Breaking
FoodNerdy Recipes Management System
Tag

way

Browsing
Serbia

What is the traditional Serbian way of preparing meat?

Introduction to Traditional Serbian Meat Prep

Meat preparation is a crucial aspect of Serbian cuisine as meat dishes have been an integral part of Serbian culture for centuries. The traditional Serbian way of preparing meat involves a blend of locally available ingredients and techniques that are passed down from generation to generation. The art of meat preparation is considered a sacred skill and is a feature in many Serbian family gatherings, social events, and religious celebrations.

Importance of Meat in Serbian Cuisine

Meat is a staple in Serbian cuisine, with beef, pork, and lamb being the most commonly used meats. The traditional Serbian way of preparing meat involves slow-cooking methods that allow the meat to absorb the maximum amount of flavor, resulting in tender and juicy dishes. Meat is often grilled, roasted, or stewed, and spices such as paprika, garlic, and onion are used to enhance the taste. In addition to being a source of protein, meat is also considered a symbol of hospitality and generosity in Serbia.

Key Ingredients Used in Meat Preparation

The traditional Serbian way of preparing meat involves using locally sourced ingredients that are readily available. Some of the essential ingredients used in meat preparation include paprika, garlic, onion, salt, and pepper. Paprika is used to add a smoky flavor to grilled meat, while garlic and onion are used to enhance the taste and aroma. Salt and pepper are used sparingly to bring out the natural flavors of the meat.

Techniques for Grilling and Roasting Meat

Grilling and roasting are two of the most common methods used to prepare meat in Serbia. Grilling involves cooking meat over an open flame, while roasting involves cooking meat in an oven. Grilling is typically done outdoors, and the meat is placed on skewers or spits and rotated continuously to ensure even cooking. Roasting, on the other hand, involves cooking meat in an enclosed space, and the heat is circulated around the meat. Slow-cooking methods are used to ensure that the meat is tender and juicy.

Popular Meat Dishes in Serbia

Some of the most popular meat dishes in Serbia include cevapi, a type of grilled meat served with onion and bread, sarma, a dish made with meat and vegetables wrapped in cabbage leaves, and pljeskavica, a type of grilled meat patty. Other popular dishes include goulash, roasted lamb, and pork, and bean soup with smoked meat.

Conclusion: The Timeless Art of Meat Prep in Serbia

The traditional Serbian way of preparing meat is an art that has been passed down from generation to generation. It involves a blend of locally available ingredients and techniques that result in tender and juicy dishes. Meat is a staple in Serbian cuisine and is often served at family gatherings, social events, and religious celebrations. The art of meat preparation is considered a sacred skill in Serbia and is a testament to the country’s rich culinary heritage.

Keep Reading
By
Food

Make Way for the Pasta Express!

These uncomplicated pasta sauces will inspire you: Because they are prepared in no time and the ingredients can be bought on the way home from work.

Tuna and capers sauce with olives

Spontaneous visit in the evening? This tuna sauce is super handy because once you roughly chop the olives, onions, and tomatoes, it pretty much makes itself. Capers and tuna give the pasta sauce a full aroma even without a long simmer. The sauce mixed with pasta is simply placed in the pan on the table – and the quick, sociable dinner in the colors of Italy is ready!

The sauce pairs best with pasta shapes that absorb sauce well, such as conchiglie, penne rigate, and tagliatelle.

Mac and Cheese

Sometimes it just has to be pasta with cheese. For this quick mac and cheese recipe, refine a roux with aromatic cheese, toss the macaroni in it, and dinner for cloudy, uncomfortable autumn evenings is ready! If you like, you can bake the macaroni in the oven with grated cheese.

Creamed Spinach Cheese Sauce

It couldn’t be easier or faster! You don’t even need a pot for this pasta, because both the sauce and the pasta are cooked in the pan. The fried cappelletti gives the soft dish the necessary bite. Tortellini, farfalle, and fusilli also go great with the creamy spinach sauce.

