Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Table of Contents
Forward
..........................................................................................................................................3
Measurement Conversions
.............................................................................................................4
Ingredient Availability/Substitutions
................................................................................................5
Translations
....................................................................................................................................9
Avoiding Food Poisoning
..............................................................................................................15
Breakfast Foods
...........................................................................................................................17
Appetizers & Easy Food
...............................................................................................................22
Dips & Spreads
.............................................................................................................................26
Sauces
..........................................................................................................................................29
Gravies & Marinades
....................................................................................................................31
Yeasted Breads
............................................................................................................................32
Pizzas, Tortillas, Biscuits, & Crackers
...........................................................................................35
Soups, Stocks, & Stews
...............................................................................................................38
Salad Dressings
...........................................................................................................................47
Salads
..........................................................................................................................................49
Fruits, Vegetables, & Vegetarian
..................................................................................................54
Potatoes
........................................................................................................................................64
Rice & Grains
...............................................................................................................................68
Beans
............................................................................................................................................73
Pasta
.............................................................................................................................................77
Poultry
..........................................................................................................................................86
Beef, Lamb, & Pork
.......................................................................................................................93
Fish
...............................................................................................................................................96
Italian
............................................................................................................................................97
Mexican
......................................................................................................................................100
Asian/Fusion
...............................................................................................................................103
Curries & Indian
..........................................................................................................................105
Cookies, Bars, Brownies, & Fudge
.............................................................................................107
Quick Breads & Cakes
...............................................................................................................116
Frostings & Dessert Sauces
.......................................................................................................123
Puddings & Custards
..................................................................................................................125
Pies and Pie Crusts
....................................................................................................................126
Fruit Desserts
.............................................................................................................................129
Hot Beverages
............................................................................................................................133
Cold Beverages
..........................................................................................................................134
Cocktails, Punches, & Liqueurs
..................................................................................................135
Miscellaneous
.............................................................................................................................136
Peace Corps Thanksgiving
.........................................................................................................138
Preserving Food
.........................................................................................................................142
Essential Canning Information
....................................................................................................142
Canning Recipes
........................................................................................................................144
Beer & Wine Guides
...................................................................................................................152
2
Forward
US Peace Corps Armenia Volunteer Cookbook, Eighth Edition
Peace Corps Armenia provides the perfect opportunity to develop culinary survival skills and
promotes gastronomic resourcefulness. Your kitchen may be makeshift, some ingredients
might be hard to find, and you might have to borrow pots and pans from a neighbor, but
PCVs are always an appreciative audience, and Armenians always love to see Americans
cook.
In this cookbook you will find many PCV favoritesboth American and Armenianbut you
will probably also want to create your own dishes or adapt well-loved family recipes, so
check the next section for:
Abbreviations Icons
Credits
Char Taylorfood poisoning section; Wayne Purves (A5) & Angus Anderson (A6)
Armenian wine; Andy Matestic (A6)saved the cookbook disk; David Davtian & Anoush
SargissianRussian/Armenian glossary, spice/herb list; Alina Grigoryandata entry; Frank
Pastorino (A10)beer editorial; Christy Schindler (A5), Lisa Householder(A5), & Heidi
Wilton (A6)A6 cookbook editors; Wendy Schmidt (A8), Jennifer Windkle (A8), & Jennifer
Haile (A8)A8 cookbook editors; Meg Wallace (A8), Ben Steinbach (A10), Mari Chiba (A16)
& Patrick Findler (A16)proofreaders; Aaron Martinez (A10) & Salena Bailey (A10)A10
cookbook editors; Elvira Dana (A13) & Jennifer Carter (A13)2006 revisions; Elizabeth Pou
(A15)2008 revision; Meaghan Corwin (A16)2009 & 2010 revision; Barbara Harrington
(A17)2010 revision;Elvira Dana (A13)end illustration; Elizabeth Allen (A16)cover
illustration.
3
Measurement Conversions
If you dont have measuring cups, you can make your own by taking a 500mL soda bottle
and cutting the bottom end off just under the label. If you measure 3 inches up from the
bottom, you will have one cup. If you measure 1.5 inches from the bottom, you will have
cup.
Alternatively, you can make do with items commonly available in most Armenian
households: one teacup is approximately 1 cup; one coffee cup (demitasse) is approximately
cup.
3 teaspoons = 15 mL = 1 tablespoon
2 tablespoons = 30 mL = cup
4 tablespoons = 60 mL = cup
5 tablespoons = 79 mL = cup
8 tablespoons = 118 mL = cup
12 tablespoons = 178 mL = cup
16 tablespoons = 237 mL = 1 cup
1 fluid ounce = 30 mL = 2 tablespoons
8 fluid ounces = 237 mL = 1 cup
16 fluid ounces = 473 mL = 2 cups or 1 pint
32 fluid ounces = 946 mL = 4 cups or 1 quart
4
Oven Conversions
Most ovens (if you happen to have an oven) are unlikely to have any accurate way of setting
their temperature. In which case there is a good way to estimate oven temperature, by
sprinkling flour on a pan and placing the pan in a heated oven.
Ingredient Availability/Substitutions
As you might have noticed, not all of your favorite cooking ingredients are available in
Armenia. Fortunately, you can make substitutions without affecting the flavor of the final
product too much (though of course it wont be quite the same).
General Availability
The following ingredients are generally available in Yerevan, and may also be found in larger
towns and cities. We should note that availability varies wildly; if you see something you
might want, you should purchase it right away, as it will likely not be in stock the next time
you look for it.
Spices and herbs: bay leaves, cardamom, cloves, coriander, cumin, curry, fennel, ginger,
marjoram, mint, nutmeg, oregano, paprika (spicy and sweet), poppy seeds, saffron, sesame
seeds, sumac, thyme (/urc: minty-flavored, for tea).
Cheeses: in Yerevan you can find most of the standard cheeses you would be able to find in
the US (e.g. parmesan, mozzarella, feta, cheddar) as well as a wide range of Armenian
cheeses.
Other ingredients: baking powder, brown (and wild) rice, cream cheese, limes, ground
ginger, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, pesto, coconut milk, tabasco, almond extract,
tahini, bacon, brown sugar, sun-dried tomatoes, olive oil (will be more expensive outside of
Yerevan, but when transportation is calculated into the cost, it evens out).
If your recipe depends on baking powder or brown sugar, though, you might want to have
that shipped from the US, instead of depending on local supplies.
We have not been able to find the following in Armenia (but maybe we havent been looking
hard enough): chili powder, dried chilies, rosemary, maple syrup.
5
Seasonal Availability
Prepared by Meg Wallace (A8), this chart gives a rough idea of when most fruits and
vegetables are available in the markets, although timing and availability vary by site.
Fruits Availability
availability can vary
winter Apr May Jun July Aug Sep Oct Nov
wildly
Oranges, bananas,
lemons, dates, apples,
kiwi, dried fruits,
grapefruit, grapes
white cherries
strawberries
mulberries
apricots
green plums
currants
raspberries
blackberries
muskmelon
watermelon
apples
peaches
plums
grapes
pears
mandarins (through
winter)
persimmons (through
winter)
quince
pomegranate (through
January)
6
Vegetables Availability
availability can vary
winter Apr May Jun July Aug Sep Oct Nov
wildly
Cabbage, potatoes,
beets, onions, carrots
asparagus
mushrooms
garlic
spinach
tomatoes, cucumbers
eggplant
7
Eggplant: Eggplant is at its peak in the summer. Purchase only firm and unblemished
eggplants; discoloration or dents as these indicate a bitter fruit. Avoid spongy-to-the-touch or
large eggplants. This highly perishable fruit should be purchased no more than two days
before use. Store in a cool, not cold or hot, area.
Garlic: To store garlic for the winter, it should be hung in an airy placepreferably in a string
bag. Garlic should be firm and heavy when purchased. Dont buy it if it has soft spots and
dont store it in the refrigerator. Store it in a container that air can flow freely through in a
cool, dry place.
Grape: If the stem and the area where the grape attaches to the stem looks fresh, the grape
will be fresh as well. Avoid soft or wrinkled grapes or grapes with stems that are brown and
brittle.
Hazelnut (Filbert): While all nuts have a fragile shelf-life, hazelnuts especially do. Purchase
a years supply in the late fallideally in the shellwrap the nuts tightly, and freeze until use.
Lemon: Avoid lemons with a darker yellow or dull color or with hardened or shriveled skin,
which indicates old age. Soft spots, mold, or broken skin indicate decay.
Melon: A ripe melon is heavy for its size with a firm rind, a slight softening, and a sweet
aroma at the blossom end. Avoid an overly ripe melon or one with dark, soft, or sunken
spots.
Onion: Select firm onions that have a papery dry skin with little or no neck and no soot.
Avoid onions that are light for their weight or are beginning to sprout. To store onions for the
winter, they should be stored in a dark placea cardboard box for example. Do not store
onions in the refrigerator.
Peach: Do not buy hard, out-of-season peaches and those with greenish skins; they do not
ripen or become sweet. A peachy aroma indicates ripeness, as does softness; choose a
peach that gives slightly to palm pressure.
Peanut: If purchasing shelled peanuts, refrigerate until use.
Pear: Select firm - not hard - pears with a noticeable pear aroma. Ripen at room
temperature in a closed paper bag until the flesh at the stem end yields to gentle thumb
pressure. Because pears soften from the inside out, a pear that is really soft on the outside
is overripe.
Pepper: Select firm, glossy peppers with stems intact. Avoid those with soft spots or
shriveled, pale skin. In general, those with thinner skins are more peppery; those with thicker
skins, sweeter.
Pomegranate: Look for fresh-looking, plump, heavy fruit with a hard red skin. Store in a
cool, dark place for up to a month, or refrigerate for up to two months.
Potato: Select firm potatoes that are clean, firm, smooth, and free from soft spots or
darkened areas.
Scallion/Green Onion: Scallions are more perishable than mature onions. Look for firm
scallions with their long rootlets intact, and unblemished leaves that show no signs of
withering or slime.
Spinach: Look for crisp bright green leaves with short stems. Avoid spinach that is yellow,
wilted, slimy, or with stem ends that show drying.
Strawberry: Buy strawberries that are fully red and slightly soft, with hulls intact. Peak
season is from late spring through early summer. Do not remove the green caps until after
washing the fruit and just before serving.
8
Tomato: Purchase tomatoes that are firm but yield slightly to pressure and have an even,
bright red color and a rich tomato aroma. Avoid those with bruises, cracks, and dark spots.
Do not refrigerate tomatoes, this drains their flavor and gives a mealy texture.
Turnip: A turnip past its prime is bitter. A small fresh turnip, no longer than three inches in
diameter, grown in the spring or fall, is sweet with a mild bite like a radish when raw. Turnips
grown in the hot months are decidedly more pungent. Select turnips that have root end and
stem base intact. Look for smooth, firm roots. Reject flaccid, discolored, or withered turnips.
Watermelon: Heft several melons and choose one that is heavy for its size and symmetrical
in shape. Also hold the melon in one hand and thump it with the other. If it sounds hollow
with a slight ring, it is ripe.
Substitutions
Maple syrup: although there is a recipe for artificial maple syrup in this cookbook, a far nicer
substitute is the syrup of walnut muraba. Its got a sweet, complex nutty and spicy flavor that
make up for the lack of maple syrup. And the colors right!
Powdered sugar: to make powdered sugar from regular sugar, put the sugar in a blender
and blend until powdered or place sugar in a sturdy plastic bag and roll with a rolling pin or
glass bottle until sugar crystals break into powder.
Dried herbs for fresh: use teaspoon powdered dried herbs or teaspoon crushed dried
herbs for every tablespoon of freshly chopped herbs. This does not work well for cilantro
(coriander).
Milk: fresh milk may or not be available at your site; if you are getting milk fresh from the
farmer, be sure to bring the milk to a low boil (stirring constantly to prevent burning) before
using it (i.e. pasteurize it). If fresh milk is not available, add one can (filtered or boiled) water
to one can of condensed milk to make a slightly sweet milk-substitute. Or you can mix
/macun and water for a slightly more savory milk-substitute.
Cream cheese: American-style cream cheese is sometimes available in Yerevan, but you
can make do by substituting curds (/katnasho). Viola brand processed cheese
also works, we are told, but, although the texture is slightly smoother, the taste is rather
more processed.
Meltable cheese: sometimes you need a cheese that melts to make a recipe work. Ask for
/holandakan in the store and they will give you a cheese, probably fairly mild,
that melts. You might end up with cheddar one time and gouda the next.
Sour cream: if you are watching your diet or simply cant find sour cream, you can
substitute /macun. Just line a strainer with a paper towel or napkin, place over a
deep bowl or jar, then pour 2 C /macun into the strainer. Return to the refrigerator for
a few hours, then discard the water in the container and the thickened /macun can
be used in place of sour cream.
Translations
This glossary of Armenian (and Russian) food terms is not meant to be exhaustive, but
should help you the first few times you go to the store, so you can ask for peas instead of
green balls for salad. It might help to make a written list (in Armenian) if you have specific
things you need at the store and then give the list to the shopkeeper. Or you can get some
extra language practice by using paraphrasemost shopkeepers are more than happy to
9
help you with your vocabulary (though oftentimes they will use the Russian word rather than
Armenian: if youre interested in the Armenian word, be sure to ask for it).
Transliteration Key
a c j
b k (rolled r)
g h s
d dz v
(y)e gh t
z ch r
e m c
(schwa) y u
t n p
zh sh k
i (v)o (y)ev
l ch o
kh p f
These transliterations will be followed throughout the text. Although this transliteration key
and the transliterations provided below are meant to assist your pronunciation, please ask
your LCF or an Armenian friend for pronunciation help if your are in any doubt. Please be
aware that the apostrophes indicate aspiration or a breathing sound. Again, consult an
Armenian for pronunciation advice.
Please note that items included in the spice and herb list will not be reproduced below, so if
you are looking for, say, cinnamon and cant find it here, look in the spice and herb list.
/
bowl / tas fork
pataakagh
/
cup / bazhak lunch
kesorya nakhachash
10
dish / aman spoon / gdal
cornelian
/ hon pomegranate / nu
cherry
/ nkuyz,
kiwi / kivi walnuts
/ popok
/ limon, /
lemon watermelon / dzmeruk
kitron
Vegetables
11
carrot / gazar onion / sokh
/ /
cauliflower pea
caghkakaghamb kanach sise
/ / lolik,
green beans tomato
kanach lobi / pomidor
Jerusalem / /
turnip
artichoke getnakhndzor spitak boghk
/ maol,
lettuce zucchini / d()dmik
/ salat
beef (ground) () / tavari mis liver / lyard
(aghacac)
/ khecgetin
crayfish pork / khozi mis
(or Rus. / ak)
/ nrbershik (or /
hot dogs turkey
Rus. / sasiski) hndkahavi mis
12
/
cheese curds katnasho (or Russ. milk / kat
/ tvorog)
/
khtacrac kat or powdered
condensed milk / kati poshi
/ milk
kaghcr kat
/
paghpaghak (or
ice cream yogurt / macun
Russ. /
marozhnie)
Beverages
/ garejur
beer tea / tey
(or Russ. / piva
/
baking soda lentils / vosp
kerakek soda
/ / varsaki
hndkacoren aljur
buckwheat oatmeal
(or Russ. / (or Russ. /
grechka) gerkyles)
13
chocolate / shokolad porridge / shila
/ hachar, /
cream of wheat / manni rye
ashora
Baked Goods
/ blit / karkandak
bun pie
(or Russ. / boulki) (or Russ. / pirogh
14
mustard / mananekh (garcheesta)
/ mshknkuyz
nutmeg
(moosegatneey arkh)
oregano / oregano N/A
parsley / maghadanos (petrooshka)
black pepper / sev pghpegh
,
red pepper (paprika)
/ karmir pghegh, kcu
/ khnkuni
rosemary
(rosemareen)
tarragon / tarkhoon (estragon)
thyme / urc (teemian)
15
Make sure your food is fully cooked. Meats should never be red in the middle, especially
chicken. If, after cutting into a piece of meat, you find that its not fully cooked, return it to the
baking or frying pan and cook it the rest of the way. When you take the food off the heat, use
a clean plate, since juices from undercooked meat can contaminate other foods on the dish.
Never eat raw eggs; this includes cookie dough or any other mixture that has raw eggs in it.
Also, never drink fresh milk without treating it. All milk (even before making yogurt)
should be brought just to a boil; this is called flash pasteurization. This is enough to kill the
bacteria that may be present from a sick cow (namely TB and brucellosis).
Use leftovers in a timely manner. If you dont have electricity or a refrigerator, only buy
small amounts of perishable foods and use them quickly If you do have electricity and a
refrigerator, cover your leftovers and keep them chilled. Remember the old food safety rule:
first in, first out. Also, store your meat on the bottom shelf of your refrigerator or place a
plate under it if you keep it on a higher shelf, so juices cant drip on other foods and
contaminate them.
If youre sick, especially with diarrhea, let someone else cook. You could contaminate
people with food poisoning just by preparing food. Children have been known to pass on
food poisoning by just being around other children. The constant hand-to-mouth and object-
to-mouth behavior of children makes them susceptible to picking up bacteria. If you work
with kids, you might want to remember that and wash your hands carefully often, especially
before you eat. If youre cooking and are sick, youre in the position to spread whatever is
making you ill.
Be careful with canned foods and avoid those which:
Smoking in your kitchen when food is out is not a good idea, nor should you prepare food
when youre smoking. Smoke is dirty and whatever is coming off the tip of your cigarette is
also getting on your food. Plus, your hands will not be clean if youre smoking and when
youre finished, youll have to dispose of the butt, probably in a trash can or an ash tray.
If you have long hair, you should pull it back when youre cooking. If you dont have long hair,
you should wear a hair net or a hat to keep hair from falling in the food youre preparing.
Try to keep flies and other pests out of your kitchen by keeping it clean and free of crumbs
and other debris on the floor that attract pests. Insects and rodents carry disease and are
destructive.
Use safe cooking practices and enjoy a food-poisoning free tour of duty!
16
Breakfast Foods
The Perfect Hard-boiled Egg (per Julia Child)
Ingredients: 1-4 eggs (8 C cold water) or 12 eggs (14 C cold water) or 24 eggs (24 C cold water), 1
bowl of ice cubes/ice water
1. Lay the eggs in a pan and add the amount of cold water specified (water should
cover the eggs by 1 inch, so use a tall pan or add more water).
2. Place pan on a stove burner, turn to high heat and bring just to a boil; remove from
heat, cover the pan, and let sit for exactly 17 minutes.
3. When the time is up, transfer the eggs to the bowl of ice cubes and water. Chill for 2
minutes while bringing the cooking water to a boil again (this 2 minute chilling shrinks
the body of the egg from the shell).
4. Transfer the eggs (6 at a time only) to the boiling water, bring to a boil again, and let
boil for 10 seconds (this expands the shell from the egg).
5. Remove eggs, and place back into ice water. Chilling the eggs promptly after each
step prevents that dark line from forming, and if time allows, leave the eggs in the ice
water after the last step for 15-20 minutes. Chilled eggs are easier to peel, as well.
(Roll hard-boiled eggs on the table for easier peeling.)
6. Peeled eggs will keep perfectly in the refrigerator, submerged in water in an
uncovered container for 2-3 days.
To prevent eggs from cracking, you can soak them in salty cold water before boiling them.
Ingredients: 1-3 eggs, cold water (lots)
Fried Eggs
1. Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium-low heat, being careful not to let it burn.
2. Crack the eggs, one by one, into the frying pan.
3. Fry for 2-3 minutes, then flip and fry on the other side. If you like your eggs sunny
side up, do not flip, but allow to cook on one side longer, and spoon grease over the
yolk, cover, and cook until a white film appears.
