Turli Tava, which translates as ‘mixed pan’ is a classic village meal. It’s made in one big pan and is packed with flavour.

As it’s slightly cooler today, a real contrast to the hot and sticky weather of the past few days, I thought this recipe was a perfect choice. You’ll need three types of meat and loads of mixed summer vegies, but the real hero is okra, a unique vegetable originating from Africa and a delicacy in the Middle East, Mediterranean and parts of Europe. They are often difficult to come by, but when you see them be sure to grab a couple of handfuls. Look for young pods free of bruises no more than 10cm long.

Continue reading Mixed Village Pot (Turli Tava)

Kifli, or kiflici as they are otherwise known are a much loved Eastern European delicacy. Some make them with butter and sour cream, others with lard. My families recipe is a much healthier variation, using vegetable oil and milk. The texture is soft and fluffy, ideal for moping up a juicy tomato salad or lutenka.

Often filled with a mixture of creamy cottage cheese and feta, you can get adventurous and fill with plum jam and walnuts or even nutella, sprinkling with brown sugar rather than sesame seeds.

Continue reading Fluffy Cheese Rolls (Kifli)

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, what better way to woo your sweetheart than with a heavenly dessert.

Tiramisu, Italian for ‘pick me up’ is one of my all time favourite desserts. I usually make the traditional mascarpone mix however, one night when I was feeling particularly peckish and a little lazy, I made up this quick ice cream version. It takes less than 5 minutes to put together and looks and tastes amazing.

Not only is it perfect for Valentine’s Day, it’s also brilliant for dinner parties and is guaranteed to impress!

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Rustic, yes. Simple, yes. Refreshing, you bet!

I’ve been enjoying this authentic salad, which is more like a soup for as long as I can remember. It comes from my baba’s (grandmothers) village Rotino. After working in the fields during the hot European sun they would quickly chop up some fresh cucumber, tomato, chilli and onion, add oil, vinegar and salt and some icy water straight from the natural spring, from Mount Pelister.

Continue reading Cold Summer Salad (Letna Salata)

Summer for me is all about salads. Honestly, how can I resist when there is still such an abundance of fresh garden produce available.

Taratur is a simple dip-like salad served during summer, traditionally with a shot of cold rakia (Macedonian white spirit). It’s a perfect accompaniment to grilled chicken and lamb or as a dip with fresh Turkish bread.

Continue reading Cucumber and Yoghurt Salad (Taratur)

Grandma Babeth, who brought us the French Lemon Chicken with Rum and Raisins recipe is a bit of a raisin fan. Even her traditional quiche recipe has the unexpected twist of a handful of raisins. I know what you’re thinking, raisins in quiche, how on earth can such a combination possibly work? Admittedly, I was a little concerned so I only added raisins to half of the quiche, but to my surprise I found the combination heavenly, even moreish. It’s a bit like the sweetness of onions when they’re cooked slowly, delicious.

Making the crust from scratch is easier than I thought and I even made mine by hand, without the aid of a food processor! It took a little bit of time and patience but the taste is so much better than the store bought options. What’s really cute about Grandma Babeth’s recipe is that rather than using baking beans or raw rice to blind bake the tart, she uses dried cherry pits, I just love the old fashioned way of doing things, nothing is ever wasted!

If you’re not a raisin fan, just leave them out. You can even try other combinations like bacon and leek, roast pumpkin, goats cheese and caramelised onion. The options are endless, so get creative!

Continue reading Babeth’s Quiche Lorraine with Raisins

Sometimes in life it’s the simplest recipes that are often the tastiest. I’m really not sure about the origin of smoothies. Perhaps they’re inspired by tropical mocktails. All I know is that this banana smoothie makes the ultimate summer breakfast.

Although I love a good healthy shake, with yoghurt and honey, occasionally I enjoy a more indulgent smoothie with lots of ice cream, the consistency of a yummy thick shake. You only need 3 ingredients and the secret here is a pinch of ground cinnamon.

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No trip to the Balkan’s is complete without a serving of chevapi, and my honeymoon was no exception. While travelling through Croatia and Macedonia we consumed our fair share. I fondly remember our last night in the Balkans, neither of us felt like a fancy dinner so we walked through the market area and stumbled across a ‘chevap van’, we ordered two chevap burgers, freshly cooked chevapi, served in a bread roll with raw onion and fresh tomato ketchup. We found a seat overlooking the beautiful Adriatic and had a romantic (while slightly messy) dinner, one we both enjoyed immensely and will always cherish.

This chevapi recipe comes courtesy of a close Bosnian friend. Like all good traditional recipes the ingredients are basic, the method is easy, and the taste is unquestionably sensational! The recipe calls for equal amounts of minced beef and pork/lamb. If you prefer, you can use just minced beef or, as my family prefers, use a 1:3 ratio of beef to pork. You can also add a teaspoon of mild paprika if you fancy.

There are dozens of ways to enjoy chevapi, traditionally served with raw onion and bread, other accompaniments include ajvar (chilli spread), cabbage salad, or my favorite which is to dip into hot paprika (Bukovsko Biber).

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They say that the more colourful the ingredients on your plate, the better it is for you. I guess they’d be right with this summery bean salad, brought to life with fresh mint, garden tomatoes and sweet grilled chillies.

This would have to be one of my favourite summer salads which serves as the most delicious topping on grilled bread. If you already have a few grilled chillies in the fridge, this salad literally takes no more than a few minutes to bang together.

Serve as a light lunch, a rustic appetiser for guests or as a salad accompanying fish, salami or kjofte with a dollop of fresh yoghurt.

Continue reading Summery Bean, Tomato and Chilli Salad (Graf, Domati i Piperki Salata)

What is it about Asian food that makes you feel light and healthy. Maybe it’s the balance of flavours, the fresh produce. Then again, maybe it’s the smaller sized serving bowls that force you to eat less!

Although I love to cook I don’t always have 3 hours to spare preparing a lavish feast during the week. So when a quick and easy restaurant quality recipe comes my way it excites me to think that I can have a fancy looking and tasting meal in just over 30 minutes. Seriously, why bother with take-away when you can eat just as quickly (and cheaply) without having to leave home.

The first time I tried this beef was at a Bondi bbq. The host, a friend with a Korean/Japanese background quickly prepared the beef with a simple marinade and then popped it on the barbie, after a few minutes it was all done. It tasted so good that I’ve been pestering him for the recipe since.

Continue reading Easy Korean Bbq Beef