjoy!

  • Homemade sausages

    Homemade sausages

    Todays show continues our holiday series, bringing you traditional recipes left down from generation to generation in the countryside. Most of them involve pork, because pigs are the main source of animal protein in the peasant household in most of Romania. The defining pork product is sausage, which is on every table for the holidays. That is the reason for which so many Romanians make their own sausages at home, and this is one of the versions of sausage making used in homes all over the country.



    The typical Romanian sausage is made with one and a half kilo of fatty pork, two meters of natural pork casing, two heads of garlic, a couple of tablespoons of salt, black pepper to taste, a tablespoon of paprika, a cup of bone stock, and one tablespoon of thyme. The best meat is the fatty kind, such as belly, butt or neck. If you feel the mix is too lean, you can add some smoked fatback. First, clean the casings thoroughly, removing any extra fat with the back of a knife. Blow into the casing to make sure it is free of ruptures. Mince the meat, but make sure it is not too finely minced. Crush the garlic to a paste, and then mix with a bit less than half a cup of the stock and leave the mixture to rest for 10 minutes, then strain through a piece of cheesecloth.



    Mix the liquid with the meat and the spices. Knead well, adding gradually the liquid, until you have a soft mix. Place the special sausage fixture on your meat grinder, and roll the casing onto it. Put the meat mixture through the grinder, filling the casing gently. Once every half foot or so, twist the casing to separate individual sausages. After the entire casing is filled, cut any excess, then hang in a cellar or kitchen closet overnight to complete the process.



    If you want to have them throughout the rest of the year, the best option is to smoke them. The best thing about them is that you can cook them in a wide variety of ways, from frying in a pan to grilling them on an open range. They can be served with an equally varied choice of side dishes, from cabbage and beans to mashed potatoes.


    Enjoy!

  • Cherry Preserves and Liqueurs

    Cherry Preserves and Liqueurs

    The Cherry Festival was held on the last Sunday in June in a small town in Bistrita-Nasaud County, 45 km away from the country seat. This is a tradition for the 400 families in the area who tend to large cherry, sour cherry and walnut orchards. For many of them, cherries are the main source of income, with their produce getting sold on both domestic and foreign markets. At the festival, in exchange for a token fee, visitors can sample the entire range of varieties of cherries on display, in various shades of red.



    Today’s culinary theme is cherries. The most popularity is enjoyed by preserves and liqueurs. For cherry preserve you need equal quantities of pitted cherries and sugar. Place the pitted cherries in a the pot where you make the preserve, cover in the sugar, and leave them there in a cool place for two or three hours, time in which they leak out liquid. Squeeze in some lemon juice, and then set to simmer on the stove top. Stir gently from time to time, and increase the heat gradually, until the contents reach a boil. A foam will form on the surface, which you should skim. Boil gently until the contents thicken. Check the consistency by taking out a teaspoonful of the liquid, letting it cool down to see if it is the proper thickness. Pour the contents into jars, leaving about an inch of space at the top. Any kind of cherries can be used to make a delicious preserve.



    A cherry liqueur is equally easy to make. The ratio of cherries to sugar is three to one. Take the jar in which you’ll make the liqueur and fill it in layers with cherries and sugar. Leave it aside for a few days, but don’t seal it, to avoid pressure building up. Once the sugar is completely dissolved in the liquid leaked out by the cherries, top with grain alcohol and leave it for about two weeks.



    In addition to all this, you can also make a delicious, yet simple cake. You can use cherries, but also apricots. Take a kilogram of white flour, four eggs, 100 grams of butter, and a pound (half a kilogram) of cherries, as well as baking powder. Mix the butter with the sugar, then mix in, in this order, the eggs, the flour, and the baking powder. Knead until smooth. Take a baking tray, line it with baking paper, then pour in the mixture. Place the pitted cherries on top. Bake at medium heat in the oven for about half an hour, then sprinkle with confectionery sugar.

  • Palm Sunday Dishes

    Palm Sunday Dishes


    Although Palm Sunday is a Lent day, when people are generally fasting, fish dishes are permitted on this day. So here are some fish-based recipes for the special Palm Sunday dinner. Well start with a couple of recipes using carp, which is readily available in Romania.



    For the first one, carp with tomato sauce, you will need around 2 kilos of carp, 5-6 tomatoes, 2-3 peppers, two onions, a head of garlic, parsley, a lemon, oil, salt and pepper. After you have cleaned, scaled and eviscerated the fish, dice it and put the pieces in an oiled pan. Salt the meat, then arrange the sliced tomatoes, peppers and onions around it. Sprinkle the finely chopped parsley on top, add lemon slices and pour a glass of wine. Everything is now ready for the oven, where it should bake for about 45 minutes, on medium heat, until the fish pieces are golden brown.



    Another recipe is a little more spectacular: skewered carp. For this recipe you will need a large, 3-4 kilo carp, which you have washed, scaled and eviscerated. Oil both on the inside and outside, and place about half a meter over an open grill by means of a metal spit. Another rod needs to be placed inside the fish, to keep the sides apart and allow the heat in. It will take around 30-40 minutes for the fish to roast. Serve hot, with garlic sauce or lemon, and of course with a glass of white, dry, well-chilled wine.



    Another proposal for this occasion is minced fish balls. You obviously need a fish with large bones, easy to pick out, such as catfish. Take one kilo of boned fish meat, two or three onions, a few cloves of garlic, two eggs, some flour, salt and pepper to taste. Some people use mashed potatoes, others use soaked stale bread, about two slices worth. By all means do not forget a whole bunch of fresh dill. Mince the fish meat. Finely chop the onion and the dill, and knead it into the minced meat with the mashed potatoes or soggy bread, eggs, and the salt and pepper, then add the garlic, finely chopped or crushed to a paste. While kneading watch out for bones you may have missed. Shape the composition into balls, douse them in flour and fry them in oil.



    Another recipe worth mentioning has become something of a rarity, because it is difficult to make in its traditional form. It is Gefilte fish, which in Romanian is known simply as “stuffed fish, and it is usually made with pike. The fish is skinned carefully to keep the skin intact, then the meat is boned and minced. It is mixed with a bit of rice and with finely chopped vegetables such as onion, carrot and green pepper. Egg yolk is added to bind the composition together. There are many variations on the ingredients, some recipes favoring sweet ingredients such as pine nuts, walnuts and raisins. Herbs such as thyme and basil are also used in many versions, and we highly recommend chopped fresh dill. After making the mix, carefully fill the skin of the fish with it, then sew it shut. Oil it and place it in an oven dish, with tomato juice and lots of garlic. Bake for about 45 minutes or until the fish is golden brown.