1. Using a fork, mix the eggs, milk, and optional mayonnaise together in a bowl.
17
2. Melt the butter in a frying pan over low heat, being careful not to burn.
3. Pour the egg mixture in the pan and stir until cooked. Add optional ingredients.
4. Remove from heat, fold in additions, add salt & pepper to taste.
*Fresh mint is available in May and is an unexpectedly interesting addition to egg scrambles
and omelets.
Omelet
Ingredients: 3 fresh eggs (at room temperature), 1 T butter, salt & pepper to taste
Optional ingredients: meat (cooked), sauted vegetables (e.g. onions, peppers, mushrooms,
asparagus), cheese (grated), parsley/cilantro/dill/basil/mint/tarragon
Ingredients: 6 eggs, C shredded cheese, 2 T water, 1 T oil, salt & pepper to taste
1. Lightly oil a baking pan, and set aside. In a mixing bowl, combine eggs, water, salt &
pepper. Using a fork or whisk, beat until combined, but not frothy.
2. Carefully pour the egg mixture into the pan then place the oiled pan into the oven.
3. Bake in a 400F/205C oven for about 7 minutes or until eggs are set but still glossy.
4. Cut the omelet into 6 squares and remove to a warm serving plate using a large
spatula.
5. Spoon some shredded cheese on half of each omelet; fold other half over filling
forming a triangle or a rectangle. Serves 2.
Ingredients: 3 T butter, C onion (finely chopped), 5 eggs, 2 T parsley (finely chopped), 2 C cooked
ham (finely diced), 4 medium potatoes (cookedboil for 7 minutesand sliced), 1 T milk, t salt,
pepper to taste
1. Melt butter in a skillet, saut ham and onion in butter for 5 minutes. Add sliced potatoes and
cook for 8-10 minutes over moderate heat, stirring often.
2. Beat eggs, milk, parsley, salt, and pepper together; pour over ham mixture, tipping
skillet from side to side to spread egg mixture evenly. Cook and cover over low heat
for 6 minutes, or until eggs are set, lifting edges with spatula to prevent burning.
Serve immediately: 4 servings.
18
Breakfast Burrito (Meaghan Corwin, A16)
1. Melt the butter in a good sized frying pan and fry the onion and garlic until smelly.
Beat the eggs and milk together, then pour the eggs into the frying pan over the
onions & garlic.
2. Add the cheese to the top of the eggs and cover. Let cook for about 5 minutes on
medium/low heat. Spread out each piece of lavash on a plate. When the eggs are
cooked, divide the scramble in half and scoop each half into the middle of the lavash.
3. Garnish with salsa and sour cream and wrap into a burrito-like bundle. Serves 2.
* Armenian cheese is okay, just rinse the salt off and grate it and dont expect it to be quite
as nice as melty cheese.
Ingredients: 12 eggs, L milk, loaf 1 bread cubes, 1 chopped onions (sauted in oil), kg
grated cheese (Ferndale or Gouda), salt & pepper to taste
1. Mix all ingredients in a big bowl. Pour into a greased baking dish. Loosely cover and
refrigerate overnight (this allows the bread to soak up the mixture).
2. Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Bake casserole, uncovered, for 45 minutes or until top
is golden. Serve with sour cream or salsa.
Ingredients: 3 C potatoes (grated), 3 T butter, C onion (finely chopped), t salt, pepper to taste.
This recipe works better with nonstick pan.
3. In a large skillet, melt butter. Using a pancake turner, pat the potato mixture into the
skillet.
4. Cook over medium-low heat about 10 minutes or until the bottom is crisp. Cut into 4
wedges; turn and cook 8-10 minutes until they are golden. Serves 4. (Serve with
eggs and ketchup.)
[B] Oatmeal
Ingredients (per person): C oatmeal, C water, C milk, pinch of salt, 2 T flax seeds, t vanilla
extract (or packet vanillin)
Optional ingredient: raisins, chopped nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds), t cinnamon
19
3. Serve with brown sugar, honey, sugar, maple syrup, sliced bananas, muraba, or
berries. (Or plain.)
Ingredients (per person): 2-3 T cream of wheat (farina), 1 C milk (or substitute), pinch of salt, 1 T
sugar or honey
French Toast
1. Beat egg with milk. Add sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg (optional).
2. Dip slices of bread into egg/milk mixture; dip into oats (optional).
3. Melt butter in frying pan over medium heat.
4. Fry dipped pieces of bread on one side until brown. Flip and fry the other side. Add
butter as necessary to prevent sticking.
5. Serve with butter, jam, honey, powdered sugar, or syrup (or walnut muraba!).
Ingredients: 1 loaf French style bread, 5 eggs, 1 C brown sugar [Y] or white sugar, 2 T corn syrup [Y]
or condensed milk, C butter, 1 t cinnamon, C milk
20
[V] Pancake Syrup (PC Senegal Cookbook)
Ingredients: 1 C sugar, 1 t vanilla extract (or 1 packet vanillin), 1 C water, t maple flavoring or
almond flavoring, C brown sugar [Y] (or substitute white sugar)
Pancakes
Ingredients: 1 C flour, 1 T sugar, 2 t baking powder [Y], t salt, 1 egg (beaten), 1 C milk/macun/
water, butter (for skillet)
Optional ingredients: substitute C oats for C flour, C bananas (sliced), C berries, C
dried fruit, 1 t vanilla extract (or 1 packet vanillin), t cinnamon
1. Mix dry ingredients in a medium bowl. In a small separate bowl, mix wet ingredients.
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.
2. Pour batter to a hot, nonstick or buttered skillet. Turn when bubbly and golden brown
on the bottom. Flip and cook until other side is done. Serves 2-ish.
1. Melt butter and warm milk so it is warm enough to activate yeast but not too hot.
2. Combine flour, yeast, sugar, salt, & cinnamon (if using).
3. Add milk, eggs, butter, & vanilla (if using) and beat for 2 minutes.
4. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.
5. Cook! And eat with walnut muraba!
Some tips for the pancake connoisseur:
Do not overbeat the batter: give just enough quick strokes to barely moisten the
dry ingredients; ignore the lumps.
Thicken batter with a little flour, or thin with a little water to get the perfect
consistency
Before cooking, test the griddle by letting a few drops of cold water fall on it: if the
water bounces and sputters the griddle is ready to use; if the water sits and boils,
it is too cool; if the water vanishes, the griddle is too hot.
To assure a well-rounded cake, dont drop the batter from on high, but let it pour
from the tip of a spoon. It will be 2-3 minutes before the cakes are ready to turn.
When bubbles appear on the upper surfaces, but before they break, lift the cakes
with a spatula to see how well they have browned. Turn the cakes only once,
and continue cooking them until the second side is done. Cooking this side only
takes about half as long and the second side might not brown as evenly.
Serve the cakes at once. If this is not possible, keep them in a warm oven: but
dont stack them as steam will make the cakes flabby.
21
Appetizers & Easy Food
[B, V] Lavash Chips (sweet or savory)
1. Cut lavash into chip-size pieces (with scissors). To make perfect triangles, fold lavash
lengthwise twice and then cut with scissors.
2. Drizzle oil over chips and sprinkle salt and/or optional ingredients on the chips. Bake
chips in a 350F/180C oven for 5-10 minutes until dry and crisp. Watch these so that
they dont burn.
For a greasier version:
2. Fill bottom of a fry pan with inch of oil; turn flame to medium heat.
3. Add chips without crowding the pan; when golden brown, remove and let drain on
napkins.
4. Sprinkle salt and/or additional ingredients over the chips. Serve with any of the dips
in the next section.
Ingredients: lavash, tomato paste (or leftover spaghetti sauce), pizza toppings (e.g. meltable cheese,
onions, etc.)
Banjarov hac ( ) is a flat pastry filled with mixed greens (including nettles,
parsley, and cilantro; there are many regional variations, however, and in some places up to
14 different types of greens are added to the mix). It is roughly eye-shaped and looks at first
glance rather like moldy lavash. It should be available in local stores, or you can make your
own.
Ingredients: 2 banjarov hac, tomato paste (or leftover spaghetti sauce), pizza toppings (e.g. meltable
cheese, onions, etc.)
1. Spread a very thin layer of tomato paste (or leftover spaghetti sauce) on each
banjarov hac. Add pizza toppings.
2. Bake until the cheese has melted. Serves 2.
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1. Heat a skillet over a medium-high flame.
2. Lightly butter one side of each slice of bread; add sandwich additions to non-buttered
side. Close sandwich.
3. Place two sandwiches on the grill, apply pressure or weight to the grilling sandwich.
You can use a spatula or place a heavy pot on top of the grilling sandwiches.
4. Sandwiches are done when both sides are toasted dark brown; serve alone or with
tomato soup.
1. Slice eggplant into long strips and bake with oil in the oven or pan fry until cooked.
2. Crush garlic and mix with parsley and walnuts. Put walnut/parlsey/garlic mix on
eggplants and roll up.
Ingredients: 7 eggs, 1 C grated cheese, 1 red pepper, C milk, 2 garlic cloves (minced), zucchini,
spices, 1 carrot, 1 C peas, salt & pepper, onion, C cauliflower
1. Beat eggs, milk, and spices. Stir in cheese and garlic. Chop all veggies and add.
Bake at 350F/180C for 30 minutes.
Ingredients: 6 ripe tomatoes (diced), 1 small onion (finely chopped), 1 handful fresh basil, 1 loaf
sliceable bread, 3-4 large cloves of garlic (cut in half), salt & pepper to taste.
Ingredients: loaf of French bread [Y] or white crusty bread, olive oil to taste, 1 clove garlic (crushed),
other dried herbs to taste
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[A, B] Walnut Bean Pat (Andrew Morgan, A3)
Ingredients 1 kg cooked red beans, butter to taste, kg walnuts, 4 cloves garlic, salt & black
pepper to taste, red pepper to taste
1. Grind or mash beans. Grind walnuts. Press garlic. Mix everything together (add
butter if you want it) and spice to taste. Cover and refrigerate. Cut into slices and
serve.
Ingredients: 4 medium onions, 1 T vegetable oil, C flour, t salt, C milk, oil for frying, 1 egg,
c beer (optional)
Ingredients: 6 hard-boiled eggs, 1 T green onion (finely chopped), 1 t spicy mustard [Y], 3 T
mayonnaise, 1-2 dashes hot sauce (e.g. Tabasco, MiviMex), paprika, salt & pepper to taste
Ingredients: 2 medium potatoes (shredded, drained, dried: about 2 C), 1 large zucchini (shredded,
drained, dried: about 1 C), 2 T fresh dill, 3 T flour, 2 T green onion, t salt, t pepper, 1 egg, 1 egg
white, sour cream & apple sauce
1. In a large bowl combine all ingredients except sour cream and applesauce; mix well
(mixture will be wet).
2. Grease a skillet. Place rounded spoonfuls of zucchini mixture into pan. Press lightly
to form pancakes. Cook over medium high heat, turning once, until lightly browned
(6-10 minutes).
3. Repeat with remaining zucchini mixture.
4. Serve pancakes with sour cream and applesauce, makes 12 pancakes.
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[v] Zucchini and Potato Fried Wraps (Anna Karamyan, LCF)
Ingredients: 2 large zucchini, 3 small potatoes, 1 small onion, 4-5 cloves of garlic, a big bunch of
greens (dill/basil/cilantro/parsley), green onions, red pepper/paprika, t cumin, t coriander, lavash,
oil
1. Peel and grate potatoes; grate zucchini, mince onion and 3 cloves of garlic.
2. Heat potato/zucchini/onion/garlic in a pot with oil and a C of water.
3. Add spices (cumin, coriander, red pepper/paprika); cut a small handful of green
onions and add to mixture; set aside to cool.
4. Mince greens and green onions, and add remaining finely chopped garlic.
5. Cut lavash into quarters or fifths. Fry a piece of lavash until browned. Fold in half.
Spread zucchini mixture inside and add a good handful of greens. Spread zucchini
on top as well, and add more greens.
6. Repeat until all the lavash/potatoes/zucchini/greens are used up. Best eaten hot.
Ingredients: 1 C winter squash or pumpkin seeds, t curry powder, salt to taste, 1 T oil
1. Blanch almonds if they havent been already (place in boiling water for a minute.
Drain almonds and rinse under cold water. Peel at once by squeezing nuts between
the fingers until the skins slip off.) Drain.
2. Cover the bottom of skillet with oil and heat on medium heat. Add almonds and
saut, stirring frequently, until golden brown on both sides. Drain on absorbent paper,
sprinkle with salt and serve. Store in a tightly covered jar.
Ingredients: C sugar, t ground cloves, 3 T water, t ground nutmeg [Y], 1 egg white (lightly
beaten), 2 C pecan halves, 1 t salt, 1 C whole unblanched almonds
1. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, water, egg white, salt, cloves, and nutmeg. Mix
well.
2. Add nuts and stir until coated.
3. Spread evenly on a greased baking pan (15101).
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4. Bake at 250F/120C for 45 minutes or until golden brown., stirring every 15 minutes.
Spread on a waxed-paper lined baking sheet to cool. Store in an air-tight container.
Ingredients: 1 C pitted black olives, 2 cloves garlic, 1 T oregano, 2 T lemon juice, 4 T olive oil
1. Put the ingredients in a grinder to make a paste. Empty in a bowl and store in the
refrigerator for several days. Olive paste should rest at least 2 hours before being
served so flavors can infuse.
2. It is great with toasted bread, topped with shredded cheese, or with bruschetta.
Ingredients: 2 C soft cooked chickpeas, - 1 t salt, 2-3 cloves garlic (crushed), C tahini [Y], 4 T
lemon juice, C olive oil, 1-2 t cumin
Optional ingredients: red pepper flakes, roasted red peppers, parsley, green onions, dill, tomatoes
(fresh or sun-dried), a can of black olives
Ingredients: 2 cans red beans (or 2 C cooked red beans), 1 medium red onion (chopped), 1 C
walnuts (ground), 4 cloves garlic (minced), C finely chopped cilantro, t crushed coriander seeds,
3 T red wine vinegar, 1 T water, 2 T olive oil, t (or more) cayenne pepper, salt
1. Drain and rinse beans. Put in bowl and mash lightly. Add the onion, walnuts, garlic,
cilantro, coriander seeds, vinegar, water, and oil. Mix well and stir in cayenne and
salt.
2. Cover and refrigerate for 6-8 hours before serving. Serve with toasted pita chips.
1. Mix ingredients and serve with pita chips or toasted lavash chips.
26
Onion Dip (Better Homes & Gardens, Aug. 2002)
Ingredients: 2 C onions (coarsely chopped), 2 t fresh dill or parsley, t salt, 2 T oil, C sour
cream (or thickened /macun)
1. In a large skillet cook the onions and salt in hot oil, uncovered, over medium-low heat
for 20 minutes, or until very soft and slightly browned, stirring occasionally.
2. Stir in herbs, cook for 1 more minute.
3. Remove from heat, stir in sour cream, and transfer to serving bowl.
4. Serve immediately with lavash chips.
Or you can just mix a package of Liptons Onion Soup mix into 1 C sour cream, which is
easier but not as nice, is it?
Ingredients: 6 tomatoes, 2-4 spicy chile pepper (preferably jalapeno), 2-4 t lime or lemon juice, 1 C
red onion (finely chopped), 1-2 t cumin, 2 garlic cloves (minced), 1 t salt (or to taste), -1 C cilantro
(chopped)
Optional ingredients: roasted tomatoes, red peppers (fresh or roasted), canned corn kernels, C
cooked beans, chipotle pepper [US], 2 T olive or corn oil
Ingredients: 1 container sour cream, 1 packet taco seasoning (or substitute cumin, chili powder/hot
paprika, and salt for seasoning)
Ingredients: eggplants (2 large or 3 small), -1 t salt, 1-3 cloves garlic, - C /macun, 1-2 T
lemon juice
1. Roast eggplants in a 350F/180C oven until soft (30 minutes or so). Can roast in a
non-stick pan on the stove if you dont have an oven. When soft, cool, then split and
scrape insides into a small bowl.
2. Add remaining ingredients and mix well (a potato masher is helpful). Serve with
lavash chips or spread on crackers or bread.
Ingredients: 1 large eggplant (roasted), 1 large red pepper (roasted), 1-2 garlic cloves (minced), 1 T
olive oil, 2 lemons (squeezed), salt & pepper to taste
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1. Roast the eggplant and red pepper.
2. Mix garlic and lemon juice in a bowl and set aside.
3. Scoop eggplant flesh from shell; finely chop roasted eggplant and roasted pepper;
combine with garlic and lemon juice mixture; add olive oil, salt & pepper.
4. Serve at room temperature or chilled; 8 servings. Can be used as a spread on bread,
in sandwiches, or as a pizza topping.
Ingredients: 2 jars of artichoke hearts [Y], 1 tub Viola cheese, 2 T mayonnaise, 1-2 cloves garlic
(minced)
Greek Tzatziki (Sylva Etian, former CD; rev. Meaghan Corwin, A16)
Note: Tzatziki will taste even better if you use thickened macun ( /kamac macun) or
drain the yogurt overnight before using. You can drain the yogurt by placing it in a strainer lined with a
tea-towel, but a drip coffee maker lined with a coffee filter is much faster and more effective. If not
using kamac macun, you might want to drain the shredded cucumber so as not to make a mess on
the table when eating.
Ingredients: 2 C /macun, 4 large cloves garlic (minced), 1 cucumber (peeled and finely
chopped or shredded; ideal ratio of cucumber to macun is 1 cucumber : 1 C kamac macun)
Optional Ingredients: 2 large green onions (chopped), 2 T olive oil, 2 t lemon juice
1. Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate a few hours. The tzatziki will
taste better if you take it out of the refrigerator and let it sit, uncovered, at room
temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
1. Thicken the macun (or buy kamac macun). Drain macun over a bowl in strainer lined
with paper towel or thick napkin, which will take a few hours. Keep the bowl in the
refrigerator. If there is not much space between the bottom of strainer and the bowl,
empty the bowl every hour or so to avoid the liquid touching the strainer. The
resulting product should be thicker than sour cream.
2. Chop fine a generous amount of: cilantro, green onions, & green pepper.
3. Mix the chopped vegetables & optional spices into the macun. It will taste best if you
add some spices to add flavor and, if desired, heat; e.g. black pepper, oregano,
cumin, coriander, cayenne, chili powder, lemongrass, curry powder, hot paprika,
clove of garlic, cucumber, mushrooms, etc.
4. Serve with lavash chips or bread.
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[M] Curried Chicken Spread (Better Homes & Gardens)
Ingredients: 3 T mayonnaise, t salt, 2 T sour cream, C finely chopped cooked chicken, 2 T finely
chopped green onion, 2 T finely chopped nuts, t curry powder [Y], chopped fresh parsley (for
garnish)
1. In a medium mixing bowl combine mayonnaise, sour cream, green onion, nuts, curry
powder, and salt. Stir in chicken.
2. Spread chicken mixture over bread (or chill up to 24 hours before spreading: flavor
will be enhanced); sprinkle with parsley, if desired. Good in lavash as a wrap
Peanut Butter
Ingredients: kg peanuts (roasted), peanut oil (preferably, otherwise sunflower oil), salt (to taste)
Sauces
Pizza Sauce (Uy Ta, A13)
Ingredients: C chopped onion, 2 T olive oil, 1 T chopped garlic, 3 medium tomatoes, 3 oz tomato
paste, 2 t Italian seasoning (oregano, thyme, parsley, basil), 1 t salt, t black pepper, C butter
Ingredients: 2 t canola oil, 1 bay leaf, 1 medium onion (halved & thinly sliced), 2 jalapeno peppers
(seeded & thinly sliced or to taste), 4 cloves garlic (minced), 1 lb. shrimp (16-20/lb) or 1 lb sliced
chicken or sliced beef or fish, 3 medium tomatoes (diced), cup thinly sliced pitted green olives, 1
lime (cut in wedges, if you can find one)
1. Heat oil in large pan. Add bay leaf and cook for 1 minute.
2. Add onion, jalapeno and garlic and cook for 3 minute stirring until soft.
3. Add desired meat or fish. Stir in tomatoes and olives.
4. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat and cook until tomatoes are almost broken down, 2-3
minutes more. Remove bay leaf.