Fast turkey bolognese

Like spaghetti bolognese, only lighter and faster: turkey strips provide a certain amount of content in the pasta sauce, but they don’t have to stew as long as with a classic bolognese. This aromatic and delicious pasta dish is on the table in just 20 minutes! In addition to spaghetti, ideal partners are penne and linguine.

Super-convenient Green Bean Pasta

Delicious, healthy and so practical! With this wholesome pasta dish, the beans are simply cooked in the pasta cooking water. If you have some time left, make the pesto for this dish yourself; Those in a hurry can use pesto from the jar. The great thing about the bean pasta is: It supplies the body with complex carbohydrates and keeps you full and satisfied for a long time. Apart from tagliatelle, all types of pasta that absorb sauce well, such as penne or fusilli, are suitable.

Aglio e olio molto rapido

It couldn’t be simpler: Pepperoni and chili give the classic pasta dish a tasty boost. Be sure to catch some pasta water, because it binds the hot garlic oil sauce.

Spaghetti is best for “Aglio e Olio”.

Keep Reading
By
Food

Eating Dandelion: How Healthy is it – and What is The Best Way to Prepare it?

Dandelion is not only beautiful to look at, but also edible. It’s healthy and even tasty. We explain what the plant has to offer and how you can eat it.

In order to find dandelions, it is often enough to go into your own garden. It is known for its yellow flowers and sticky, white sap that often turns fingers brown when touched. But have you ever thought about eating the plant?

How does dandelion affect the body?

Dandelion grows in many places: Whether in gardens, at the edge of the forest or on the street – you can find the plant almost everywhere. At the end of April/beginning of May the lion’s number blooms, but you can see it until autumn.

The plant not only looks beautiful, you can also eat the dandelion. It is even particularly healthy and can be a tasty addition to many dishes. There are many different uses for the plant.

The bitter substances it contains also stimulate the metabolism and promote digestion as well as kidney and bladder activity. The dandelion is also used because of its digestive properties, as the plant reaches the large intestine undigested.

How healthy are dandelions?

The dandelion is not poisonous, you can eat leaves, flowers and roots
The milky sap contained in the flower stalk is also non-toxic. However, the juice can leave unsightly stains on clothing that are difficult to remove.

The root of the plant in particular contains many healthy ingredients such as inulin, vitamins B, C and E and many carotenoids. The flowers and leaves are very rich in minerals such as potassium, zinc and copper. This makes dandelion a valuable dietary supplement.

How to cook dandelion

The bitter substances contained in dandelion ensure that the leaves have a slightly bitter taste. The flowers, on the other hand, are even slightly sweet.

The leaves can be cooked or used raw. They are particularly suitable as an addition to a green salad, but they also enrich a pesto. If the leaves are to be cooked, they must first be washed. Then you can put them in boiling water for ten minutes.

If you roast the roots in a pan, they can be ground up well. Then you can even make a kind of coffee out of it.

Conclusion

Dandelion is healthy and can be used in a variety of ways in the kitchen. The next time you see the plant, pluck it off and try one of the preparation methods.

Keep Reading
By
Cooking Tips

Boil Down Beans: This Way You Can Enjoy Them For Longer

Canning beans is a great way to make healthy vegetables last longer. Here we show you how it works and what variants there are.

Whether green, yellow or white – by preserving beans you can preserve them for a long time and also enjoy them outside of the bean season. Depending on your taste, you can boil them salty or sour.

Boil beans with salt

For about three jars of the salty beans you need the following ingredients:
1 kg of beans
20 grams of salt
water
You can easily cook beans in just a few steps:
Clean and wash the beans. Remove the ends and cut the beans to the desired size.
Preheat the oven to 100°C. Meanwhile, bring water and salt to a boil in a saucepan and blanch the beans for 5 minutes.
Then take the beans out of the pot and rinse them with cold water. Boil the bean water again.
Place the quenched beans in previously cleaned mason jars and pour the boiling bean water over them. Close the jars tightly.
Place the glasses in a roasting pan, large pan or casserole dish and fill the respective container with water. It is important: The glasses must not touch the edge of the container!
Now let the beans cook in the oven for two hours and then cool them down under a tea towel.

