Reth’s Lettuce Soup from Palia {Romanian Edition // Supă de Salată Verde}

Since having my second child last year, I haven’t had much time to myself (read: none), so my gaming habits have… suffered, to say the least. When I do find twenty minutes of quiet, I turn on my Switch and load my newest favorite cozy game: Palia. (Brought to you by the original developers of The Sims franchise).

While playing, I met Reth—the local Palian chef. And one soup he’s constantly mentioning is his famous Lettuce Soup.

Lettuce Soup… where have I heard that before?

That’s when I realized I have a favorite Romanian lettuce soup! It’s called Supă de Salată Verde {Green Lettuce Soup} and, yes, it is what you’re thinking: lettuce in a broth.

But it’s also so much more than that, too… there’s also sour cream! (Go figure.)

Since I thought others (especially fellow Palia players) might be interested in trying a lettuce soup, I’m sharing this recipe from my cookbook!

↓ Recipe below ↓

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Ciorbă de Lobodă {Wolf Soup}

I was sitting out in my backyard with my mom when she looked over to our untamed planter box (we have a newborn aka our garden has sort of fallen by the wayside) and pointed out a weed that she said her grandmother, my great-grandmother, used to make a soup out of, and they’d call it Ciorbă de Lobodă (pronounced chore-bah day low-bow-dah). Naturally, I had to look up what this weed was (and taste it, but that’s beside the point…). Turns out, it goes by many names, like Lamb’s Quarters or Wild Spinach. Sure enough, tasting it, it did sort of resemble spinach!

So, instead of ripping it out, I decided to hang onto it, harvest it, and make some summer soup!

↓ Recipe below ↓

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Napolitane cu Caramel și Nuci {Wafers with Caramel and Nuts}

Welcome to the second recipe in my Cousin’s Cookies Collection (if you’re new to From Dill to Dracula, check out recipe number one of four: Heather’s Cookies)!

These were never called Napolitane cu Caramel și Nuci (pronounced nah-pole-e-tahn-eh coo car-a-mel she noo-chee), or Wafers and Cocoa. Instead, these were lovingly called Ashley’s Cookies. Yes, I had my very own cookies. And, of course, they were my favorite of the three.

(Again, this is more cake-like than cookie-like, but who am I to question my grandmother?

I’m not. And I won’t.)

But these cookies… man! Because wafers are such a delicate (and thin) carrier, they quite literally melt into your mouth. There’s also a graininess to the filling that’s so nostalgic and comforting—it’s very different from popular fillings which tend to be smooth. Not this one. Smooth disappears. Being able to feel the filling gives it prominence. And deliciousness.

So much deliciousness.
(And, yes, I know that’s not a word you’re supposed to use when describing a recipe, but I can’t help it!)

If you’re just tagging along, don’t forget to visit the rest of my Cousin Cookie Collection:

Tortul de Ciocolată din România {Romanian Chocolate Layer Cake}

↓ Recipe below ↓

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Ciorbă de Porc {Sour Pork Soup}

Ciorbă de Porc (pronounced ch-or-bah day pork) utilizes Romania’s most popular protein in this hearty sour soup filled with vegetables, perfect for a cold autumn day when you’re looking for a quick and delicious warm-up. Traditional recipes use borș {borscht} as the souring agent, but since that’s not a very common ingredient to find I’ve replaced it with lemon juice.

Update 05.2021 // Hey! This recipe has been featured in the opening scene of the horror-survival video game Resident Evil 8 Village.

↓ Recipe Below ↓

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Ciorbă de Legume {Sour Vegetable Soup}

I’m a huge fan of recipes that make use of what you have, especially if it’s on the verge of meeting its trashcan demise. So while this Ciorbă de Legume (pronounced ch-or-bah day leg-oom-ay) has a list of vegetables that make up the soup, I give you free rein to add in whatever vegetables you need to use up! If it’s a heartier vegetable (think potatoes, cauliflower…) add it to the pot earlier in the recipe. If it’s a more delicate vegetable (think tomatoes, zucchini…) add it in near the end of the cook time.

This recipe, in particular, is a bit similar to my Transylvanian Bean Soup recipe (Supă de Fasole Transilvăneană), however, you’ll notice this recipe is a Ciorbă while that recipe is a Supă. So… what’s the difference? Both translate from Romanian to English as “soup,” though they denote key differences between recipes. “Supă” tends to refer to a sweeter soup with vegetables and/or noodles, but no meat, whereas “Ciorbă” tends to refer to a more sour soup with vegetables and/or noodles and is more likely to have meat in it (though neither of these recipes does).

Update 05.2021 // Hey! This recipe has been featured in the opening scene of the horror-survival video game Resident Evil 8 Village.

↓ Recipe below ↓

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Salam de Biscuiti {No-Bake Chocolate Salami Roll}

Salam de Biscuiti {No-Bake Chocolate Salami Roll} | From Dill To Dracula www.FromDillToDracula.com

I know what you’re thinking; chocolate salami?!? Ashley, there are some sweet and savory things that just aren’t meant to be mixed!

Yes and yes. You read that right: this is a chocolate salami dessert, formally called Salam de Biscuiti (and pronounced sah-lah-mm day bis-coo-eat-ee). And, you’re right that chocolate and cured meats stuffed into intestine casing shouldn’t be mixed. But that’s not what this is.

My favorite dessert growing up, only made for special occasions, since it isn’t the healthiest of Romanian recipes in my repertoire. I hope it becomes your favorite, too. I mean, how can it not? Butter, chocolate, rum. Captain Jack Sparrow would be proud, I can assure you. Bonus: it’s a no-bake recipe! Quick and easy to make, then try to forget about it while it’s in the refrigerator!

Yes please. Let’s do this.

↓ Recipe below ↓

—But first, some pretty pictures—

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Zacusca {Roasted Red Pepper Spread}

Zacusca {Roasted Red Pepper Spread} | From Dill To Dracula www.FromDillToDracula.com

Romanians love dips and spreads. I’ve already featured Salata de Vinete, an eggplant salad spread, and today I’m excited to bring to you another smokey veggie goodness recipe: Zacusca (pronounced zah-coo-sk-ah). And… surprise! Even though the star of this recipe is the red pepper, there’s eggplant in this one, too!

Fall is the perfect time to make this recipe. With the Autumn harvest, there’s an abundance of fresh vegetables with robust flavors just waiting to be made into something anew. Zacusca is smokey, salty, a little sweet, a little acidic, and fits perfectly atop a slice of crusty baguette. This is also a great recipe to couple with my Coca Bread, or Romanian Flatbread. It’s quick and easy to whip up and gives you a nice carrier to get the zacusca to your mouth.

Since it does take a while to complete this recipe, I wouldn’t fault you for passing it up. Thankfully, zacusca has become more mainstream, with some specialty grocery stores stocking it on their shelves. Here are some options I found from Amazon: here, here, and here.

 

↓ Recipe below ↓

—But first, some pretty pictures—

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