5. Serve with lime wedges. Serves 4 (about 1 cup each)
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[V] Sweet-Sour Sauce (Lindsey Smith, A9)
Ingredients: C sugar (white or brown), 1 T corn starch [Y] or potato starch, 1 T soy sauce [Y], C
apple vinegar, t garlic powder or 2 garlic cloves (minced), C orange juice, t ground ginger [Y],
C green pepper (finely chopped)
1. In a small sauce pan combine sugar & starch. Stir in vinegar, orange juice, green
pepper, soy sauce, garlic (powder), and ginger.
2. Cook and stir until thick and bubbly. Cook and stir 2 minutes more.
3. Serve with warm egg roll or rice or anything else that could use a sweet-sour sauce.
Makes 1 cups or 20 servings.
1. Bring ingredients to a boil until syrupy. Great over cooked wheat and chicken
(harisa).
Ingredients: 2 T butter, salt, 1 bouillon cube, 2 T flour, black pepper (to taste), red pepper (to taste),
1 C milk
1. Melt butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour and cook (about 2 minutes), stirring constantly
until paste cooks and bubbles a little. Dont let it brown, or you will have a roux on
your hands.
2. Add hot milk, continue stirring as sauce thickens; bring to a low boil.
3. Add salt, red & black pepper, and bouillon cube (or broth) to taste. Lower heat, cook,
stirring 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat. Serve with eggs or biscuits, or use as a base
for mac & cheese. Makes 1 cup.
Ingredients: 2 C mushrooms (finely chopped), 2 t olive oil (or 1 T butter, which will give a slightly
nicer flavor), 1 small onion, chopped, 2-3 T flour, C milk, salt & pepper to taste
1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet; add mushrooms & onions and saut.
2. Slowly add just enough flour until oil is absorbed; cook 2 minutes on low heat.
3. Gradually add milk, stirringly continuously with a fork until desired consistency is
reached. If this is done slowly enough the results will be smooth; add salt & pepper to
taste and cook an additional 5-7 minutes. Do not add too much milk or the sauce will
be runny, but do not add to little or it will be an unpleasant paste instead of a sauce.
4. If the mixture thickens too much during cooking, add a small amount of milk to thin it;
also, if you are going to use over chicken, you can use chicken broth to thin the
sauce. Serve with pasta, cooked & de-boned chicken, or other cooked meat,
especially if the meat is dry.
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Cheese Beer Sauce (Teresa Kornegay, A2)
1. Melt butter in a saucepan; add salt & red pepper; cook for one minute.
2. Gradually add milk and beer. Cook, stirring constantly, and add flour until sauce
thickens.
3. Stir in cheese until melted. Serve over toast with grilled tomatoes and poached or
fried eggs.
Ingredients: 3 egg yolks, 1 T lemon juice, 100 g butter (melted), 2 T hot water, dash of cayenne
pepper, salt to taste
1. Use a double boiler or a metal bowl placed over hot, but not simmer water. Put egg
yolks in the boiler top and beat with a wire whisk until smooth.
2. Add the lemon juice and gradually whisk in the melted butter, pouring in a thin
stream.
3. Slowly stir in 2 T hot water, cayenne, and salt. Continue to mix for 1 minute. The
sauce should be thickened. Serve immediately, or hold over warm water for up to an
hour, but dont keep it too long with refrigerating it.
Ingredients: 2 T vegetable oil, kg fresh mushrooms (finely chopped), 3 T soy sauce [Y], pinch
black pepper, 1 C hot potato water (from boiling potatoes for mashed potatoes), 2 T corn starch [Y]
or potato starch (dissolved in C cold water)
1. Heat the oil in a skillet. Stir in the mushrooms, soy sauce, and black pepper. Saut,
stirring continuously, until mushrooms are tender.
2. Add the potato water and bring to a boil. Slowly stir in corn/potato starch mixture and
cook at a low boil, continuing to stir, until the gravy is thick and clear. Serves 4.
Ingredients: 2 T meat drippings (from roasted or pan-fried meat), 1-2 T flour, 1 C stock (water+
bouillon cube or milk or wine or just water), salt & pepper to taste
1. Add the flour to the hot meat drippings and cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes,
whisking constantly.
2. Slowly add the liquid, whisking constantly. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and continue
cooking until thickened. Thin with additional liquid if desired.
31
[M] Basic Steak Marinade
(Ben Cunningham, A9, Aaron Martinez & Salena Bailey, A10s)
Ingredients: 1 C oil, 3 cloves garlic, 2 T vinegar, 2 T soy sauce [Y], salt & pepper
1. Rub and massage steak with very liberal amounts of salt & pepper.
2. Pour oil, chopped garlic cloves, vinegar, and optional soy sauce in a bowl or ziploc
bag; brush off excess salt & pepper from steak and put it into the oil solution.
3. Marinate in the refrigerator overnight; remove the next day a few hours before
cooking; grill, fry, or broil over high heat.
Ingredients: C green onion (chopped), C basil (chopped), 1 lemon (squeezed), 2 T oil, salt &
pepper
Yeasted Breads
Yeasted bread are a source of delight and joy, both in the making and the eating, but there
are a few things you should keep in mind when working with yeast:
1. Always store yeast in an airtight container or ziploc bag, preferably in the refrigerator.
2. 2 T yeast is equal to one packet of American yeast (if you are used to using yeast
in packets).
3. If proofing yeast, test the liquid temperature by running the liquid over the inside of
your wrist. If it feels hot, its too hot for the yeast and will kill them, spoiling your
baking. If it feels lukewarm, its probably too cold and the yeast wont grow.
4. Recipes call for yeast need some form of sugar and salt. Sugar is food for yeast,
which is actually a living organism and needs to eat. Salt keeps the yeast from
growing too much.
1. Dissolve yeast in warm water with sugar, salt, and oil. Let sit for 5 minutes until it
froths (this is proofing the yeast, making sure they are still alive and able to leaven).
2. Add yeast mixture to half the flour and beat vigorously to develop gluten. Dough
should smooth out and become a bit stringy.
3. Add remaining flour to get a thick dough. Flour your hands and kneading surface and
knead dough for 8 minutes, folding and turning to knead all parts evenly. Add more
flour when dough becomes sticky. It will be springy when done.
4. Shape the dough into a place in a well-oiled pot. Press the dough out to touch the
edges and grease the top of the loaf. Cover and set in a warm place for an hour or
until doubled in size.
5. Bake at 350F/180C for 30-35 minutes. Cool 5-10 minutes before cutting.
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Variations:
Cinnamon-Raisin: add C raisins, 2 t cinnamon, & C sugar to the yeast water.
Nutty/Fruity Oatmeal: replace 1 C flour with 1 C oats; add 1 C chopped nuts/dried fruit.
See the next section for /macun or beer pizza dough (tasty and fast: no rising required!)
Ingredients: 4 C flour, 2 T oil, 1 C lukewarm, 1 heaping T yeast, 1 C water, 2 t salt
Ingredients: 8 C flour, 2 C warm water (divided), 1 T salt, C oil, 3 T sugar (divided), 2 eggs
(beaten; can use 4 eggs if you like eggy bagels), 2 T yeast,
Optional ingredients: poppy seeds, sesame seeds, onion, cinnamon/raisins
33
[B, V] Pretzels
Ingredients: 1 C warm water, 1 T yeast, 1 t salt, 4 C flour, 2 t sugar, 1 egg (omit for vegan recipe)
1. Mix yeast and sugar with water, let set for 5 minutes, add flour and salt.
2. Knead with additional flour and roll into shapes. Brush with egg (optional) and
sprinkle with salt.
3. Bake at 425F/220C for 12 minutes.
Ingredients: 1 C warm beer, C dry milk, 1 egg, 1 T yeast, 1 t sugar, 1 t salt, 1 C water, 1 T oil, 4
C flour
1. Pour warm beer into a bowl and sprinkle yeast over it. Stir in water, dry milk, sugar,
oil, egg, and salt, and enough flour to make the dough like a soft sponge when well-
mixed. Set bowl in a warm spot and let rise for 1 hour, stirring well occasionally.
2. Add remaining flour and beat well. Cover and let dough rise again until doubled.
3. Turn out on lightly floured board and pat the dough until its inch thick. Cut into 3
rounds, cover, and let rise until double.
4. Cook on well-greased warm skillet for about 15 minutes on each side, turning muffins
and adjusting heat if theyre getting brown too fast. Cool a little, then split in half with
a fork.
1. Dissolve yeast in water. Add other ingredients (flour last) and keep adding enough
flour so that the dough can be handled.
2. Knead dough for 5 minutes, let rise at least 1 hour and bake at 375F/190C for
20-25 minutes until brown. (Brush with egg before baking if desired).
Ingredients: 4 T butter, 1 T yeast, 2 T sugar, C warm water, 2 t salt, 6 C flour (approx.), 2 C warm
milk, 1 T butter (melted)
1. Mix butter, sugar, salt, and milk in a large bowl and let cool to lukewarm. Stir the
yeast into the warm water and let it stand for 5 minutes.
2. Add 3 C flour and the dissolved yeast to the butter/sugar/salt/milk mixture and beat
vigorously for 2 minutes. Cover and let rise in a warm place until it doubles in size.
Stir the dough vigorously and add as much of the remaining flour as necessary in
order to knead the dough.
3. Turn onto a lightly floured board, knead for a minute or two, then let rest for 10
minutes. Resume kneading until smooth. Using a rolling pin, roll out on lightly floured
board until it is inch thick, cut into rounds. Arrange in a buttered pan. Brush sides
with melted butter so that theyll separate easily after baking. Cover and let rise again
until doubled in size.
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4. Preheat oven to 425F/220C; bake for 12-15 minutes.
1. In a glass jar, mix both ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon. Loosely cover and
set in a warm but not a hot place. Every day, stir once with a spoon. Usually after a
week the starter is fermented and ready to use to make bread. It should have a nice
yeasty smell.
2. Store in the refrigerator and feed every week. If not making bread, discard half of the
starter and add 2 T water and 2 T flour, stirring well. This feeds the yeast and can
keep your starter going indefinitely. The longer you keep it, the more sour it will be.
Ingredients: 3 C flour (+ more for dusting), 1 T baking powder (1 t baking soda), t salt, 1 C beer
1. Mix dry ingredients. Add beer. Mix. Divide dough in 2 and roll out on a lightly floured
board.
2. Bake at 425F/220C for 5 minutes.
3. Add pizza toppings and bake.
Ingredients: 5-7 C flour, - bottle of /macun (-1 C), 2 t soda, 2 t salt, C boiling water
1. By hand mix /macun, salt, soda, and flour until dough is moist but still
crumbly.
2. While kneading, add water; continue kneading until dough is in a ball; if dough is too
sticky, add more flour.
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3. Roll dough out (with a rolling pin or empty wine bottle) until very thin.
4. Add toppings and bake at 375F/190C until the dough is light brown.
To make breadsticks, roll dough into shape, dip into garlic butter and Italian spices. Bake
and turn over once while cooking.
Filling Ingredients: potatoes, butter, salt, pepper (red & black), fresh herbs, to taste
Dough Ingredients: /macun, 1 t soda, salt, flour, oil (to fry with)
Mix /macun, soda, and salt. (Use /macun in Peel and boil
proportion to how many piroshki you want; start with -1/3 of a potatoes until very
liter jar) soft. Add butter, salt,
Add flour until the dough no longer sticks to your fingers. Roll the pepper, herbs, etc. to
dough out on a floured surface, flipping it a few time. Leave it thick taste. Mash well.
enough to be stretched a little and still hold a filling
1. Cut out squares or pieces using the mouth of a jar. Stretch pieces to about twice their
size. Put a line of filling down the middle and close like a burrito; fold top ends over
first, then pinch together the two longer ends. Dont leave any holes or the filling will
escape. Deep fry in oil until brown. Makes 16-20
Variations: Jam, cooked fruit, and meat can also be used as fillings. These can also be
baked
[A] /Khachapuri
Ingredients: 2 C warm water, 4 eggs, 6 T vodka, 6 T red wine vinegar, 6 T oil, 1 t salt, 1 C butter
(divided), cheese to taste
1. Mix together water, 2 eggs, vodka, red wine vinegar, oil and salt. Mix in flour one cup
at a time until you have a sticky doughy.
2. Knead the dough into a roll and divide into four sections. In each flattened section
fold in 100 grams (1/3 cup) butter.
3. Put all four sections in the fridge (covered) for 20 minutes
4. Remove and roll each section out slightly. Place back in the fridge for 20 minutes
5. Repeat rolling, fridge for 20 minutes, and remove.
6. Break up cheese so it is clumpy
7. In a separate bowl mix together two eggs.
8. Roll each section of dough into a large, flat square. Sprinkle with cheese and roll.
Flatten just slightly with a rolling pin and spread egg over the top.
9. Cut into rectangles and place on a hot pan. Bake until golden brown
Ingredients: C yellow cornmeal, 1 C flour, C sugar, 3 t baking powder [Y], t salt, 1 C milk, 1
egg (well beaten, 2 T shortening (melted)
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1. Preheat oven to 425F/220C.
2. Grease an 8 square cake pan.
3. Mix the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add milk, egg,
and shortening, and blend well.
4. Spoon into the pan and bake for about 20 minutes. Cool and cut into squares.
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients and of the water. Mix
together with your hands and continue adding water into the dough until it forms a
solid ball, but is not too sticky. If necessary, add additional flour or water as needed.
2. Knead the dough on a floured board for 5 minutes. Cut the dough in half and then in
half again, continuing the process until you have 8 equal portions. Roll each piece in
a ball, place them on a lightly floured surface, and cover with a damp cloth.
3. Heat a griddle or cast iron pan to medium heat. Roll out dough, one piece at a time,
to inch thickness. Place on round of dough on the griddle and cook each side for
30 seconds. Take care that the griddle is not too hot or the tortillas will scorch.
Continue process with the remaining dough.
Note: you can also use lavash for most occasions when a tortilla would be used.
Ingredients: 3 C flour, 1 C milk, 6-8 T shortening or butter, 2 T baking poweder [Y], 1-2 t salt (or
more if butter is not salted), C sugar (optional)
Dumplings
Ingredients: 1 C corn meal [Y], C flour, 1 t baking powder [Y], t salt, 2 eggs (beaten), C milk, 1
T butter (melted)
37
1. In a bowl, combine corn meal, flour, baking powder, and salt.
2. In another bowl, combine eggs and milk.
3. Combine eggs mixture with flour mixture; stir in butter.
4. By spoonfuls, gently drop dough into boiling stew. Simmer over low heat for 10
minutes, uncovered. Cover and cook an additional 10 minutes.
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If you have a freezer, you can freeze clean vegetable scraps and peels in a ziploc bag until
you have enough to prepare stock.
Ingredients: 4 onions (scrubbed and quarters with skins on), 4 garlic cloves, 4 large potatoes (thickly
sliced), bouquet garni (1 bay leaf, 1 sprig thyme, 1 sprig parsley, 1 sprig celery: tied together or wrap
in cheese cloth for easy removable), 2 carrots (scrubbed and coarsely chopped), 6 peppercorns (or
ground pepper to taste), stalk of celery (if available), 10 C water, any available root vegetables
(except beets) coarsely chopped
1. Combine all ingredients in a large soup pot, bring to a boil, then lower heat, cover,
and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour.
2. Strain solids through a colander, pressing out as much liquid as possible; discard the
solids.
3. Covered and refrigerated this stock will keep for 3-4 days; it also freezes well.
Chicken stock is made with chicken bones, vegetables, herbs, and spices. Typically necks, backs,
and wing tips are used for stock, but it helps the stock to have a few carcasses as well. Cut the
carcasses into 3-4 pieces before using. You can freeze carcasses from roast chicken dinners for use
later. You can make stock from raw chicken bones, cooked chicken carcasses, or a combination of
both.
Ingredients: 3 lbs chicken bones (backs, necks, carcasses, and/or wing tips), 3 quarts cold water, 2
large onions (unpeeled, scrubbed, and coarsely chopped), 4 stalks celery (coarsely chopped, if
available), 3 medium carrots (coarsely chopped), 2 cloves garlic (crushed), 3 dried bay leaves, 8 fresh
parsley stems, 2 whole cloves, 2 t black pepper, salt
1. Place the chicken bones in large stockpot, add the cold water, and bring to a boil,
stirring occasionally with a spoon and skimming the white form from the top of the
stock. (Using a ladle and circular motion, push the foam from the center to the
outside of the pot, where it is easy to remove.) Turn down to a simmer and skim
again. It is important to have a clean stock before you add the other ingredients. As
the foam is impure, it should not be cooked into the stock, and if you leave it until you
add the herbs and spices you will end up skimming them off, altering the flavor of the
recipe. There is no need to skim the fat, however: it will flavor the stock during the
cooking and can be removed after straining.
2. Add the onions, celery (if available), carrots, garlic, bay leaves, parsley stems,
cloves, and ground pepper, and simmer slowly for 3 hours, stirring gently a few
times. Top the stock off with water if the level goes below the bones. Towards the end
of the cooking time, season the stock lightly with salt and start tasting for doneness.
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3. Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve. If you are not going to use it within the
hour, chill it as quickly as possible. You can skim the fat while it is still warm, but it is
easiest to wait until the fat solidifies at the top of the chilled stock, then just remove it
in one piece. Cover the broth after it has completely cooled and keep refrigerated for
up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.
Ingredients: one kg chicken (cut up), 4 C water, 1 t salt, 1 stalk celery (cut up), 1 medium carrot
(chopped), t pepper, 1 small onion (chopped), 1 sprig parsley, 1 C noodles (optional)
1. Boil chicken in water. Add remaining ingredients and heat to boiling. Skim foam from
stock. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer 45 minutes or until chicken is cooked.
2. Add uncooked noodles if desired and boil until noodles are done.
Ingredients: 1 kg beef, 2 T ground red pepper, kg carrots, 4 T flour, 1 T chili powder, 1 kg potatoes,
C oil, salt & black pepper, 2-3 peppers, 1 L waters, 2 T balsamic vinegar, 2-3 tomatoes, 2 bouillon
cubes (beef), 1 C red wine, 2-3 onions
1. Cut beef into small chunks ( inch or larger). Put the flour and cubed beef into a
plastic bag and shake until the beef is well coated with flour.
2. Heat the oil in a large pot and add the beef. Brown the beef while stirring. Add water,
bouillon, and spices, and simmer about 1 hours.
3. Chop carrots and add to the pot. Cut potatoes and add (the carrots will need about 5
minutes more cooking than the potatoes).
4. After 15 minutes of cooking, chop and add all remaining ingredients. After 5 more
minutes of cooking, remove from heat and cool. If you can, prepare this dish and
leave sitting overnight in the refrigerator for the flavors to develop.
Ingredients: 2 T flour, kg beef or pork (cubed), 2 T cooking oil. 3 C tomato juice, C onion
(chopped), 2 t bouillon (crushed, preferably beef), 2 cloves garlic (minced), t dried basil (crushed),
t dried thyme (crushed), 2 C potatoes (peeled and cubed), 2 C carrots (sliced), 1 C celery (sliced,
if available)
1. Place flour in a plastic bag, add meat cubes and shake to coat.
2. In a large saucepan brown meat, half at a time, in hot oil. Return meat to the
saucepan when all is brown.