Boil the beans sour

If salty beans aren’t quite to your liking, you can easily boil them sour with just a few more ingredients. You will need for about three glasses:
1 kg of beans
2 onions
125 ml vinegar
500ml of water
30 grams of sugar
pickled spice
Salt
dill
savory
Preparing sour beans works a little differently than the first recipe:
Wash and trim the beans. remove the ends.
Boil them in salted water until al dente. This takes about 10 to 15 minutes.
Take the beans out of the water, shock them with cold water and fill them into the previously cleaned mason jars.
Add dill and savory and 2 teaspoons of pickling spice.
Peel the onions and cut them into rings.
Bring the water, salt, vinegar, sugar and onions to a boil in a saucepan and let it simmer for a few minutes. Then fill the brew into the mason jars and seal them tightly.
Now place the glasses in a water-filled, oven-safe container as described in the first recipe. The glasses should not touch the edge of the container.
Cook the beans at 100°C for two hours, then take the jars out of the oven and let them cool, covered.

Keep Reading
By
Cooking Tips

Drying Basil: This Way You Can Use it Longer

Drying basil is not difficult, but it is worth it: you can use dried basil to refine your dishes all year round. Here you can find out what you have to consider when drying basil.

Dry basil: in the air

Basil is particularly indispensable in Italian cuisine and should therefore not be missing from homemade pizza and pasta. But especially without a garden or balcony, you don’t always have fresh basil at hand – you can prevent that by stocking up on the dried herbs. Like other herbs, you can dry basil in the oven or food dehydrator. However, it is much more energy-efficient to simply let the plant air dry.

Use scissors to cut the basil leaves off the stem. Leave as much of the stem as possible so you can bundle the leaves later. The leaves just before flowering are best, as they are at their most aromatic at this time.
You can use flexible wire or string to tie the individual leaves together by the stem and then hang them on a hook or similar device. An airy place with some sun exposure is best.
After about two weeks, your basil leaves will be completely dry; depending on the location, the drying process can also be faster. You can tell they’re dry enough by the fact that you can simply crumble them with your fingers.
Now you can put the leaves in a sealable jar or other container.

Drying basil: in the oven

If you don’t have the time to air dry, drying the basil in the oven is a much more time-saving option. All you have to do is spread your picked leaves evenly on a tray and let them bake for about 20 minutes at the lowest temperature. It is best to leave the tray in the closed oven overnight to ensure that the basil leaves are completely dry. Then you can also fill them in a suitable container. It is advisable to use this method only in exceptional cases due to the increased energy consumption.

Dry basil: these are the advantages

Drying basil is – like preserving other foods – ecologically advisable.
The basil pots from the supermarket in particular usually don’t last long – before they die, it makes sense to dry and store the leaves immediately. In this way you can counteract food waste, at least in small steps.
If you have a garden where you grow basil, you can save it from the cold season by drying the leaves—that way you’ll also have a supply for next spring.
Dried spices or herbs are available in supermarkets and also in most organic markets, almost only packed in plastic. If you dry your basil yourself at home, you also save on packaging.

Keep Reading
By
Cooking Tips

Boiling Beetroot: This Way You Have More of it

Beetroot also tastes delicious when boiled. We’ll show you how to quickly and easily preserve the fresh vegetables. So you can still enjoy beetroot after the season.

