Browsing Category: Kitchen

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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Cașcaval Pane {Transylvanian Fried Cheese}

Cașcaval Pane (pronounced kahsh-kah-vahl pah-neh) is Romania’s answer to the beloved mozzarella stick, made with—you guessed it—cașcaval cheese… or another semi-hard cheese if more readily available… and it pairs deliciously with my Mujdei De Usturoi garlic sauce!

↓ Recipe below ↓

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Budincă de Dovlecei {Zucchini Pudding}

Budincă de Dovlecei (pronounced boo-deen-kuh deh dov-leh-chay) leans more into the realm of a pie than a pudding. However, regardless of the sugary terminology used, this dish is far from being a dessert!

As summer draws to a close, those who planted zucchini this year might find themselves inundated with this bountiful summer squash. Enter the recipe that lets you make the most of your harvest: Budincă de Dovlecei. Much like a crustless quiche, this dish offers a swift and simple way to prepare a delightful breakfast, brunch, or dinner!

↓ Recipe below ↓

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Biscuiți Șprițați {Sprinkled Cookies}

Biscuiți Șprițați (pronounced bee-s-choo-eats sh-preet-z-atz), also referred to as omidă (pronounced oh-mee-dah), which stands for caterpillar because of its shape, are buttery cookies that are just perfect for your holiday festivities, and can be decorated to your liking, like with a snowy dusting of powdered sugar, or dipped in fudgy chocolate!

Traditionally these cookies rely on a meat grinder and special attachment to form their funky shape (similar to the churro attachment that can be purchased here), however, these can also be cut by hand. The shape won’t affect how these taste (which is delicious, by the way).

↓ Recipe below ↓

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Thanksgiving Side Dishes a la Romania

October 27, 2021 Ashley R.

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, here’s a quick round-up of some Romanian recipes that would pair perfectly as accompaniments to your Turkey!

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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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Mujdei De Usturoi {Garlic Sauce}

Here’s a recipe that will surely keep Dracula and his minions at bay! Is there such a thing as too much garlic? (I’d argue a resounding no.) Mujdei De Usturoi (pronounced moo-sh-day day oose-to-roy) can be used as a dipping sauce for chips, crackers or french fries, or you can use it as an accompaniment to your favorite protein or vegetable.

… Or as a defense against the dangerous strigoi (that’s vampire)…

↓ 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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Cousin's Cookies

Pește Alb Cu Sos Marar și Hrean {White Fish with Dill and Horseradish Sauce}

Even though meats (particularly pork) are the more plentiful protein used in Romanian cuisine, there are many different species of fish featured in Romanian recipes thanks to the country’s access to the Danube and the Black Sea. Combining two popular Romanian flavors—dill and horseradish—Pește Alb Cu Sos Marar și Hrean (pronounced pesh-tay all-b coo s-ohs mah-ra-hr she hu-ran ) makes use of the many different white fish available and can be whipped up within 15 minutes!

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 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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