3. Add tomato juice, onion, bouillon granules, garlic, & thyme. Bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 1-1 hours for beef (30 minutes for pork) or until
meat is nearly tender. Add potatoes, carrots, and celery. Cover, simmer 30 minutes
more. Skim fat. Serves 4.
Ingredients: lbs. lentils, 2 carrots (chopped or sliced), 1 clove garlic (crushed), 6 C water (+ 3
veggie bouillon cubes) or 6 C stock, 1 t salt, t dried oregano, C parsley (minced), C green
onions (sliced), 1 C tomato juice, 1 T oil (or margarine or butter [not vegan]), dash pepper
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1. Combine lentils and water/stock in a large pot and & cook for 30 minutes or until
lentils are tender.
2. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the
carrots are tender. Taste for seasonings.
Ingredients: 1 onion (chopped), C olive oil, 2 carrots (diced), 2 stalks celery (chopped, if available),
2 cloves garlic (minced), 1 t dried oregano, 1 bay leaf, 1 t dried basil, 2 C crushed tomatoes, 2 C dry
lentils, 8 C water, C spinach (rinsed and thinly sliced), 2 T vinegar or lemon juice, salt & pepper to
taste
1. In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, and celery; cook
and stir until onion is tender. Stir in garlic, bay leaf, oregano, and basil; cook for 2
minutes.
2. Stir in lentils, and add water and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer
for at least 1 hour. When ready to serve stir in spinach, and cook until it wilts. Stir in
vinegar, and season to taste with salt and pepper, and more vinegar if desired.
Just one half cup of cooked split peas provides nearly one-third of your daily fiber
requirements. Fiber may slow the release of blood sugar into your bloodstream, keeping
your energy high.
Ingredients: 2 C dried split peas, 2 bouillon cubes, C onion (chopped), 1 clove garlic (minced),
C carrots (chopped), 1 t sugar, 1 bay leaf, 2 T butter, 2 T flour, dash of red pepper (optional), 1 C
celery (optional, chopped), 1 C cubed ham (optional)
Ingredients: 4 C chopped veggies (any variety), 4 cloves garlic (minced), 3 pinches of dried herbs
(Italian spice, etc), C cooked kidney beans, salt & pepper, C cooked chickpeas, spaghetti
(broken in 2-3 inch pieces or 2 C of any noodle), 5 C water, 5 C water + 2 bouillon cubes (or 5 C
stock), C cheese (grated), 1 medium onion (chopped), fresh spinach (optional)
1. In a saucepan, saut the onions, and garlic in oil until soft; remove from heat.
2. In a large pot, combine all ingredients, except cheese.
3. Heat until veggies and noodles are tender.
4. Remove from heat and sprinkle cheese on top of each filled bowl. Wonderful with
garlic and cheese bread and red wine.
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Cream of Tomato Soup (Teresa Kornegay, A2)
Ingredients: 2-3 cloves garlic, 1 kg tomatoes (peeled if you want), 1 T salt, 1 onion (chopped), 3 T
flour, 2 C milk, 2 T butter, 2 T sugar, fresh herbs, chopped
Ingredients: 3 C water, 3 C water + 1 bouillon cubes (or 3 C stock), C bulgur (cracked wheat), 2
C tomatoes (chopped), 2 large garlic cloves (minced), 1 C onions (chopped), 1 t salt, 1 C carrots
(diced), 1 t fresh dill, C celery (diced; optional), pepper
1. In a large soup pot, combine stock or water, onions, carrots, celery, garlic, salt, and
dill.
2. Bring to a boil then reduce heat, cover, and simmer gently for about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in tomatoes and add bulgur; mix well.
4. Return to a boil and simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes or until the bulgur is
tender; add pepper to taste; 4-6 servings.
[V] Roasted Tomato and Red Pepper Soup (Michelle Ryan, A6)
Ingredients: 1 kg tomatoes, halved and seeded, 2 T olive oil, kg red peppers (roasted ),
t salt, 1 C tomato juice, t pepper, 1 C onion, chopped, seasonings to taste, 4 garlic
cloves (minced)
1. Peel and chop roasted peppers and tomatoes.
2. Place half of chopped peppers and half of chopped tomatoes in a bowl and mash
with potato masher.
3. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic; cover and cook
5 minutes.
4. Add mashed vegetables, remaining chopped bell peppers and tomatoes, tomato
juice, salt, and pepper; cook over medium heat until thoroughly heated; makes 5
cups.
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Green Tomato Soup (Andrew Morgan-A3)
Ingredients: 3 C green tomatoes (peeled and chopped), 1 t sugar, 3 T butter, 1 onion (sliced), t
pepper, 3 T flour, t cinnamon, 4 C water, 4 C milk, pinch of ground cloves, 1 t soda
1. Place tomatoes, onion, cinnamon, cloves, sugar, pepper, and water in a saucepan.
Bring to a boil and simmer 20 minutes. Add soda.
2. Melt butter in a separate pan, stir in the flour and blend well. Add milk and cook,
stirring constantly until creamy. Add the green tomato mixture. Mix thoroughly. Salt to
taste and serve immediately.
1. Cook the pumpkin or squash by slicing it in half (remove all the seeds and stringy
fiber around seeds; seeds can be preserved by toasting), placing it on a greased
baking sheet, and baking in a 350F/180C oven until easily pierced with a fork. Let
cool then scoop out pumpkin out of shell.
2. Scald the milk in a saucepan over medium-high heat, turn down the heat to low and
add the pumpkin, butter, sugar, salt and pepper, and optional cinnamon and ham.
3. Heat through but dont allow to boil, serve at once; 4 servings.
Ingredients: 3 C water, 3 C water + 1 bouillon cubes (or 3 C stock), 2 large eggs, C lemon juice,
C rice, salt & pepper to taste, fresh parsley or fresh dill
1. Bring stock and rice to a boil. Reduce heat and cover, simmer 20 minutes.
2. Whisk eggs and lemon juice together until uniform in color. Stir 2 T of hot stock into
egg mix. Gradually pour egg mixture into hot, not boiling, soup, stirring constantly.
3. Season with 1-2 T lemon juice. Salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with chopped fresh
parsley or fresh dill.
French Onion Soup (Lisa Scorsolini, A5; rev. Patrick Findler, A16)
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German Potato Soup (Lisa Scorsolini, A5)
Ingredients: 4 medium potatoes (peeled and diced), 3 C water, 1 onion (sliced), 1 T butter, 1 t salt,
1 T flour, dash pepper
1. Combine the potatoes, sliced onion, salt, pepper, and 3 C water in a saucepan.
Cook until the potatoes are tender (save liquid).
2. Heat butter and flour in a second saucepan. Allow butter and flour to brown, stirring
constantly.
3. Add 3 C liquid drained from the potatoes to the butter/flour mixture. Cook and stir
until smooth. Add potatoes and onions and heat through.
Ingredients: 5 medium sized potatoes (cubed and peeled), L water, 1 medium sized carrot
(grated), 1 t salt, 1 stalks chopped celery (if available, 1 t pepper, 2 sprigs parsley (chopped), dash
of paprika, 1 large onion (chopped, but not finely diced), 1 liter milk
Ingredients: 4 onions (sliced), 1 t salt, 1 t chives (chopped), C butter, water, pepper to taste, 1 kg
potatoes (peeled and sliced), 2 C milk
1. In a saucepan, saut onions in butter. Add potatoes, salt and water to barely cover.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover; simmer 45 minutes
2. Strain through a sieve. Cool and chill 1 hour. Stir in milk. Sprinkle with chives and
pepper; serve cool. Serves 10.
Ingredients: head cabbage (cut into inch strips), 1 C onion (chopped), 2 cloves garlic
(minced), 2 carrots (chopped), 1 medium potato (peeled and cubed), 8 C water, 8 C water +
4 bouillon cubes (or 8 C stock), t dried marjoram (or any dried Italian herb), t dried
thyme, 1 bay leaf, 1 t salt, black pepper (to taste), 2 C cubed ham, 3-4 C cooked beans
1. In a large soup pot, combine vegetables, stock, marjoram, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and
pepper.
2. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until vegetables
are tender, about 30 minutes.
3. Add ham and beans and simmer until flavors are blended, 30 to 40 minutes longer.
Remove and discard bay leaf before serving.
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[A, V] Borsch (Lilit Tigranyan, Goris Host Family)
Also known as /sauz. This is that orange-colored soup your host family always makes.
Ingredients: 1 kg potatoes (peeled and halved; soak them in water after peeling and
halving), 1 onion (chopped), 1 T tomato paste, 1 t sugar, 2 T chopped fresh parsley, kg
meat (chicken or beef, boiled: retain the stock), oil, salt & hot paprika & black pepper to taste
1. In a large pot, fry onion in oil over low heat. Mix the tomato paste with a bit of water
and add to pot. Add the potatoes and pre-cooked meat. Stir
2. Add sugar and strained stock. Be sure the stock is still warm from cooking the meat.
3. Cook over medium-low heat until the potatoes are done. Add chopped parsley, salt &
hot paprika & black pepper to taste.
Ingredients: 4 medium potatoes, tsp thyme, 1 medium onion (chopped), tsp celery seed or 1
stalk chopped celery (if available), 2 T butter, salt & pepper to taste, 2 cloves garlic, 1 cup milk or 2
T milk powder, cup fresh or 2 T. dried parsley, 2 medium carrots
1. Peel and place potatoes in a pot. Add just enough water so that the top potatoes are
mostly underwater. Cover and boil until cooked but not mushy.
2. While potatoes are cooking, saut the onions, garlic, celery, thyme, parsley and
carrots until tender.
3. Remove half the potatoes from the water and cube them. Mash the other half with
the water until a smooth potato base is formed. Add milk, or if using dried milk, add
powder and enough water to form a thick soup. Add the sauted mixture, cubed
potatoes, and salt and pepper. Serves 4-6.
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Winter Veggie Soup
Ingredients: 4 t butter, 3 C leeks or onions, 1 C celery (or other veggie), 1 t dried tarragon (or
mixture of herbs), t thyme (or other green), salt & pepper, 5 C water, 5 C water + 2 bouillon cubes
(or 5 C stock), 2 C potatoes, kg spinach (rinsed & cooked), C cream or milk, 4 slices bacon [Y]
(optional)
1. Cook optional bacon, add butter. When melted add onions and celery; cook about 15
minutes, season with all spices.
2. Add stock and chicken, cook 15-20 minutes. Add spinach (make sure its chopped
well). Cook on low heat and add cream. Heat, but do not boil. Serve hot.
1. Combine ingredients & simmer for 1 hour. Come home from work on a snowy day
and warm up!
Ingredients: 1 small can of corn, water, 1 T potato starch, 1 chicken bouillon cube, 2 eggs, 1 T sugar
1. Mix one small can corn with one small can water.
2. Add a tablespoon of potato starch and a chicken bouillon cube. Bring to a boil and
cook until thickened
3. Beat two eggs in a separate bowl and add with one tablespoon of sugar. Cook until
eggs are done
Ingredients: 1 medium zucchini (chopped), 1 t salt, 1 can evaporated milk or 1 C milk, 1 medium
onion, chopped, t pepper, 1 can of corn, 2 T fresh parsley, minced, 3 C water, 2 C cheese, grated, 1
t dried basil, 1 bouillon cubes, pinch sugar, 1/3 C butter, 1 t lemon juice, chopped parsley for
garnishing, C flour, kg tomatoes (chopped)
1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, saut the zucchini, onion, parsley, and basil
in butter until vegetables are tender.
2. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper. Gradually stir in water. Add the bouillon and lemon
juice; mix well. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes
3. Add tomatoes, milk, and corn; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5
minutes or until corn is tender.
4. Just before serving, stir in cheese; add sugar and garnish with parsley if desired.
8-10 servings.
Ingredients: C wheat (or rice), 1-2 T flour, 1 L /macun (well-stirred), 1 onion (sauted or
raw: optional), 1-2 C cold water, chopped fresh cilantro (optional), 1 egg (beaten)
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1. Cook the wheat as you would cook rice. When finished, remove from heat and let
cool a little. Add the /macun, water, egg, and flour. Mix well, until there are
no lumps and it doesnt separate.
2. Heat on a low flame, stirring constantly to avoid separation of /macun and
water. When the soup boils, add the onion and cilantro. Let boil for 5 minutes,
watching closely (it will boil over) and stirring constantly.
1. Pare cucumbers, remove seeds, and grate to make 1 to 1 cup. Add remaining
ingredients; mix well.
2. Cover and chill about 4 hours. Mix again just before serving. Serve with parsley
sprigs; 8-10 servings.
Ingredients: 2 C tomatoes (peeled and chopped), 3 T herbs (dried or fresh), 1 tomato (chopped), 1 T
vinegar, 1 cucumber (peeled and chopped), 1 T good wine, 1 onion (chopped), 1 t lemon juice, 1
green pepper (chopped), salt & pepper, 1 C water, 1 C water + 1 bouillon cube (or 1 C stock)
1. Do your best to puree together (maybe mash) the tomatoes, herbs, vinegar, wine,
lemon juice, and water or stock
2. Cover and chill for a minimum of 1 hour
3. Add the chopped cucumber, pepper, onion, and 1 chopped tomato
4. Enjoy cold with fresh bread and wine
Salad Dressings
Note: mix seasonings with vinegar before adding oil to your salad dressing. Oil coats the
herbs and traps the flavors.
Ingredients: t salt, t pepper, 6 T olive oil, 2-3 T vinegar or lemon juice, 1 t mustard (dijon if
available), 1 clove garlic (crushed: optional)
1. Combine salt, pepper, 1 T olive oil, and 1 T vinegar in a bowl. Beat well with a whisk
or fork until smooth.
2. Add 2 more T olive oil, beat well again.
3. Add the last 3 T olive oil and the last T vinegar; add the garlic and mustard.
4. Place dressing in a jar; shake before using.
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1. Mix all ingredients together; beat until fluffy. Chill.
Ingredients: 2 T sugar, t dry mustard [US], 3 T vinegar, t garlic powder, 2 t paprika, dash ground
red pepper, 1 t Worcestershire sauce ([Y] recipe will be vegan if this is [US]), C salad or olive oil,
t salt
1. In a small mixing bowl, combine sugar, vinegar, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, salt,
mustard, garlic & red pepper.
2. Add oil in a thin stream, mixing the whole time. Mix for 2-3 minutes.
3. Cover and store in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks. Stir before serving. Makes 1
cups.
1. In a mixing bowl, stir together mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, mustard, basil,
oregano, salt, and garlic powder.
2. Cover and store in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks. If necessary, stir in milk to make
desired consistency. Makes 1 cup.
Ingredients: 1 C mayonnaise, C hot pepper sauce (Tabasco, MiviMex, etc.), 1 hard-boiled egg
(finely chopped), 2 T olives (finely chopped: okay to use pimiento-stuffed),2 T green pepper (finely
chopped), 2 T onion (finely chopped), 1 t Worcestershire sauce [Y], 1 T milk
Ingredients: C mayonnaise, 2 T apple cider vinegar, t salt, t hot pepper sauce (Tabasco,
MiviMex, etc.)
1. Combine all ingredients and stir well. Keeps for a week or more in a closed container
in the refrigerator (which is longer than the spinach will keep).
Ingredients: C tahini [Y], 2 cloves garlic (minced), 2 T white vinegar (or to taste), t salt, 4 T olive
or vegetable oil (or enough to make desired consistency)
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Yogurt Dressing (Barbara Harrington, A17)
Ingredients: 1 C yogurt, 2 T lemon juice, 1 t dijon-style mustard (Y), 2 t greens (chopped, ideally
parsley & chives).
Salads
[B, V] Elementary Green Salad (Meaghan Corwin, A16)
Ingredients: 1 bunch lettuce greens (e.g. romaine, mesclun, spinach, lettuce), 1 C mixed chopped
vegetables (e.g. carrots, onions, celery, cauliflower, cucumber, mushrooms, beets (cooked or pickled),
pickles), 2 T seeds (e.g. sunflower, poppy, sesame), C protein (e.g. cooked beans, cubed cheese,
cubed cooked meat), C dressing
1. Wash all vegetables thoroughly. If serving immediately, cut the lettuce greens into
bite-sized pieces. If salad wont be served immediately, you might want to tear the
lettuce to prevent discoloration.
2. Put chopped lettuce into a large bowl. Pile chopped vegetables, seeds, and protein
on top. Pour on dressing and toss gently. Experiment with different combinations to
find what you like best. Serves 2-4.
Ingredients: 100 g dried aveluk, 50 g onions (chopped), 20 g oil, salt & pepper to taste
1. Boil aveluk until soft, drain, and chop into small pieces.
2. Saut onions in oil, add aveluk, salt & pepper, mix well and let simmer for several
minutes. Serve cooled.
1. Boil beets until soft. Let cool, then grate into a bowl.
2. Mix beets with garlic and chopped walnuts, then stir in mayonnaise or sour cream.
Ingredients: 1 kg carrots (grated), 2 cloves garlic (minced), 1 C oil (or sour cream: not vegan), salt to
taste
Ingredients: kg asparagus, 2 hard-boiled eggs (chopped), 2 T finely chopped parsley, 3 T olive oil,
2 T wine vinegar, 1 clove garlic (mashed), salt to taste
49
1. Cut off tough asparagus ends, and cut asparagus into 1 pieces. Cover with boiling
salted water and boil, uncovered, about 3 minutes or until tender.
2. Drain and cool asparagus.
3. In a salad bowl combine asparagus, eggs, and parsley.
4. Beat together the olive oil, garlic, vinegar, and salt until blended. Pour over
asparagus and eggs. Serve immediately.
Ingredients: 1 large beet, 4 handfuls cilantro, salt to taste, 4 large potatoes, 3-4 pickles, 2 handfuls
cooked red beans, 3-4 T oil
Roasted Beet and Walnut Salad (Christy & Matt Schindler, A5)
Ingredients: 8-10 medium beets (about 1 kg), salt & pepper to taste, 2 T cider vinegar, C olive oil,
1 t spicy mustard [Y], C coarsely chopped walnuts, t sugar, 4 oz. blue cheese (coarsely
crumbled), 1-2 cloves minced garlic (optional)
Ingredients: 10 hard boiled eggs (diced), 1 T chopped green onion, C mayonnaise, 2 t vinegar,
C green or red sweet pepper (chopped), 1 t dry dill (or 1 T fresh), C onion, chopped, t black
pepper, 2 T lemon juice, salt to taste
50
Cabbage Salad
(Richard & Alverta Staggs, A10s; Andrew Morgan-A3)
Ingredients: 4 c. cabbage sliced thin or grated, c. oil, 2 -4 carrots (grated), C vinegar (preferably
cider), 6-8 green onions (chopped), -1 t salt, chopped parsley or cilantro to taste, 3-4 t jelly or
muraba, green pepper (optional), 1 -2 t dijon mustard
Ingredients: 8 boiled potatoes (chopped), C yellow mustard [Y], fresh herbs (chopped), 10 green
onions or onions (chopped), 4 hard boiled eggs (chopped), C mayonnaise, 6 pickles (chopped,
optional), salt & pepper to taste
1. Boil potatoes with skin on until soft. Prepare hard boiled eggs.
2. Mix all ingredients together and chill in fridge. The longer it chills the better the flavor
Ingredients: 6 medium potatoes, 2 stalks celery (thinly sliced), 1 medium green pepper, C onion
(chopped), 1 C mayonnaise, 1 T vinegar, 2 t prepared mustard [Y], 1 t salt, t pepper, 6 hard-
boiled eggs (coarsely chopped)
51
1. In a covered saucepan cook potatoes in boiling water for 20 to 25 minutes or until
just tender; drain well. Peel and cube potatoes
2. In a very large bowl combine celery, green pepper, onion, mayonnaise, vinegar,
Mustard, salt, and pepper. Add potatoes and eggs. Toss lightly to mix. Cover and chill
for 6 to 24 hours. Makes 12 servings.