Beetroot can not only be combined in a variety of salads or as a side dish, but is also a real vitamin bomb. Vegetables are in season from September to November

Boil beetroot: You need these ingredients

For 3-4 mason jars you need the following ingredients:
1 kg beetroot
1 small onion
400ml of water
200 ml balsamic vinegar
20 grams of sugar
1 pinch of salt
cloves
peppercorns
10 g fresh horseradish
1 thumb-sized piece of ginger

Boil beetroot: this is how it works

Wash the tubers thoroughly with water and remove the leaves.
Boil the beetroot in a closed saucepan with water and add salt.
Let the beetroot cook for about an hour over medium-high heat.
Take the tubers out of the water and rinse them with cold water.
The skin should now peel off easily. Slice the peeled beets. Warning: beetroot juice can stain heavily. So it is best to wear gloves when you process the tubers.
Peel the onion and
Set the beets aside and bring the water to a boil with the vinegar, salt, sugar and onions in a saucepan.
Peel the horseradish and the
Put the beetroot in screw-top jars that you have rinsed out with hot water beforehand
Add horseradish, ginger, cloves, onion, and pepper to taste.
Fill the glasses with the brew.
Sterilize the jars by placing them in a pot of boiling water for about half an hour. The glasses should be half covered with water and not touching each other.
Take the glasses out of the water and let them cool. Beetroot can be kept for several months in a dark, cool place.

Keep Reading
By
Food

Storing Mushrooms: This Way They Stay Fresh Longer

Fresh mushrooms can spoil quickly in the wrong conditions. Here you can find out how to store mushrooms correctly and make them last longer.

Mushrooms are perishable

Mushrooms can be harvested all year round and can be used in a variety of ways – whether in the vegetable pan, on the grill or simply raw. Anyone who has ever bought mushrooms in the usual plastic bowl and put them in the fridge knows their disadvantage: the mushrooms start to mold and smell unpleasant after a short time. They end up in organic waste. With a few simple tricks you can extend the shelf life of the mushrooms.

How to store mushrooms correctly

First you should free the mushrooms from the coarsest dirt. Never wash them under running water, it is better to wipe them off with kitchen paper or a tea towel. You can also clean them with a brush.
Mushrooms keep longer in cooler temperatures, so it’s best to store them in the crisper in the fridge.
Condensation forms quickly in closed plastic bowls or bags, from which the mushrooms become mushy and go moldy more easily. It is therefore better to store the mushrooms in a paper bag or in a dry and clean tea towel – it is important that they get air.
It is advisable not to store the mushrooms next to other odorous foods, as they easily absorb foreign odors and thus lose their typical mushroom taste.
You can tell that mushrooms are spoiled by the open, darkly discolored slats on the underside of the head. Brownish bruises often form and the stem also turns brown.
With these tips, the mushrooms should stay fresh for at least three days. Even after that, they are usually still edible, but they no longer taste as good as the fresh mushrooms.

It is best to buy mushrooms only as needed

If you can’t harvest your own mushrooms, you can often find loose mushrooms at the market or in a health food store. On the one hand, you avoid the plastic packaging and, on the other hand, you can determine the amount of mushrooms yourself. If you do have too many mushrooms left, you can also preserve them by either drying or freezing them and then using them as needed.

Keep Reading
By
Cooking Tips

Freeze Milk: This Way You Won’t Waste a Drop Anymore

You can freeze milk if you don’t need it in the next few days or if you have a lot in stock.

Freezing milk: when does it make sense?

The popular UHT milk is ultra-high temperature, homogenized milk. Since it can be stored unopened for several months without refrigeration, it is no longer common to freeze milk. That wasn’t always the case: before UHT milk was introduced, it was more common to freeze milk to preserve it longer.

With UHT milk, this only makes sense if you have already opened the pack and cannot use the rest of the milk within a few days – for example if you rarely drink milk or if you go on vacation.
The situation is different with fresh milk (“traditionally produced”), which has only been heated to 72 to 75 degrees Celsius: This also belongs in the refrigerator unopened and can only be kept there for seven to ten days.
The so-called ESL milk (“fresh milk, longer lasting”) was heated to 127° C and can be kept unopened for three weeks. So if you have more fresh milk in stock than you need, you can freeze it and make it last longer.