Ingredients: 4 medium potatoes, 4 slices bacon [Y], C onion (chopped), 1 T flour, 1 T sugar, t
salt, t celery seed, t pepper, C water, C vinegar, 1 hard-boiled egg, 2 T chopped parsley
1. Mix salt and water, let cucumber set there for 1 hour. Rinse and blot. Combine
remaining ingredients in bowl and toss with cucumber. Chill at least 4 hours
Ingredients: 4-6 ripe tomatoes, Feta cheese (optional: see note below), 2-3 medium cucumbers,
black olives (if desired), 2 medium sweet onions, rosemary, olive oil, dill, vinegar
1. Cut tomatoes into wedges, the cucumbers into rounds, and the onions any way you
want. Put tomatoes, cucumbers and onions in a bowl; sprinkle olive oil and vinegar
lavishly. Mix and taste.
2. Cut Feta into squares and place on top of salad. Add olives, rosemary, and dill.
Note: You can use Armenian Cheese: it works just like Feta. Just make sure to soak it in
cold water to remove all the salt
52
[V] Red Pepper Salad (Jennifer Carter, A13)
Ingredients: 1 roasted red pepper, pinch cumin, 1 t pomegranate juice, pinch salt, 1 t oil
1. Mix all ingredients and chill. This is close to the Lagonid restaurant recipe.
Ingredients: 1 C boiling water, 2 T sliced olives (optional), 1 C chopped tomato, 1 t olive oil, C
raw bulgur (cracked wheat), C minced mint (optional), C finely chopped fresh parsley, t salt,
C lemon juice, 1 crushed garlic clove, 3 T minced onion or green onions
1. Combine boiling water and bulgur in medium bowl; Stir well. Let stand 20 minutes or
until water is absorbed.
2. In another bowl, add and mix the remaining ingredients.
3. Pour over the bulgur mixture and toss gently to coat. Cover and chill for 1 hour.
Mjeddrah is traditionally eaten with a salad and the following dressing on top (like a tostada
without the tortilla). Choose among lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, green onions, cucumber,
radishes, bell pepper, and sprouts. For the dressing, combine ingredients and toss with
salad
Ingredients: 1 C lentils (rinsed), 2 large onions (coarsely chopped), 4 C water, t salt, 3 3 T olive
oil, C brown rice [Y] (or white)
Salad dressing ingredients: 3 T olive oil, t dry mustard, 2 T lemon juice, 1 clove garlic (minced),
t paprika, t honey
1. Bring lentils and water to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes.
2. Heat 2 T oil in a skillet and saut onions and salt until onions are translucent.
3. Heat remaining oil in another skillet and saut rice for 3 minutes.
4. Combine lentils, onion, and rice, cover tightly, and simmer until lentils and rice are
tender, about 1 hour. (Up to 2 C more water may be needed to cook the rice). Stir
occasionally. Add more salt, if desired.
Ingredients: 1 T lemon juice, t cumin and chili powder, t oregano, 3 C cooked rice, 1 C salami
(chopped and cooked), C celery (chopped), C onion (chopped), C olives (chopped), t salt,
C mayonnaise, 1 boiled egg (chopped)
Ingredients: 80 g cooked kidney or red beans, 25 g chopped onions, 15 g oil, 15 g vinegar, salt &
pepper to taste, chopped cilantro
1. Mix cooled beans, salt, pepper, cilantro, onions, oil, and vinegar. Serve cooled.
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Just Beanie (Andy Matestic, A6)
Ingredients: 3 T vinegar, 2 C chopped tomato, t salt & pepper, 1 red onion (chopped), 1 cucumber
(peeled and chopped), 1 C cooked chickpeas, 2 T red wine, 4 C toasted bread cubes, 2 cloves
garlic (minced), C fresh herbs, 1 green pepper (chopped), C grated cheese, 2 T oil
1. Combine all ingredients except chickpeas, bread cubes, herbs, and cheese. Toss to
coat. Marinate 2 hours. Add remaining ingredients and toss.
Ingredients: 1 pizza crust, goat cheese, olive oil, sliced fruit, tarragon or basil or parsley, black
pepper
Ingredients: 6 potatoes (peeled and grated), 2 carrots (peeled and grated), 2 onions (peeled and
minced), 2 green peppers (minced), 1 handful herbs (cilantro/parsley/basil/dill, chopped very finely), 3
eggs (beaten), salt & pepper to taste, cooking oil/shortening (Aftab)
1. Be sure to drain the grated potatoes. Then mix all of the vegetables in a large bowl.
Add eggs.
2. Heat about inch of oil in a skillet until very hot. Test a spoonful of batter. If it browns
in about a minute, the oil is ready.
3. Drop cup of batter in the oil. Turn when brown and crisp and fry the other side.
When finished, remove from oil and drain on napkins. Makes about 2 dozen cutlets.
Ingredients: 1 package sour cream, 1 t ginger [Y], 1-3 t curry or to taste, 3 cloves garlic (chopped), 1
t cumin, salt & pepper to taste, 1 t crushed red pepper, sauted vegetables of choice
1. In a fry pan, add sauted vegetables, sour cream, and a little water; cook over
medium heat until the sauce has reduced to desired consistency
2. Add spices and serve over rice
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Asparagus
When the asparagus appears in April it means that winter is starting to wind down. Eat your
greens: you havent been able to all winter!
Ingredients: asparagus, butter (optional), garlic (minced) to taste, salt
Ingredients: 1 braid of aveluk, 2 T tomato paste (optional), 1 C roasted peanuts, 1 clove garlic
(chopped), 2 T olive oil
Beets
1. Cut off all but 1 inch of the beet tops; do not pare or remove the roots
2. Drop the beets into enough boiling water to cover them, and cook, uncovered, until
they are tender, allowing 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the age of the beets
3. Drain them and drop them in cold water for a minute or two to cool them slightly, then
slip off the skins. Leave them whole, quarter or slice them
4. Toss them with butter, salt and pepper, and some chopped parsley. Reheat them, if
necessary, before serving
Note: for sugared beets, toss cooked, sliced beets with 2 T butter, 1 t sugar, and t salt
1. Wash beet greens in cold water, drain well. Remove stems and trim bruised leaves.
2. Cook covered in a small amount of boiling salted water for 9-12 minutes or until
tender.
1. Cut the cabbage in half, cut away and discard the hard, whitish core. Slice into
wedges.
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2. Drop wedges into a large pot of boiling, salted water and boil until the cabbage is just
tender, about 5-7 minutes. It should be crisp-tender and retain its color. Drain well.
Cooked Carrots
Ingredients: carrots (trimmed, peeled, and sliced), salt & pepper, 2 T butter, 2 T chopped parsley
1. Cook carrots, covered, in about 2 inches of boiling water until they are tender, about
10-12 minutes.
2. Drain and coat with butter and season to taste. Can also toss with 2 T finely chopped
parsley.
Ingredients: 3 C carrots (sliced), 1 T lemon juice, 2 T butter (softened), t salt, 1 T chopped fresh
dill (or t dried), t pepper
Ingredients: 1 C fresh parsley leaves, 6 large leaves of fresh basil, 1 clove garlic (minced), 1 T water,
2 t Dijon mustard, salt to taste, 1 T olive oil, 4 C carrots (sliced thickly on the diagonal)
1. Place the parsley, basil, garlic, water, mustard, and salt in a food processor and
bland. Add the oil and blend until it forms a thick sauce. Alternatively, mince the
parsley and basil. Combine the herbs, garlic, water, mustard, and salt in a small
bowl. Whisk in the oil until well blended.
2. Steam the carrots in a large saucepan until tender, about 8-10 minutes. Toss carrots
gently with the sauce and serve.
Ingredients: 3 C carrots (sliced), 4 green onions (cut into -inch pieces), C unsweetened
pineapple juice, 2 T honey, 2 T butter, 1 T vinegar, 1 t corn starch [Y] or potato starch, 1 t soy sauce
[Y]
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[V] Celery with Tomato (Matt Schindler, A5)
Ingredients: 3 C sliced celery, salt & pepper to taste, C chopped tomato, 2 T water or
stock
1. Put celery in a saucepan and scatter tomato over the top. Add the water or stock,
salt, pepper, and cover. Simmer over low flame until celery is tender when pierced
with a fork. Sprinkle with cheese, if desired, and serve.
1. Just before cooking, husk the corn, pulling off all silky threads and cutting out any
blemishes.
2. Drop the corn into a large pot filled with boiling salted water. Cover the pot and let the
water return to a boil again, then turn off heat and keep the pot covered.
3. After about 5 minutes, remove enough ears for a first serving. You can keep the
remaining corn warm in the water for another 10 minutes without it becoming tough.
4. Serve with lots of butter and salt.
Note: Armenian corn is feed corn, so it will always be tougher than American sweet corn.
Aroma sells sweet corn, wrapped in plastic, in the dairy section.
Ingredients: 3-4 kg cabbage head, 4 C bulgur (cracked wheat), C oil, bunch herbs (basil,
parsley, cilantro: chopped finely), 1 500 g jar tomato paste, 1 onion (chopped finely), paprika
(Armenian red pepper), salt
This is traditional Armenian dolma cooked for Lent period (40 days before Easter). It is
cooked in large amounts with the intention to last throughout the Lent or to share with friends
or neighbors.
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Ingredients: 1 C cooked chickpeas, 1 C cooked lentils,1 C cooked kidney beans, 1 C ground wheat
(/dzavar), kg onions, L oil, 200 gr tomato paste, grape leaves or pickled cabbage leaves,
salt and pepper to taste, dried herbs
1. Cook chickpeas, lentils, beans and ground wheat separately. Grind all and then mix.
2. Fry onions in oil, then add salt, pepper, dried herbs, and tomato paste. Mix all
ingredients.
3. Roll small amounts of mixture in grape leaves or cabbage leaves. Line the pot with
dolma. Cover dolma with enough warm water to cook (1-2 cups). Cook dolma until
water boils down. If dolma is not cooked yet, add some more warm water and
continue to cook.
Ingredients: eggplant
Ingredients: 1 T butter, chili powder, 1 eggplant (peeled and sliced inch thick), salt, 1 onion (finely
chopped), 4-5 eggs, 1 large green pepper (thinly sliced)
1. Melt butter in skillet and place 4 slices of eggplant in the skillet. Add some onion and
green pepper in the spaces between the eggplant slices. Add chili powder and salt
2. Meanwhile beat 4-5 eggs until foamy. When eggplant is softened, pour some of the
beaten egg into the skillet just enough to cover eggplant. Fry over low heat, without
stirring until egg is cooked. Turn pancake and brown on the other side. Remove to
a plate and keep warm in oven.
3. Repeat this process, adding more butter to the skillet as needed until all the eggplant
and eggs are used. One pancake serves one person as a main dish
Eggplant with Feta Cheese & Yogurt Sauce (Michelle Ryan, A6)
Ingredients: 1 T lemon juice, 1 T olive oil, 3 eggplants (cut into inch slices)
Sauce ingredients: C yogurt, C crumbled Feta*, C chopped onion, 3 T chopped fresh mint
leaves 1 T lemon juice, 1 t fresh garlic, minced, t ground red pepper
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2. Stir together lemon juice and olive oil; brush both sides of eggplant slices. Place
eggplant slices on a baking sheet. Broil 6-8 inches from heat, turning once, until
tender and lightly browned, about 6-8 minutes
3. Meanwhile, in small bowl combine all sauce ingredients; mix well. Serve over warm
eggplant slices. Makes 5 servings
* You can use Armenian Cheese; it works just like Feta, just make sure to soak it in cold
water to remove all the salt
Ingredients: eggplant, vegetable oil, ground meat, salt, onion (chopped), tomato (chopped)
1. Cut eggplant lengthwise. Salt the eggplants and let sit 10-15 minutes.
2. In skillet, roast eggplants in vegetable oil.
3. In separate skillet, fry the onion then add ground meat and fry until done. Salt to
taste.
4. Put meat and onion mixture inside the middle of eggplant pieces. Then put these
eggplants in a pan, add chopped tomato and boil 10 minutes.
[V] Ratatouille
Ingredients: 2 small eggplants (cut into 1-inch cubes), t salt, kg potatoes, 3 T olive oil, 1 green
bell pepper (cored, seeded and cut into 1-inch squares), 1 onion (coarsely chopped), 2-3 cloves garlic
(coarsely chopped), t black pepper, t paprika, 6 tomatoes, 1 T tomato paste, C coarsely
chopped fresh parsley, coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves, 2 T fresh oregano leaves (or t dried)
1. Sprinkle the eggplants lightly with the salt and place it in a colander. Allow it to sit for
1 hour. Then rinse, drain and pat dry
2. Bring a large saucepan of a water to a boil and add the potatoes. Reduce the heat
and simmer until just tender, about 25 min. Drain and set aside
3. Preheat the oven to 350F/180C
4. Heat 2 T of the oil in a large skillet and add the peppers, onion and garlic. Saut over
medium-low heat for 5 minutes
5. Remove the skillet from the heat and add the salt, pepper, paprika, tomatoes, tomato
paste, parsley, basil, oregano, eggplants, and remaining 1 T oil. Stir well and transfer
the mixture to an ovenproof casserole. Cover and bake 30 minutes. Stir in the
reserved potatoes, and bake uncovered another 30 minutes stirring once
Green Beans
1. Wash beans and remove ends and strings if there are any. Leave whole or cut in
diagonal strips
2. Drop into large pot of boiling water, boil gently 5-10 minutes, depending on size and
age of beans. Taste for doneness, should still be a bit crunchy
3. Drain and rinse with cool water to stop cooking. Reheat with butter, salt and pepper
just before serving
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[A] Fried Green Beans & Eggs (Nara Martirosian, Goris counterpart)
Ingredients: C onion (chopped), 1 T butter (melted), 1 T flour, t dried savory, kg green beans
(cut into 2 inch pieces), salt & pepper to taste
1. Cook onion in melted butter until tender. Add salt, pepper, flour, and savory. Cook,
stirring occasionally.
2. In another pan, steam or boil green beans until just tender. Slowly stir C bean
water into onion mixture and bring to a boil. Add cooked beans and serve.
Ingredients: 3 T butter (melted), 2 T flour, 1 t salt, t pepper, 1 t sugar, t onion (grated), 1 C sour
cream, 2 cans green beans, kg grated cheese, C bread crumbs
1. Combine 2 T butter and flour. Cook gently until bubbly. Remove from heat; stir in
seasonings and cream. Fold in green beans.
2. Place in shallow pan. Cover with cheese, then with crumbs mixed with remaining T
butter. Bake at 350F/180C 30 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and golden. Serves 8
as side dish, 4 as main dish.
Mushrooms
Ingredients: 2 kg wild mushrooms, C chopped fresh herbs, 1 C water, 2 eggs, 1 bouillon cube, 2 T
oil
1. Rinse mushrooms in water, then cut larger pieces into smaller sizes. Put mushrooms
into a large pot with one C of water. Boil covered for about 2 hours, stirring
occasionally. The mushrooms will shrink to half or their original size. One may also
add a chicken or beef bouillon cube to the boiling water for a flavor enhancer, if
desired
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2. During the last 15 minutes, or when the mushrooms are done, add chopped fresh
herbs. Uncover the pot and allow the remaining water to evaporate
3. In a separate bowl, scramble two eggs. Add 2 T oil to the mushrooms and pour raw
eggs over the mushrooms. Let the eggs cook and stir in with the mushrooms. When
the eggs are done the dish is finished
Ingredients: 1 kg onions, 3 C milk, C butter, salt and pepper to taste, 1 package ham or bacon
[Y]
1. Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Peel onions and boil whole in water for 20 minutes
2. While onions are boiling, fry bacon or ham in butter.
3. Next add milk, salt and pepper. Add onions to mixture and stir.
4. Heat in oven for 30 minutes or until onions are tender. Add extra crumbled bacon or
bread crumbs when almost cooked.
Ingredients: 1 can crushed pineapple & 1 can tidbits, 1/2 C sugar, 1 T cornstarch & 1 T flour, 2 eggs
slightly beaten, cinnamon for top
1. Drain pineapple chunks & mix together with all ingredients. Pour into a casserole
dish sprayed with Pam (or greased oven-safe dish). Sprinkle cinnamon on top.
Bake 350F/180C for 1 hour.
2. It goes really well with baked ham or a pork roast. It is easy to make. For added
variety you can add chopped up apples to it as well.
1. Saut onions in oil until translucent. Add tomatoes and cook for 5-7 minutes (longer if
tomatoes are particularly juicy). Add salt to taste and pour on eggs.
2. Let cook in pan (without stirring) for about 2 minutes or until eggs are set.
3. Add chopped greens and serve hot. Serves 4. Excellent on its own or with sour
cream over a pilaf.
[V] Tomato Bread Pudding (Better Homes & Gardens Aug. 2002)
Ingredients: loaf of French bread [Y] or white crusty bread (torn into - inch chunks), 3 T fresh dill,
2 garlic cloves (minced), t black pepper, 2 T olive oil, C water or stock, 4 C tomatoes (cored,
seeded, and coarsely chopped)
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3. In a large skillet cook garlic in hot olive oil over medium heat for 30 seconds. Add
tomatoes, dill, and pepper. Cook uncovered over medium heat for 2 minutes, stirring
occasionally.
4. Add water/stock and bring to a boil. Remove from heat.
5. To serve, place toasted bread pieces in a bowl. Pour tomato mixture over bread; toss
gently to mix. Top with sprigs of dill. Serve immediately.
Ingredients: 4 medium ripe tomatoes, t ground black pepper, t sugar, 1 C shredded cheese, 3
cloves garlic (pressed), C cracker or bread crumbs, t dry basil (or use fresh), chopped fresh
parsley (optional), t dry oregano (or fresh)
1. Cut tops of tomatoes off and scoop out the middles into a bowl. Throw about half
away. Mix pulp with sugar, spices, C of the cheese, and crumbs. Stuff tomatoes
with the mixture and place on baking sheet.
2. Bake at 350F/180C for about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and top tomatoes
with remaining cheese and return to oven until tomatoes are tender and cheese is
melted. Sprinkle with fresh parsley, if desired.
Ingredients: 3 T oil, flour, 4 green tomatoes (sliced), milk, 2 eggs (beaten), salt, dry bread crumbs,
pepper
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1. Brown ground meat and onions; drain and add parsley, basil, and pepper
2. Add cooked rice to meat mixture and stir well. Place tomatoes in casserole dish and
scoop rice/hamburger mixture into tomatoes. Cover with foil and bake at 350F/
180C for 10 minutes, then remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes
3. Variation: can also be done with green peppers
Ingredients: 5 green peppers, parsley, 5 carrots (grated), oil, 1 large onion (finely chopped) salt, 3
tomatoes (or tomato paste + water)
Optional ingredients: canned corn, 1-2 hot peppers, C grated cheese (not vegan)
1. Saut the onion in oil on moderate heat, add the grated carrots, tomatoes, optional
corn, and hot peppers and simmer for 7-10 minutes.
2. Add the salt and chopped parsley; let it cool down a little.
3. Stuff the peppers with the filling, sprinkle tops with optional cheese, put them in a
saucepan, add a couple of tomatoes and a little water and put on low heat. (It should
be juicy, so if you are adding tomato paste instead of tomatoes add some water.)
4. Serve when the pepper is cooked.
1. Place red pepper directly over stove burner on medium-high heat; turn every 1-2
minutes. Roast for 5-10 minutes in all
2. Place roasted pepper in a covered bowl to cool; Once cooled, peel and discard
pepper skin and remove the seeds
Ingredients: kg spinach, salt, 3 t butter, 3 T flour, 1 C milk, 1 C grated cheese, 6 eggs, pepper,
toast
Ingredients: 1 small squash, 3 apples (peeled, cored, and sliced), C butter, C brown sugar [Y],
C orange juice or apple juice, cinnamon, nutmeg [Y], all-spice, cloves (optional and to taste), to
C cognac (optional)
1. Steam or boil squash until soft, peel and cut into small chunks.
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2. Arrange squash to cover bottom of baking pan. Layer apples over squash.
3. Mix juice and cognac with brown sugar and pour over apple and squash mixture.
4. Cut up butter into small chunks and drop on top of mixture. Shake spices over top.
5. Bake in 350F/180C oven for 3545 minutes until apples are soft. Note that there
should be enough liquid in the dish to aid in the steaming/cooking of the apples and
to infuse the dish with flavor.
Ingredients: 85 g butter, dried red pepper flakes, 1 onion (chopped), -1 pumpkin (cleaned, then
chopped), mixed fresh herbs, 1 C water or milk, 2-3 green peppers (chopped), salt & pepper to taste
1. Melt butter in a pan. Saut onion, herbs, green pepper, and red pepper flakes for 5
minutes. Add pumpkin pieces. If pumpkin is dry, add 1 C water or milk. Salt to taste.
2. Bake at 350F/180C for about a hour. Mash pumpkin so it is like mashed
potatoes.
3. Variation: Add chopped green beans before baking.
Ingredients: 1 single-crust pie, 4 eggs (slightly beaten), C grated Swiss cheese, 1 C milk or light
cream, C grated cheddar cheese, t salt, C grated carrot, t pepper, C sliced green onion,
t garlic powder, 1 T flour
1. Prepare pie pastry. Line the unpricked pastry shell with a double thickness of foil.
2. Bake in 450F/230C oven for 8 minutes. Remove foil. Bake 4-5 minutes more or
until pastry is set and dry. Remove from oven. Reduce oven to 325F/165C.
3. Toss together cheeses, carrot, green onion, and flour. Sprinkle mixture over the
bottom of the pastry shell.
4. In a medium mixing bowl stir together eggs, milk or cream, salt, pepper, and garlic
powder. Pour egg mixture into the hot, baked pastry shell. Bake in the 325F/165C
oven for 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. If
necessary, cover edge of crust with foil to prevent over-browning. Let stand for 10
minutes before serving. Makes 6 servings.
Potatoes
Potatoes are quite common in Armenia and are available in the whole year round. Select
potatoes that are clean, firm, smooth, and free from soft spots or darkened areas. Its okay if
your potatoes have sprouted; just cut away any green areas and start cooking.
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4. Bake for 1 hour for large potatoes, 50 minutes for medium, and 40-45 minutes for
small. Turn potatoes about half-way through cooking time. Test for doneness by
piercing the potatoes to the center with the point of a knife or a fork to see that the
middle feels soft.
5. If you desire softer skins, you can rub oil on the skins before baking. If you desire
crispy skins, just let them bake longer, about 1 hours for medium potatoes and 2
hours for large.
Ingredients: C oil, salt & pepper to taste, potatoes (washed and peeled if desired)
1. Heat oil on medium heat in a frying pan until hot (until a drop of water sizzles if
dropped into oil)
2. Place potato strips in the oil and cover, turning occasionally until brown
3. Remove from oil and place potatoes on a napkin for a minute to drain excess oil
4. Salt and pepper as desired; serves 1-2
* Tip from Cory Mailliard (A15): if you can get someone to send you Lawrey's Seasoned Salt,
it makes everything taste better.
1. Slice potatoes into strips lengthwise. Combine ingredients in large Ziploc bag and
seal. Toss to coat potatoes. Spread in single layer on baking sheet or pan with cover.
Cook over medium heat until golden brown, turning once to prevent burning.
Ingredients: kg small potatoes, 4 garlic cloves (pressed), 1 T butter, C chopped parsley, 2 T oil,
salt & pepper to taste
1. Cook potatoes in lightly salted water until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and cool.
Cut potatoes in quarters and put aside.
2. Melt butter with oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add potatoes and garlic and
cook five minutes, stirring frequently. Increase heat to high. Cook potatoes until deep
golden brown. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Ingredients: 6 large potatoes, 2 T green onion (finely chopped), 1 t chili powder (or seasonings you
like), 1 medium tomato (finely chopped), 3-4 drops hot pepper sauce (Tabasco, Mivi Mix, etc), 1 C
shredded cheese, 2 t vegetable oil
Optional ingredients: C sour cream, 8 slices bacon [Y] (crisp-cooked)
1. Bake cleaned potatoes at 425F/220C for 40-45 minutes or until done. Cool.
2. Cut each potato lengthwise into 4 wedges or if they are small, you can half them.
Scoop out the inside of each potato wedge (save for another use), leaving a shell
about inch thick.
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3. In a small bowl, combine oil, seasonings, and hot pepper sauce. Brush the insides of
the wedges with the oil mixture. Place the wedges in a single layer on a large baking
sheet. Sprinkle wedges with bacon, tomato, and green onion. Top with cheese.
4. Bake about 10 minutes more or until cheese melts and potatoes are heated through.
Serve with sour cream, if desired. You can make these ahead and chill the
assembled wedges for up to 24 hours before baking. Makes 24 wedges.
Ingredients: White Sauce (see the sauce section), 3 C raw potatoes, 1 green onion (chopped), butter
to taste
1. Make White Sauce. Grate the potatoes, drain potatoes of excess liquid in a colander.
2. Add the grated raw potatoes and the green onion to the sauce. Blend well.
3. Pour the mixture into a buttered baking dish. Dot with butter. Bake at 350F/180C
until the top is caramel-colored and very shiny.
Ingredients: 1 or 2 potatoes (peeled & cut in half), 1 T butter, salt & pepper, 3 C water, C milk
1. Boil potatoes in a covered pot until soft; a fork should easily pierce them.
2. Drain the water and mash. Add butter and milk to desired taste and consistency. Salt
and pepper if desired. You can dress this up with garlic, onions, herbs, and/ or
cheese.
Easy potato peeling trick: boil the washed potatoes with the skin on. When done, put
immediately into cold water and the peel will slide right off.
Ingredients: 4-8 potatoes (depending on size), 1 t salt, 2-3 T melted butter, 2-3 T fresh or dried
herbs, 6 T grated cheese
1. Cut potatoes into thin slices, but not all the way through (fan the potatoes slices).
2. Sprinkle with salt and drizzle on butter. Then put on herbs and bake at 425F/220C
for 50 minutes. Add cheese and bake another 15 min. or until soft.
Ingredients: 3 T olive oil, 4 egg whites, 2 large baking potatoes (cut into inch slices), t salt, 1
medium onion (thinly sliced), t pepper, 4 eggs
1. Heat oil in a skillet; add potatoes and onion. Cook over medium heat, stirring and
turning occasionally, until potatoes are softened and lightly browned (10-12 minutes).
2. In medium bowl stir together eggs, egg whites, salt, and pepper. Pour egg mixture
over potato mixture. Continue cooking, lifting edges to allow eggs to flow underneath,
until edges are set, about 6-8 minutes.
3. Cover; continue cooking until top is slightly puffy and set, about 3-4 minutes. Makes 6
servings.
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Quebec Potato Pancakes (Andrew Morgan, A3)
Ingredients: 2 C potatoes (peeled, grated and raw), t salt, 2 T onion (minced), 2 eggs (beaten), 2
T flour, pinch of ground pepper, t baking powder [Y], oil
1. Combine potatoes, onion, flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Blend in the eggs.
2. Heat enough oil to cover the bottom of a crepe pan or skillet. Drop batter by
tablespoonfuls into pan and fry 2 minutes per side until golden. Keep pancakes warm
while cooking remaining batter. Good served with ketchup, cheese sauce, or apple
sauce.
1. For sauce, cook onion in butter or margarine until tender. Stir in flour, t salt and 1/8
t pepper. Add milk all at once. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Remove from
heat.
2. Place half the sliced potatoes in a greased casserole dish. Cover with half the sauce.
Repeat layers.
3. Bake covered, in a 350F/180C over for 35-45 minutes. Uncover; bake 30 minutes
more or until potatoes are tender. Let stand 5 minutes; serves 4.
Ingredients: 4 large potatoes, 1 can of corn, 2 C tomato salsa, 1 C cooked red beans
Optional ingredients: C cilantro, black olives, grated meltable cheese
[A] Armenian Potato Chips with a whole new meaning (John Schuchart, A6)
As the Armenian days become shorter and the smell of fall is in the air, it is time to gather
the winters staple...potatoes. Tradition has it that a feast takes place to honor this life-
sustaining root.
Ingredients: a hole in the ground, salt, a dozen dried cow pies (not fresh!), a freshly dug up pile of
taters, a spirit of adventure
1. Light the cow pies, and let burn for a half hour. Lift the pie coals and place taters
under them. After 15 minutes, lift pie coals again and turn the taters. Wait another 15
minutes and remove. Eat as is, or add salt.. Guaranteed to appease the heartiest
appetite, in addition to giving you something to write home about.
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Rice & Grains
[B, V] White Rice (Jenny Tolley, A3)
Ingredients: 1 C uncooked white rice,* 2 C water or 2 C water + 1 bouillon cube or 2 C stock, salt to
taste
1. Heat rice, water/stock, and salt to boiling, stirring once or twice; reduce heat.
2. Cover and simmer for 14 minutes (do not lift cover or stir); remove from heat. Fluff
rice lightly with fork. Cover and let steam for 5-10 minutes; makes 2-3 servings.
If you soak the rice for an hour or two beforehand, you will only need to use 1 C of liquid
for each C rice.
Ingredients: 1 C rice, 1 medium onion (chopped), 2 cloves garlic (minced), 1 small carrot (grated or
finely chopped), oil, 1 C water (boiled), 1 bay leaf, salt & pepper to taste, t turmeric or curry
powder (optional)*
1. Heat oil in a pot and fry onions and garlic until fragrant. Add bay leaf, salt, and
pepper (and optional turmeric/curry powder).
2. Add carrots and stir a bit.
3. Add rice and stir a bit more.
4. Add warm water (or stock), stir, cover, and cook covered on low heat for 20 minutes-
half an hour.
* The host family recipe did not include turmeric or curry powder, but it looks much prettier if
it is very yellow, and they add a nice mellow flavor that certainly doesnt hurt. You can also
use (strained) stock or add pieces of chicken before adding the rice. Real Uzbek pilaf is
made with beef and beef stock, but its just as tasty (or tastier) without meat.
1. Bring 4 L of salted water to a boil. Add rice. Cook about 7 minutes. Rice should not
be soft. Drain rice in colander and rinse with cold water.
2. Saut raisins and dried apricots in melted butter in a large skillet (with a tight lid) for
3-4 minutes. Remove apricots and raisins. Tear lavash into several large pieces and
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fry until crisp but not brown. Remove most lavash but leave enough to cover the
bottom of the pan.
3. Turn heat very, very low. Layer boiled rice on top of lavash, alternate with dried fruit.
On top of rice & fruit mixture put the remaining pieces of fried lavash. Cover pan very
tightly (dont peek!) and cook over very, very low heat for 5-7 minutes. Be careful to
turn the heat very low or the pilaf will burn. Serves 6.
Ingredients: C butter, C fine egg noodles, 1 C long grain rice, 2 C water or 2 C water +
1 bouillon cube or 2 C stock, salt
1. Melt butter. Saut noodles until slightly browned, stirring constantly.
2. Wash and drain rice well, then add to noodles and saut together for a few minutes,
always stirring.
3. Heat the stock and salt (if youre using hot water instead of stock, add C butter).
Add to noodles and rice. Cover and cook on low heat for 20 minutes. When water is
absorbed and rice is soft, let rest for 15 to 20 minutes before serving, but keep warm.
Stir with fork.
Ingredients: 2 C washed rice, 1-2 hot peppers (seeded & minced), 3 C water, 2 T vegetable oil, 1
medium tomato (chopped), 1 T ground cumin, 1 medium onion (diced), salt & pepper to taste, 2-3
large cloves garlic (crushed)
1. Add water, salt, tomato, onion, garlic, pepper and oil to rice in large pot. Bring to a
boil uncovered over high heat. Stir once. Reduce heat and simmer covered for 15
minutes until rice is done. Remove from heat and fluff with fork. Cover and let sit for 5
minutes. Add cumin and black pepper.
Ingredients: 1 C kidney beans (or beans of choice), 2 cloves garlic, 1 C rice,1 small jar
tomato paste, 1 large onion, 1 fresh tomato, 1 green pepper, 1 T chili powder, 1 hot pepper
(fresh or dried)
1. Clean and soak beans overnight, or cook beans for 2 hours.
2. Rinse rice in cool water and drain. Add rice and 2 cups water to a pot. Cover and
bring to a boil. As soon as the water boils, reduce heat to lowest setting and leave lid
on for 10 minutes, or until rice is fluffy.
3. While rice is cooking, chop and saut onions, peppers, garlic and fresh tomato.
4. Add cooked beans to fluffy rice, and add the sauted mixture to rice and beans. Add
chili powder, salt, and pepper to taste.
5. Serve piping hot with a side of shredded cheese. Serves 4-6.
Ingredients: 2 C uncooked rice, 3 C water or stock, 2 small onions (minced), 3 cloves garlic
(minced), C ajika (red pepper/carrot paste), 2 T oil
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1. In a pot with a tight-fitting lid, fry onions and garlic in oil over medium heat until the
onions are translucent. Drain the rice and add the rice to pot.
2. Fry the rice with the onions and garlic for a few minutes while you measure the water
into a bowl. Add the ajika to the water (or stock) and stir to remove lumps. Pour the
ajika water (stock) into the rice. Stir.
3. Cover, reduce heat to low, and let cook for 20 minutes. If the pot starts letting off
smoke, it was done 5 minutes earlier, but you can probably salvage the top few
inches of rice.
Ingredients: 1 C rice, 2 large onions, 4 spoons of preserved peas (they are available everywhere), 4
red bell peppers (if you like it hot you can add one hot pepper), 4 cloves of garlic, C oil, dill, salt,
black pepper & paprika to taste
Ingredients: 3 C broth (mushroom or chicken: not vegan), C Arborio rice, 1 kg. fresh
mushrooms (thinly sliced), dry white wine, 1 T oil, T oil, salt & pepper, 1 T onion
(minced), Parmesan cheese (optional: not vegan)
1. Warm broth in a saucepan over low heat.
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2. Saute mushrooms in 1 T oil for 5 mins or until tender. Set mushrooms and their liquid
aside.
3. In large skillet, saute onion in T oil for 1 min. Add rice and coat with oil. When it
has turned a golden color, add wine and stir until absorbed.
4. Add C broth and stir until absorbed. Continue adding C at a time until all broth
is absorbed, continuously stirring (15-20 mins).
5. Remove from heat, stir in mushrooms and liquid, salt, pepper, and Parmesan
cheese. Serves 3.
Ingredients: 3 T oil, 2 t curry, 1 onion (finely chopped), 2 T butter, 1 sweet pepper (finely
chopped), 2 medium tomatoes (chopped), 1 C rice, 2 C water or 2 C water + 1 bouillon cube
or 2 C stock
1. Preheat oven to 375F/190C.
2. Saut onion and pepper in oil for 3 minutes.
3. Add rice, curry, and butter, and saut 1 minute.
4. Transfer to baking dish. Add stock, stir, cover and bake 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Ingredients: olive oil for sauting, 2 t oregano, 2 cloves garlic (crushed), 2-3 large tomatoes
(coarsely chopped), 1 large onion (chopped), salt & pepper to taste, 1-2 carrots (chopped), 2
C peas or cooked kidney beans, 1 green pepper (chopped), 5 C cooked rice, C chopped
fresh parsley, C or more grated Parmesan cheese [Y], 2-3 t basil
1. Saut garlic, onion, carrots, parsley, and dried herbs until onion is translucent.
2. Add tomatoes, salt and pepper, and beans.
3. Combine rice and Parmesan cheese. Add bean mixture to rice mixture. Garnish with
more fresh parsley and grated cheese; serves 8-10.
Ingredients: 3 C red beans, salt & pepper to taste, 1 C uncooked rice, 2 T butter, 3 garlic
cloves (pressed), 1 large onion (chopped)
Optional ingredients: 1 t paprika, 1 t cinnamon, C peanuts chopped
1. Soak beans overnight in water. Bring to a boil and cook for 1 hour or until beans are
soft.
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2. Melt butter in saucepan. Add chopped onions and garlic; saut until soft.
3. Add onions and garlic to beans. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add optional nuts,
cinnamon, and paprika. Cook bean and onion mixture for 30 minutes to an hour. If
necessary, add more water while cooking. Serve beans over cooked rice. Serves 4.
Ingredients: 4 T oil, 1 green pepper (chopped), 1 C lentils, chopped celery leaves (if
available), 4 C water or 4 C water + 2 bouillon cubes or 4 C stock boiling, 1 T sugar, 1 t salt
or bouillon, t salt, dash pepper, 1 t cumin, 1 C rice, t cayenne pepper or chilies to
taste, C tomato paste, 3 onions (minced), 3 C tomato juice or sauce or pureed tomatoes,
4 cloves garlic (minced)
1. Heat 2 T oil in a heavy saucepan or covered skillet. Add lentils and brown over
medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add 3 C boiling water or stock, 1 t salt/
bouillon, and a dash of pepper. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes over medium heat.
2. Stir in rice and 1 C boiling water or stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover,
and simmer for 25 minutes without stirring.
3. In a saucepan, heat together tomato paste, 3 C tomato juice, green pepper, celery
leaves, sugar, salt, cumin, and cayenne pepper or chilies. Bring sauce to a boil then
reduce heat and simmer 20-30 minutes.
4. In a small skillet, heat another 2 T oil and saut minced onions and garlic over
medium heat until browned. To serve, put rice/lentil mixture on a platter. Pour tomato
sauce over it and top with browned onions and garlic.
Ingredients: 1 sweet pepper (diced), 10-15 olives (pitted and quartered), 1 small onion
(diced), 1 can tuna [Y], 2 cloves garlic (pressed), 1 C rice, 1 bouillon cube, 2 C water, red
pepper flakes (optional)
1. Blanch peppers, onions, and garlic in a little water with bouillon in a large saucepan.
Be sure bouillon is dissolved before adding remaining ingredients.
2. Add olives, tuna, rice, hot red pepper flakes, and water. Simmer until rice is cooked.
Ingredients: 2 C cooked rice, vegetable oil, green onions, 1-2 eggs (beaten), C any
vegetable (peas are good)
Optional ingredients: 1 C leftover meat (chopped)
1. Heat 2-4 T oil in a skillet and brown chopped green onions.
2. Add cooked rice until warmed through.
3. Add meat, peas, then add beaten eggs. Mix and cook until egg is set and serve with
soy sauce; serves 2-4.
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2. Add water to cover buckwheat in saucepan. Add salt to taste and add butter. Cook
approximately 20 minutes. Add water if dry.
Beans
A few words about beans
Dried beans are very widely available and should be stored in airtight containers or in the
refrigerator. Clean all beans, lentils, and grains thoroughly. Spread them on a flat tray and
sort through them, discarding stones and shriveled beans. Immerse the beans in cool water
to rinse off any dust and to allow harvesting debris to float to the surface. Skim the debris
and drain the beans Dont break your teeth!
Most dried beans need to be softened by soaking before they are cooked. This is not
necessary for smaller, softer beans, such as lentils or split peas. To make softening dried
beans easier, dont add salt until after youve soaked them. In fact, dont use salt or acidic
foods (e.g. tomatoes, vinegar) until your beans are already tender: that includes bouillon
cubes. The salt will prevent your beans from softening at all, especially if your beans arent
fresh.