Finally, there is raw milk, which is consumed less these days: it is unheated, untreated milk. This is perishable and should be used up as soon as possible. If you keep cows, goats or sheep yourself, you can freeze raw milk to preserve it without pasteurizing it first.

Disadvantages of frozen milk

Depending on which milk you use, the consistency will change as a result of the freezing process:
When freezing, the fats separate from the protein molecules in the liquid. The result: the fat settles at the bottom of the container, while the liquid above is very watery. In principle, the following applies: the higher the fat content of the milk, the more it settles.
Since all milk (except raw milk) is homogenized, this effect is not as strong: During the homogenization, the milk fat droplets are significantly broken up, which is why they mix better with the liquid.
You can counteract this fat-protein separation by shaking the milk vigorously before freezing. After you have thawed them, you should definitely shake them vigorously again.
Also, milk loses some of its flavor when it freezes. Therefore, frozen milk that has been thawed again is better suited for baking and cooking than for drinking on its own or with muesli.

Freezing milk: step-by-step instructions

If you want to freeze milk, you should consider a few points. This is the best way to go about it:
Choose a suitable container in which you want to freeze the milk: You can simply use the milk carton for this. Of course you can also use a plastic bottle. However, (thick-walled) glass vessels are more sustainable. The danger here: Since the milk expands when it freezes, the bottle can burst under pressure.
For this reason, do not fill the vessel to the brim. This is particularly important for solid containers made of glass or hard plastic. Instead, leave at least 1/5 of the container free as a precaution. Then you can also use (thick-walled) glass containers without any problems. Label the container with the current date. This way you can later see when you froze the milk and how long it can be kept. Info: Milk keeps for about three months in the freezer.
Place the container in the freezer. Glass jars in particular should first be placed in the freezer with the lid open and only closed when the milk is completely frozen. This will ensure that the jar does not burst.
Shelf life: Frozen milk can be kept for up to three months. It should also remain edible beyond that, but it can lose its taste. After thawing, you should use the milk in a maximum of five days. If it was already open for a few days before freezing, this time is reduced accordingly.

Milk ice cubes: Alternatively, you can also freeze the milk in portions as ice cubes. Simply fill in a suitable form. You can then thaw the frozen milk again as needed – for smoothies, for example. In addition, ice cubes also thaw faster than a large block.

Thaw and use frozen milk

You should never thaw frozen milk under heat – not with hot water or even in the microwave. Otherwise, the components of the milk cannot combine properly again.

Instead, you can thaw milk in two different ways:
In the fridge: The milk thaws slowly, which can take more than a day depending on the quantity.
In cold water: Put the container with the frozen milk in a cold (!) water bath. Then thawing takes from a few hours to half a day.
Important: After thawing, you should definitely shake the milk thoroughly so that the individual components combine well.

You can then use the milk as usual. However, it is only suitable for drinking to a limited extent, but it is suitable for baking and cooking. It is also advisable to add the milk, which is still very cold or slightly frozen, to smoothies – a refreshment, especially in summer.

Keep Reading
By
Food

Drying Thyme: This Way You Can Use it For Longer

If you want to dry thyme, you can do this very easily in the air under the right conditions. It’s worth it, because thyme has a very long shelf life when dried, so you can use the spice for a long time.

In order to be able to use thyme for as long as possible, you should preserve it. The best way to do this is to dry it. In the dried state you can use it for seasoning, for example for potatoes, tomato sauce, various soups and vegetables such as eggplant or zucchini. You can also use dried thyme as a tea. Thyme tea is said to have a positive effect on colds. Simply pour hot water over the thyme. This works with both fresh and dried herbs.

Thyme is at its most aromatic when you harvest it just before it blooms, between May and September. You can also create your own small herb garden, there is even enough space on the balcony or windowsill.