To soak beans, cover them with waterwater should cover the beans by 3 to 4 inchesand
soak by one of the following methods: (1) place the beans in a cool spot to avoid
fermentation and soak for 6 to 8 hours, or (2) bring the beans to a boil, immediately remove
them from the heat, cover, and soak for 1 hour. You should boil beans uncovered 2 minutes
prior to cooking in order to destroy an enzyme present in legumes that can cause some
people to become ill
1. Rinse lentils or beans and drain. Place in a clean jar and fill with lukewarm water.
Cover with a cloth and secure with a rubber band. Leave in a warm place overnight.
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2. Pour off the water and refill with fresh water. Shake gently then drain again. Replace
the cloth and leave the jar in warm place away from direct sunlight.
3. Rinse and drain three times a day until the sprouts have grown to desired size.
Remove from jar and rinse and discard any that havent sprouted.
Note: in this recipe, you can use a variety of beans, or even try some rice
Ingredients: C flour, 1 C cooked chickpeas, 2 C grated cheese,1 C cooked kidney beans,
2 t soda, 1 C spaghetti sauce, t salt, 1 green pepper (chopped), C milk, 1 onion
(chopped), 1 egg (beaten), 2 t chili powder (or other hot spices), 2 cloves garlic (minced)
1. Grease baking pan; preheat oven to 375F/190C.
2. Mix flour, 1 C cheese, soda, and salt. Stir in milk and egg. Spread on bottom and
sides of the baking pan.
3. Mix remaining C of cheese and all other ingredients. Put on top of the dough.
4. Bake for 25 minutes, remove and sprinkle cheese on top. Good with fresh salsa.
Ingredients: 1 C cooked beans, kg ground beef, 1 green pepper, 1 t oregano, 2-3 T chili
powder, 1 t cumin, 1 T oil, 2 C tomatoes, 1 T vinegar, t pepper, 2 C onions, C tomato
paste, 1-2 t garlic, 1 bay leaf
1. Heat oil and cook onions until transparent. Add peppers and saut briefly.
2. Optional: brown meat, pour off fat, add beans and remaining ingredients, and simmer
until done. Remove the bay leaf and serve. Serves 4-5.
Ingredients: 2 C rice, 2 C beans, 2-4 tomatoes (chopped), 6-8 cloves garlic (chopped), 2-4
onions (chopped), tomato paste, 2 T oil for sauting vegetables, 2 green peppers, cayenne
pepper to taste, oregano to taste, basil to taste, salt & pepper to taste, crushed red pepper to
taste, lemon juice, cumin to taste, chili powder to taste
1. Soak beans overnight. Cook rice. Saut onions, garlic, and peppers until the onions
are transparent
2. Add all ingredients to a big pot and cook over very low heat for several hours, add
more spices and lemon juice as needed; it is done when the rice has an almost
meaty texture and the beans are soft.
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[V] Refried Beans (Chuck Specht, A2)
These make a great base for burritos using lavash in place of flour tortillas
Ingredients: 2 C dried beans, 1 T salt, 2 medium onions, 2 T cooking oil, 3 cloves garlic (pressed)
Optional ingredients: 2 medium tomatoes, 2 T chili powder, 2 bay leaves, 1 T ground cumin, ground
hot red pepper,15 sprigs of fresh cilantro, sprigs of fresh parsley
Ingredients: 2 C beans (cooked and mashed), 1 medium onion (chopped), 1 C green chilies
(chopped), C grated cheese, 1 egg (beaten), chopped fresh herbs, C dry bread crumbs or
oatmeal, 1 clove garlic (minced)
1. Mix all ingredients and shape into patties. Fry in garlic butter (minced garlic in butter).
Even better if topped with homemade salsa!
Ingredients: 2 C water, C chopped fresh herbs, 1 T lemon juice, 1 C barley, 1 green pepper
(chopped), 1 C canned corn, 1 onion (chopped), t cumin, 2 tomatoes (chopped), 1 C cooked
beans, 1 spicy green pepper (chopped)
[V] Chickpeas/Garbanzos
1. Sort, prepare, and soak beans; if preparing falafel, soak chickpeas for 2 days
before cooking.
2. In a large pot, bring chickpeas and water/stock to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer;
check periodically that the beans are always covered with water. Simmer until done.
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[V] Summer Chickpea Salad (Mari Chiba, A16)
Ingredients: cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes, onion, parsley, honey, vinegar, oil, cooked
chickpeas (adjust ingredients to taste)
Lentils
Ingredients: 1 C dried brown or red lentils, 2 C water or 2 C water + 1 bouillon cube or 2 C stock
1. Sort, prepare, and soak beans. In a large pot, bring lentils and water/stock to a boil,
lower the heat to a simmer.
2. Simmer for 15-20 minutes for red lentils, or 30 minutes for brown lentils.
Ingredients: 2 C lentils, 1 onion (minced), 5 C water, 1 T soy sauce [Y], C tomato paste, 1
handful dried and crushed parsley, 1 egg 1 handful dried and crushed basil, 1 C (or more) shredded
carrots, 1 handful dried and crushed cilantro, 1 C (or more) bread crumbs, salt & pepper to taste, oil to
fry in
Optional ingredients: other spices (oregano, red pepper flakes, etc.)
1. Boil water and lentils in a large saucepan and then allow to simmer on low heat until
the lentils are soft and water is gone.
2. In a large bowl mix together the lentils, remaining ingredients, and optional spices.
3. Form into patties and fry in a skillet with a little oil. You can prepare a day ahead of
time and store in the refrigerator for use later; makes about 14 medium-sized
burgers.
Ingredients: C white rice, 1 clove garlic (pressed), C lentils, 1 small onion (chopped), 2 C water,
1-2 T white flour, 1 t salt, soy sauce [Y] to taste, t oregano, butter or margarine, 1 egg
1. Put rice, lentils, water, salt, and onions in a pot. Cook covered until lentils are soft,
about 20-30 minutes.
2. Stir in spices and soy sauce. Mash with a spoon. Stir in flour and egg to help hold it
together.
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3. Form into patties and fry in butter or margarine until both sides are slightly crisped.
Ingredients: 1 C lentils, 2 C water, 2 medium onions (chopped), 5 cloves garlic (minced), 1 bay
leaf, 2 potatoes (peeled and sliced), kg cooked sausage
1. Put lentils, water, onions, garlic, and bay leaf in pot, bring to a simmer.
2. Add potatoes and sausage and simmer covered for about 20-30 minutes, until lentils
are done and most of water is absorbed; remove the bay leaf and serve.
3. Rice can be substituted for potatoes, substituting 1 C rice and 2 C water for the
potatoes.
Ingredients: 1 T olive oil, 2 large onions (chopped), 2 cloves garlic (minced), 1 T curry powder [Y], 5
C water or 5 C water + 2 bouillon cubes or 5 C stock, 2 C lentils, 1 C shredded cheese, salt &
pepper to taste, 3 potatoes (peeled and cubed: optional)
Pasta
Two types of pasta are available in Armenia. One, made of soft wheat, is more common in
Armenian households and will generally turn to mush if boiled in the manner to which
Americans are accustomed. This type of pasta, often sold in bulk in the shops, should be
sauteed first, like risotto. (See Armenian-Style Vermicelli.) The other, made from durum (or
semolina) wheat, is the same as the pasta sold in America. This type is always sold in a
package and is usually labeled Italian and durum or semolina. This type of pasta may
be prepared by boiling according to directions below.
1. Bring water to a boil with a little salt. When it is boiling violently, add noodles
gradually so as not to slow boiling. Stir gently to separate noodles. To keep boiling
water for pasta from boiling over, place a wooden spoon in the saucepan.
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2. Cook pasta until al dente, resistant to the bite. Cooking times vary, but taste test by
removing one piece, running it under cool water and biting into it or pinching it with
your fingers. Look at the center: if it still has a white core, it needs further cooking
time Test each minute after the first 7-10 minutes until the pasta is ready.
3. When draining, allow a little of the cooking water to remain in the pasta. Toss with
sauce and serve.
1. Melt butter in skillet. When hot, add noodles (dry, uncooked, thats right) and onion.
2. Reduce heat to medium flame. Stir-fry for about 5-7 minutes or moreuntil the
majority of the noodles have browned (be careful to not burn them).
3. When browned, pour in 2 C water, reduce heat to very low, and cover tightly. The
noodles will absorb the water. Its sort of like steaming rice. However, check every
once in a while (it wont hurt it) and add a little more water if its getting dry and the
noodles arent done. Dish is done when noodles are soft and water is absorbed.
Season to taste with salt, pepper, etc.
Variation: A broth cube can be added with the water, but other seasonings should be cut.
You can also put in garlic, bits of carrot, etc. but they should be cut very small so they will
cook as quickly as the noodles.
1. Mound 3 C flour on a work surface. Make a well in the center and break the eggs into
it. Add a pinch of salt and the oil. With one hand, gradually incorporate the flour from
around the edge of the well into the eggs, stirring with your fingers to make a batter.
Use the other hand to support the outer wall of the flour wall and prevent the eggs
from flowing out. Continue incorporating the flour until the dough becomes fairly stiff,
but malleable. If it is soft or feels moist, work in more flour gradually.
2. To roll out and cut the dough by hand, gather it into a ball. On a lightly floured
surface, knead the dough by pressing it flat with the heel of your hand, folding it
double and pressing it again. Continue kneading for 5-10 minutes or until the dough
is silky and elastic.
3. Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a cloth; let it rest for an hour. Divide it into fist-
sized portions, then roll one portion of dough at a time into a thin circle and cut into
strips or squares with a pastry wheel.
4. After cutting, the pasta can be used immediately or left to dry at room temperature
until brittle, not crumblyabout 4 hours.
1. Beat egg yolks and egg until they are light (a fork works fine for beating). Beat in the
salt and 3 tablespoons cold water. Using your hands, work the flour into this mixture
to make a stiff dough
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2. Cut into three equal parts. Cover with a towel and let rest a few minutes. Dust a
board or countertop with flour and roll out one part of the dough (with an empty wine
bottle) as thin as possible. Cover with a towel and let rest 10 minutes. Repeat with
the other two pieces
3. Sprinkle one sheet of dough very lightly with flour and roll up like a jelly roll. With a
sharp knife, cut across the roll into inch wide strips for fine noodles and inch
wide strips for broad noodles. Unroll the strips and hang over a broomstick or
chairback to dry. They will be ready to cook when they have lost their surface
dampness. About 10 minutes should be enough
4. Drop into boiling salted water and boil for 5-10 minutes just until tender. Fork out one
and taste to determine doneness; makes one pound of pasta
5. Its good in homemade chicken soup (just boil a whole chicken until the meat falls-off
the bone, pick the bones and fat and skin out, add some veggies and the noodles
1. Mix the beef, onions, herbs, salt, pepper, and Hingali/Pelmeni Dough
garlic (Christiane Abendroth, A3)
2. Prepare the dough, but dont cut it or boil it. After
Ingredients: 2 eggs, liter
the dough is rolled out, use the mouth of a glass
milk, flour (enough so dough
to cut circles out of the dough at about 3 or 4 doesnt stick to hands), salt to
inches in diameter. You can also use a pelmeni taste
form (which looks like a trivet with a hexagon
pattern: you can find them at the Vernissage if 1. Mix eggs, milk, flour
your host family doesnt have one); roll out the and salt to make
dough and spread it on the form. dough. Divide into 2
3. Put some of the meat mixture in each circle of or 3 equal balls.
dough (or into each depression in the form). Fold 2. Let the dough sit for
the dough in half and pinch the outside edges about hour. Roll the
together. Do this until the meat or dough is gone. dough with a rolling
4. Boil the water with a little salt. Add the hingali and pin until its about 1/8
cook it for 15-20 minutes. Serve with melted butter of an inch thick.
and pepper, or sour cream with garlic minced in it
Ingredients: 2 eggs, 3 L water, liter milk, yogurt, salt (to taste), garlic, flour (enough so dough
doesnt stick to hands), sauted onions
1. Mix eggs, milk, salt, and flour to make a dough. Divide into 2 or 3 equal balls. Let the
dough sit for about an hour. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin until its about of
an inch thick. Cut dough into 1 inch squares
2. Boil 3 liters of water with a little salt. Put the squares of dough into the water. Let it
cook (they will puff up slightly), then drain the water. Serve with yogurt, onions, and
garlic
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Best Mac and Cheese (Emily Borzcik, A16 & April West, A15)
Ingredients: 500 grams of penne pasta, 2 C milk, 2 eggs, 2 cloves garlic finely chopped, 1 medium
onion chopped, 1 entire circle of viola cheese, 1 C gouda cheese, 2 C Ferndale cheese, t hot
paprika, t black pepper, t salt, pinch crushed red pepper, bread crumbs (the best is to bake old
cut up sev hats and then put it inside of a bag and smash) or you can use crackers, 5-6 T butter
Ingredients: 1 package blue cheese (comes in a pie shaped package), package Penne pasta, 2
onions (diced), 2 cloves of garlic (diced or pressed), 1 C macun, 1 C chopped ham, 1 T olive oil, salt &
pepper to taste
Ingredients: 1 package Rotini pasta (or any Italian brand), 2 small onions (chopped), 1 C green
pepper (chopped), 1 C tomatoes (chopped), 1 C cucumbers (chopped), 1 T spicy mustard [Y], 1 can
pitted black olives, C mayonnaise, 250 g cheese (cubed), salt & pepper to taste, C chopped
parsley, 2 C chicken boiled and chopped (optional)
1. Boil pasta, drain and chill. Mix other ingredients into noodles.
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[V] Pasta Salad with Vinaigrette (Jennifer Carter, A13)
Ingredients: 2 large tomatoes, C vinegar, 2 peppers, C oil, 1 onion, pepper, 1 cucumber, soy
sauce (optional), package pasta (cooked), 2 cloves garlic
1. Mix everything in a bowl and refrigerate. Add as many different veggies as you want.
Serves 2 as main dish
Ingredients: 1 onion (chopped), 5 cloves garlic (minced), 1 t butter, 8 oz cream cheese (or curds),
C water or C water + bouillon cube or C stock, C white wine [Y], 1 C basil, C cheese
(grated), pepper to taste
[B, V] Fresh Tomato Sauce with Red Wine (Christy & Matt Schindler, A5s)
Ingredients: C olive oil, C basil leaves (torn in half), 4 cloves garlic (minced or pressed), 2 t
dried oregano, 2 kg tomatoes (coarsely chopped), salt and pepper to taste, C red wine, pinch of
sugar, C parsley (coarsely chopped),
Ingredients: 6 tomatoes (peeled and seeded), 1 clove of garlic (crushed), salt, 1 bay leaf, 1 or 2 T
butter or oil, black pepper, 1 t crushed dried, thyme, 1 T chopped parsley leaves,1 onion (sliced), 1 T
chopped fresh basil, sugar
Optional ingredients: 2 thinly sliced carrots, 2 C grated cheese
1. In a saucepan, saut onions and garlic (and optional carrots) in the butter or oil for 2
minutes.
2. Add tomatoes, bay leaf, thyme. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat,
crushing the tomatoes lightly. Stir often and cook uncovered for 10 minutes until the
tomatoes have a thick pulp.
3. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stirring occasionally, cook uncovered over low
heat for 10 minutes, until the sauce is reduced to the required consistency.
4. Add the basil, parsley, black pepper, salt, and sugar to taste.
Ingredients: 2 large tomatoes (cut into chunks), 2 cloves of garlic (peeled and cut into pieces), olive
oil, C white wine [Y]
Optional ingredients: C Mozzarella cheese [Y], 1 C chicken (cooked and diced)
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1. Boil water and start cooking the spaghetti or linguine pasta.
2. In a frying pan, heat olive oil and saut garlic. Add tomatoes and cook for a few
minutes. Stir in chicken and white wine.
3. Drain pasta and throw in with tomato mixture.
4. Cut cheese into small chunks and toss mixture together. Serve with garlic bread and
the rest of the white wine.
5. Other things can also be added olives, onions, spinach, peppers, etc.
Ingredients: 1 kg tomatoes (peeled and chopped) or 2 C tomato paste, 4 sweet peppers (cleaned
and chopped), 2 medium onions (minced), 1 spicy pepper (cleaned and chopped), 2 garlic cloves
(minced), t each salt and pepper, C fresh basil (chopped), 2 t oregano, 2 T olive oil, 2 big
spoonfuls tomato paste, C water, 1 T sugar, - 1 C sour cream (for creamy sauce)
Optional ingredients: eggplant (chopped and peeled), zucchini, a few dashes of Tabasco
1. Saut onion and garlic in olive oil until onions turn clear.
2. Add green and hot peppers and water. Simmer for 5 more minutes to soften peppers.
3. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer hour.
4. Add optional sour cream.
Fresh Lemon & Herb Pasta (Christy & Matt Schindler, A5s)
Ingredients: 500 g spaghetti, 2 T butter, 2 medium lemons (juiced and lemon worth of grated peel),
2 T olive oil, C chopped fresh basil chopped (or 1 T dried), C fresh parsley, 3-5 large cloves
garlic (minced), ground black pepper to taste
1. Cook the spaghetti in about 2 liters of water and juice of one lemon until done. Drain,
but retain C pasta water.
2. In skillet, saut garlic and basil in butter and oil 2-3 minutes. Stir in lemon peel and
juice of other lemon. Reduce heat to low. Add pasta and C pasta water and
parsley, toss until coated and heated through. Sprinkle with pepper.
3. Variations - you can throw in peas, mushrooms, peppers, any veggie you like.
This pasta is only partially cooked when you add it to the sauce, so as it finishes cooking, it
releases the rest of its starch, creating a sauce so thick youd swear it had cheese in it.
Ingredients: 4 large onions (sliced into strips), 2 t olive oil, 1 package spaghetti, 1 C milk, 1 C
tomatoes, 1 t salt, ground black pepper to taste
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5. When the spaghetti has cooked exactly 5 minutes, drain it and add it immediately to
the onion mixture. Simmer the spaghetti in the sauce for about 5 minutes, stirring
constantly, until the pasta is al dente and the sauce is smooth. Drizzle in a little more
milk if the sauce becomes too stiff.
6. Add the salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately
Ingredients: 3 tomatoes (chopped), 1 green pepper (chopped), C tomato paste, 1 t each salt and
sugar, 4 cloves garlic (minced & divided), 1 eggplant (thinly sliced), 1 onion (chopped & divided), 1 C
sausage (fried and cut in small pieces), chopped fresh herbs, 2 C spaghetti noodles (cooked)
1. Mix tomatoes, paste, 3 cloves garlic, chopped onion, herbs, pepper, salt and sugar
in a saucepan and heat until flavors blend.
2. Saut eggplant, 1 clove minced garlic, and chopped onion.
3. Add fried sausage into eggplant mixture after eggplant is browned.
4. Place cooked noodles on a plate and make a well in the middle. Fill the well with
eggplant mixture and top with red sauce. Drink rich wine and eat with garlic bread.
Ingredients: 2 T olive oil, 1 small zucchini (sliced inch), 1 medium onion (chopped), 1 C bottled
tomato paste, 2 t garlic (finely chopped), 2 T fresh oregano (chopped or 2 t dried), 1 C canned
mushroom slices, 8 oz linguine (cooked and drained), 1 small yellow squash (sliced inch),
Parmesan cheese
1. In a skillet, heat oil; add onion and garlic. Cook over medium heat, stirring
occasionally until onion is softened (4-5 minutes).
2. Add mushrooms, squash, and zucchini. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until
vegetables are softened (8-10 minutes).
3. Add tomato paste and oregano. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until heated
through and flavors are blended (15-18 minutes). Serve over hot cooked linguine;
sprinkle with cheese.