Drying Thyme: Instructions

To dry thyme, use scissors to cut off several branches of the plant. If your thyme is outside, it is best to choose a day when it is not raining. Because if the thyme is very damp, the risk of mold increases. That’s why you shouldn’t wash the thyme if possible. If there are wilted leaves on the branches, remove them before drying.
Now take a piece of twine and tie several sprigs of thyme together in bundles.
Hang the bundles so the thyme hangs upside down. Choose a warm, dry place to hang. This place should be as dark / shady as possible. Make sure the bunches of thyme aren’t hanging too close together so they get enough air from all sides.
After two to four weeks you can remove the thyme, it is then well dried. You can tell by the fact that you can easily crumble the leaves between your fingers.
Separate the leaves from the stems and fill them in screw-top jars.
Store the spice jars in a dark and dry place. This way you can use the thyme for several months.

Keep Reading
By
Food

Storing Ginger: This Way it Stays Fresh For a Long Time

You only need a small piece of fresh ginger for most dishes.

Tip 1 for correct storage: Don’t buy too much ginger

If you want to enjoy fresh ginger for as long as possible, you must not buy old tubers. Old ginger is very difficult to store. You can recognize fresh produce by the fact that the tuber feels firm and heavy. Ginger that is no longer as dewy is softer and has a wrinkled skin.

Also, don’t buy too much ginger at once. For most recipes you only need a few slices, the rest is often forgotten and eventually ends up in the bin. So you should consider beforehand how much ginger you need and how you want to use it.

Tip 2: Store ginger outside of the refrigerator

If your fresh ginger root is still unpeeled and uncut, you can store it in a dark and cool place outside the refrigerator. The pantry is best for this. You can store fresh ginger there for several weeks. Wrap it up completely in a paper towel beforehand and then put it in a sealable container or paper bag.

Sliced ​​ginger can also be stored outside the refrigerator for some time. Store it in a dark and cool place. While the interface may become a bit woody and hard over time, the ginger flesh stays fresh and you can keep using it.

Tip 3: Store cut ginger in the fridge

If you want to store cut ginger in the fridge, you should make sure that it is kept as airtight as possible. There is high humidity in the refrigerator, which promotes the formation of mold in food.
Option 1: To prevent the ginger cut from drying out too much, you can cover it with reusable beeswax towels instead of plastic or aluminum foil. Place the fully wrapped ginger in a sealable can or paper bag.
Option 2: Alternatively, you can slightly dampen a cloth kitchen towel and wrap the ginger in it before storing it in the crisper of the fridge.

You can use these methods to keep sliced ​​ginger fresh in the refrigerator for up to three weeks.

Tip 4: Freeze fresh ginger

If you always want to have a supply of ginger on hand, you can also freeze it. Proceed as follows:
Method 1: ginger pile
Peel the ginger and then grate it finely.
Use a spoon to form small mounds of the grated ginger.
Put these piles on a plate, which you then put in the freezer.
Once the ginger mounds are frozen, you can remove them from the plate and place them in a freezer bowl.
Method 2: ginger slices
Peel the ginger.
Cut it into strips or slices.
Place in a freezer-safe container and freeze.
You can pour hot water over the heaps or slices of ginger to make ginger tea or add them to dishes. Processed like this, the ginger will keep in the freezer for about 3 to 6 months.

Tip 5: Pot ginger and plant it yourself

Ginger is one of those foods that grows back on its own. This means that you can easily keep fresh ginger bulbs alive by planting them one at a time. In this way, you can also recycle ginger bulbs that have already sprouted. The ginger pieces sprout and form reed-like plants. After some time you can harvest fresh ginger bulbs for kitchen use.

Here you can find out how to plant ginger yourself.

Tip 6: Preserve ginger by pickling it

To prevent ginger from spoiling or becoming too woody and dry, you can preserve it by pickling it. Peeled, cut, grated and preserved in a vinegar broth, the ginger prepared in this way can be kept for up to six months. Pickled ginger is particularly popular with sushi.

Here are the instructions on how to pickle ginger.

Keep Reading
By