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[B] Greek Pasta (David Barshes, A14)
Ingredients: 1 pkg Italian spaghetti, C. olive oil, 1 can large olives (pitted and diced), 1 bunch
mixed greens (cilantro/parsley/dill/basil: finely chopped), 2 cucumbers (peeled and chopped into small
cubes), 1 small block of Feta cheese, 2 tomatoes (diced), black pepper
1. In a large pot, boil pasta until "al dente" (cooked but chewy, and not hard in middle);
drain and return to pot.
2. Toss in olive oil, cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, greens, and black pepper (to taste).
3. Plate the pasta, top with feta (pieced apart with your fingers into little chunks), and a
sprinkle of more chopped greens.
Ingredients: 1 can tuna with juice [Y], 1 can olives (chopped), 1 t Italian seasoning, 8 oz spaghetti,
3-4 garlic cloves (minced), 2 T vinegar, 4 T olive oil, t red pepper, salt and pepper to taste,
Parmesan cheese
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Pasta Stir-Fry with Peanut Sauce (Jennifer Haile, A8)
Ingredients: 8 oz vermicelli or spaghetti, 2 T peanut butter [Y], t oil, 2 T peanuts (chopped and
roasted), t crushed red pepper, 1-1/3 C green pepper (sliced in strips), 3 cloves garlic (minced), 1 C
onion, C water or C water + bouillon cube or C stock, 1 C carrots (sliced), 3 T soy sauce [Y],
t ground ginger [Y]
Ingredients: 12 cloves garlic (minced or cut), 1 C dried apricots (chopped), 1-3 t dried rosemary [US],
12 oz. pasta, C olive oil, black pepper, C white wine [Y]
Ingredients: 1 C dried red lentils 1 bay leaf, 2 T lemon juice, 3 C water, 2 C tomatoes, 2 large garlic
cloves (minced), kg macaroni pasta, 2 t cumin, 1 t olive oil, crushed red pepper, 2 C onions
(diced)
Optional ingredients: 1 t coriander, 1 artichoke hearts, Feta cheese
1. Brings lentils, bay leaf and water to a boil in a saucepan; lower the heat, cover, and
simmer for 15 minutes or until tender.
2. Heat olive oil in a separate pan, add onions and saut for 5 minutes; add garlic,
cumin and coriander and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Add lemon juice, tomatoes, optional artichoke hearts, and crushed red pepper and
simmer on low heat for 10 minutes.
4. Drain cooked lentils reserving the cooking liquid, discard bay leaf; add lentils to the
tomato mixture.
5. Simmer for 10 minutes and add about C of the reserved liquid if the sauce appears
dry.
6. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil and cook the pasta until al dente; drain
the pasta and top with the lentil mixture. Sprinkle with optional cheese; 4-6 servings.
Ingredients: 1 braid aveluk, C sun-dried tomatoes [Y] (diced), 1 medium onion (chopped), 2 cloves
garlic (peeled & chopped), 1 chicken breast (cooked & chopped), C white wine [Y], olive oil, farfelle
or bowtie or another small pasta (spaghetti can be used: cooked)
1. Wash aveluk in warm water several times until the runoff is almost clean. Squeeze
water out.
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2. Saut or steam aveluk in a covered pan with a minimum of water until soft. Squeeze
out excess water and let drain.
3. Heat olive oil in fry pan. Add garlic and onions, cook for a few minutes.
4. Add chicken, sun-dried tomatoes and aveluk. Stir mixture while cooking for a few
minutes.
5. Add white wine and let simmer for a few minutes.
6. Pasta can be added to the pan and everything tossed together before serving.
Ingredients: 1 medium head of cabbage (chopped), salt & pepper, minced garlic (lots!), oregano or
basil or red pepper, butter, 2 packages of pasta
1. Saut the garlic in butter, then add cabbage and saut until wilted. Salt, pepper, and
season to taste.
2. Boil pasta in a separate pot. When al dente, drain and add to fry pan and continue
stirring over low heat until mixed well.
1. Melt butter in saucepan. Add flour, salt, pepper to make a smooth paste. Gradually
add stock and milk; cook and stir until smooth. Do NOT BOIL. Add chicken and
mushrooms and heat through.
2. Place spaghetti in a 9 x 13 pan (or whatever youve got). Spoon chicken mixture over
top. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese to taste. Dot with 1 T butter (optional).
Place in a 375F/190C oven for 15 minutes.
Poultry
Note: If cooking whole chickens or turkeys, paperclips work great to hold them closed.
Ingredients: C chopped walnuts, 1 T olive oil, kg chicken breast (anything will work if you dont
have chicken breasts), 2 medium onions sliced length wise (you want to keep these fairly large), 2 C
pomegranate juice, C lemon juice, salt to taste, pomegranate seeds to garnish (optional)
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[M] Chicken with Spinach & Armenian Cheese Pasta (April West, A15)
Ingredients: 2-3 pieces of chicken (breasts are preferable), 1 bunch of spinach (fresh or frozen), 1 T
olive oil, 1 clove garlic minced, 1 T balsamic vinegar, 2 T water, 1 T basil (dried or fresh), to 1 C
grated Armenian cheese (depending on your taste), enough spaghetti for 2 people
1. Cut chicken into small, bite size pieces and saute in olive oil and garlic until brown (3
minutes).
2. Add spinach, balsamic vinegar, water and basil and cook until chicken is cooked.
3. Meanwhile cook pasta and grate Armenian cheese (a fattier cheese is best).
4. Mix chicken mixture with pasta and cheese. Serves 2.
Ingredients: 1 frozen chicken and 1 thigh/leg or 6 thigh/legs, olive oil to coat the bottom of pan, 2
large onions chopped, 2 green peppers chopped, 3 cloves garlic chopped, 4 C tomatoes, C
tomato paste, 1 C water, 1 t salt, 4 bay leaves, 2 C long grain rice, 1 T vinegar, 1 can mushrooms, 1
can peas, 1 can green olives (pitted if you can), parsley
1. Cut chicken into serving pieces and brown in hot oil in a large skillet (about 15
minutes) Chop fine onions and green peppers and very fine garlic. Brown these with
chicked (5 minutes). Add tomatoes, tomato paste, water, salt and bay leaves. Cover
and cook very slowly on low heat for about 2 hours.
2. Wash and drain the rice. Pour this over the chicken. Cover and continue cooking for
about 20 minutes (checking after 10 minutes to stir to avoid burning or add a tiny bit
of fluid if necessary)
3. Stir in vinegar, mushrooms with liquid and peas with liquid. Stir and cook for about
10 minutes.
4. Garnish with green olives and parsley. (Dont take out the green olives, this makes
the dish)
Ingredients: 8 oz boneless chicken breast (skinned), 1 egg white, 2 t cornstarch, 1 t salt, 8 oz white
radishes or water chestnuts, 4 oz oil, 1 T chopped garlic, 2 T chopped fresh ginger [Y], 2 t chili bean
sauce (chili powder), 2 t soy sauce, 2 t rice wine vinegar [Y], 2 t sugar, t salt, 2 t sesame oil (or
substitute tahini or peanut butter)
1. Dice chicken into inch pieces. Combine with egg white, salt and cornstarch in
small bowl and refrigerate.
2. Coarsely chop radishes.
3. Heat pan until hot and add 2 T oil. Add chicken and stir well. Drain into bowl when
chicken turns white.
4. Clean pan and reheat and add 2 T oil. Add garlic and ginger and stir fry 30 seconds.
5. Add radishes, chili bean sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, salt and stir for 1 min.
6. Return chicken to pan and cook for 2 min and add sesame oil. Serve with rice.
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1. Clean and pat dry the chicken breasts; sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.
2. Cook for 20-30 minutes in a 375F/190C oven until no longer pink in the middle, and
when pierced with a fork or knife, the juice is clear.
[M] Roasted Chicken With Potatoes, Olives, & Lemons (Lisa Scorsolini, A5)
1. In large bowl combine chicken with juice of 1 lemon, turning pieces so they are
thoroughly covered. Marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 400F/205C. Pat chicken dry; sprinkle lightly on all sides with salt
and pepper. Arrange skin side up in roasting pan that is about 12 to 18 inches.
3. Wash and dry potatoes, but do not peel. Cut small, round potatoes in half. Cut in
vertical wedges, each about 1 inches at widest part. Arrange between chicken
pieces. Scatter garlic and olives around chicken and potatoes. Cut remaining lemon
in six or eight vertical wedges and scatter in pan. Top with herb sprigs, or sprinkle
with dried herbs. Drizzle olive oil over all, using amount needed to moisten all
surfaces.
4. Roast for 1 to 1 hours, basting every 20 minutes. After about 40 minutes, when
chicken is light golden brown, turn over pieces of chicken and potatoes. Continue
roasting for about 25 minutes, then turn chicken back, skin side up. Roast until
chicken and potatoes are tender. If pan juices evaporate, pour in a little water or
white wine; serves 4.
[M] Roast Chicken with Basil & Garlic (Lisa Scorsolini, A5)
Ingredients: 4 chicken legs or breasts, 4 potatoes, 8 large basil leaves, 2 t olive oil, 1 whole garlic
bulb, t black pepper, 1 lemon (halved)
1. Remove all visible fat and trim excess skin, leaving just enough to cover the pieces.
Carefully lift the skin on each piece and slide 2 basil leaves under it. Replace the
skin.
2. Separate the garlic bulb into individual cloves. Trim the hard end off each clove and
remove the peel. Trim any bruises and discard any cloves that are soft or dark. There
should be about 12 to 15 whole cloves. Place the garlic in a baking pan. Place garlic
on top of chicken.
3. Squeeze the juice from half of the lemon over the chicken. Remove all seeds from
the remaining lemon half and cut into 4 pieces. Add these to the baking pan.
4. Cut the potatoes lengthwise into spears. Add to the dish. Drizzle the chicken and
potatoes with the oil. Sprinkle with pepper.
5. Bake at 350F/180C for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the chicken is tender.
Or, shake and bake for people with no oven and no shake and bake
Ingredients: chicken breasts, eggs, bread crumbs, dried basil, salt, pepper, oregano
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1. Coat chicken breasts (you might have to beat them with a wine bottle to make them
thinner, they should be about inch thick) with egg or milk. mix bread crumbs with
dried basil, salt, pepper, and oregano.
2. After coating chicken with egg dip in bread crumb mix and pan fry 4-6 min on each
side until deep golden brown and crusty.
Ingredients: 1 kg chicken, C onion (chopped), 4 T honey, 1 clove of garlic (crushed), 2 T soy sauce
[Y], 1 T vegetable oil, 1 T mustard [Y], C hot pepper sauce (Tabasco, MiviMex, etc)
1. Rinse chicken and pat dry (remove skin if desired). Arrange pieces in a baking pan.
Bake in oven at 375F/190C for 25 minutes. Drain off fat.
2. Meanwhile, for sauce, in a saucepan cook onion and garlic in hot oil until tender but
not brown. Stir in hot pepper sauce, honey, soy sauce, and mustard; heat through,
3. Turn chicken skin side up. Brush about half of the sauce over the chicken. Bake for
20 to 30 minutes more or until chicken is tender and no longer pink. Reheat
remaining sauce and pass with chicken.
Note: the more honey that you add to the sauce the closer you will get to sweet and sour
chicken.
Ingredients: cup+ 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (divided), 16 pearl onions (peeled & trimmed,
or 6 small onions), 5 carrots (peeled & cut into 2-inch pieces), 4 celery stalks (cut into 2-inch pieces),
3 cloves of garlic (peeled), 1 t salt (divided), t black pepper (divided), 1 (4-5 lb = 2 kg) chicken
(rinsed & patted dry), 1 T + 2 t lemon zest, 1 T chopped fresh parsley, 1 T chopped fresh rosemary,
t dried thyme, C Chardonnay, 1 C chicken stock
1. Preheat oven to 450F/232C. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large, heavy
skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic cloves,
teaspoon salt, and t pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. When
the vegetables are caramelized, spoon them along the sides of a large roasting pan
and set it aside.
2. Reduce the burner heat slightly and allow the pan to cool a bit. Add 2 T oil to pan and
return the pan to medium-high heat. Season the prepared chicken with the remaining
salt and pepper, and brown it in the hot oil. Transfer the chicken to the center of the
roasting pan, carefully cut 1-inch slits into the skin, and pour the pan juices on top of
the chicken. Very carefully pull open the slits in the skin and rub the lemon zest,
parsley, rosemary, and thyme under the skin.
3. Add the wine to the skillet and deglaze, scraping up any browned bits from the pan.
After the wine has simmered for 30 seconds, add the chicken stock and heat
through. Pour the wine sauce over the chicken. Cover the roasting pan with a lid or
tightly sealed foil and roast in the preheated oven for 60-70 minutes, until the chicken
tests 170 when a thermometer is inserted in the thigh. Allow the chicken to stand at
room temperature in the pan for 10 minutes before carving. Makes 8 servings.
Ingredients: 2-3 pounds cooked chicken, kg margarine, 4 cloves garlic, 2 green onions, 1 T
chopped parsley, t dill, t oregano, salt and pepper to taste
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1. Cut chicken into pieces and place in baking pan.
2. Meanwhile, melt butter and add garlic, green onions, parsley, dill, oregano, and salt/
pepper in a medium saucepan. Cook on low heat for 2 minutes.
3. Pour butter sauce over chicken. Bake for 10 minutes in 350F/180C oven. Separate
chicken and bake another 10 minutes. Turn broiler on to brown chicken for 3-4
minutes. Serve over rice.
1. Melt butter, stir in flour, onion, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly until mixture
is bubbly; remove from heat.
2. Stir in stock and milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in
chicken or turkey and vegetables.
3. Heat oven to 425F/220C; Prepare pie crust (without sugar!)
4. Ease half of the crust into ungreased pie pan and mold into a pie shell. Pour chicken
mixture into pastry. Roll remaining pastry over chicken mixture, cutting it so steam
can escape during cooking. Turn edges over. Bake 35 minutes or until golden brown;
serves 6.
1. Preheat oven to 375F/190C. Remove skin and all visible fat from chicken. Place in
baking dish.
2. Combine honey and mustard in small bowl. Pour over chicken and turn pieces to
coat; position pieces meat side down.
3. Bake 15 minutes. Turn chicken and bake 15-20 minutes longer until meat is done.
Ingredients: 2 t salt, 1 t dried rosemary [US], t black pepper, 4 garlic cloves, 1 kg chicken, C
apricot jam, 2 T lemon juice, 2 t spicy mustard [Y]
1. Mix salt, rosemary, black pepper, and garlic. Rub over chicken and refrigerate for 2
hours.
2. Bake chicken in oven for 25 minutes at 350F/180C. Mix together jam, lemon juice,
and spicy mustard; brush over chicken and bake until chicken is done.
Ingredients: 1 whole frozen chicken, 1 tub sour cream, paprika, salt, pepper, & garlic powder [Y]
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3. Tastes a lot like fried chicken, delicious! and (assuming you have an oven), you can
get everything in the village!)
Ingredients: 1 chicken (whole or 4 leg/thigh combos), 1 C flour, salt & pepper, other spices as
desired, milk (enough to cover the chicken), oil
1. Cut the chicken into serving pieces. Rub with salt and pepper. Let sit for hour.
Then soak chicken in milk for hour.
2. Put flour, spices, salt, and pepper in a bag; remove chicken from the milk, place it in
the bag and shake well until well coated; remove to a plate.
3. Fry chicken in oil (cover the skillet) on medium heat until golden-brown. Turn pieces,
allowing more cooking time for larger pieces. Be sure not to crowd the pan.
Ingredients: 1 medium chicken (or 34 frozen leg quarters), 1 whole clove garlic (use garlic press or
chop), 1 lb smoked sausage (NOT HOT DOGS), 2 cup chicken stock, 1 softball size onion
(chopped fairly small), 1 cup rice, 1 medium green pepper (chopped), 1 handful chopped fresh
parsley, 1 medium red pepper (chopped), Konriko Cajun Seasoning or hot red pepper, 4 stalks celery
(if available: chopped), 4 or so green onions (chopped)
1. Debone and cut chicken meat into pieces. Boil the skin / bones to make broth (if
frozen, boil leg quarters, then debone).
2. Slice sausage thinly and saut in a small amount of oil. Then remove from pan.
3. Saut chicken, if not boiled, in sausage drippings.
4. Saut onions, peppers, celery and garlic. Add garlic last and dont saut too long. If
more oil needed, use some of the chicken broth instead.
5. Combine sauted veggies, chicken, sausage, chicken stock, rice and Cajun
Seasoning, cover, bring to boil and then turn down the heat. Simmer on medium for
35 minutes. Check. If all liquid has been absorbed it is done. If not, cook a little
longer.
6. Turn off flame, add parsley and green onions. Let sit for 10 minutes. Serve with
French bread and salad. Serves about 6 hungry people.
Ingredients: 1- kg chicken breast (boned and cubed), 1 egg (beaten), garlic (pinch), kg
mushrooms (sliced), 2 C water or 2 C water + 1 bouillon cube or 2 C stock, C boiling water, C
grated cheese, bread crumbs, cooking oil
1. Cube chicken breasts and put into egg and garlic mixture. Let stand 1 hour in
refrigerator; roll chicken in bread crumbs.
2. Brown chicken cubes in hot oil; drain well; place in baking dish.
3. Add sliced mushrooms; cover with cheese. Pour stock over all. Cover with foil. Bake
in 350F/180C oven for 45 minutes.
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[M] Chicken With Dumplings (Sheri Marconi)
Ingredients: 6 chicken thighs, 6 chicken legs, 1 medium onion (finely chopped), 3 carrots (thinly
sliced), 6 medium potatoes (peeled & cubed), 1 t salt, 1 bay leaf, t pepper
Ingredients: 2 T oil, 10 strands green onions (chopped), 1 C green beans (chopped), 3 C cooked
rice, 2 eggs, chicken breast (sauted), soy sauce [Y], Pepper
1. Heat oil in pan. Add green onions and saut for a few minutes.
2. Next add green beans and stir until desired softness.
3. Next add the cooked chicken breast, rice and soy sauce to taste.
4. Scramble two eggs in a separate pan or in the same pan on the side. Stir, add
pepper and serve; 2-4 Servings.
1. Preheat the oven to 425F/220C. Rinse the turkey, pat it dry, and season it inside
and out with salt and pepper; spread the turkey with the butter.
2. Roast it on a rack in a roasting pan in the oven for 30 minutes.
3. Reduce the temperature to 325F/165C, baste the turkey with the pan juices, and
add the water to the pan. Roast the turkey, basting it every 20 minutes, for 2 to 3
hours more, or until a meat thermometer inserted in the fleshy part of the thigh
registers 180F/82C OR until the juices run clear when the thigh is pierced.
4. Transfer the turkey to a heated platter, reserving the juices in the roasting pan and
keep the turkey warm, covered loosely with foil.
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Vegetable Stuffing J-Ps Stuffing
Ingredients: 2 C fine grated carrots, 1 C soy Ingredients: 4 C dried wheat bread (sev hatz:
beans (roasted & ground), 1 C celery and tops finely crushed), 1 C celery (chopped), 1 C onion
(chopped fine), 1 green pepper (chopped), 1 (chopped), 2 garlic cloves (minced), 2 t dried
onion (grated), C wheat germ [Y], 1 C raw sage, 2 t celery salt [US], 1 bouillon cube
summer squash (cubed), C water or C (crushed), C water
water + bouillon cube or C stock, 2 apples Optional ingredients: 1 C unsweetened corn
with skins (grated), t salt, C raisins bread, C browned sausage
(chopped), 3 T yeast, 1 t sweet herbs, 2 eggs
(beaten), t rosemary [US], 1 t dill seed 1. Preheat oven to 350F/180C.
(ground) Combine all ingredients in a baking
dish and bake for about 20 minutes
1. Combine all ingredients and blend until browned, yet still moist.
well. This will stuff a 4-to 5-pound
fowl.
Ingredients: 1 whole chicken, 1 large onion (quartered), 2 medium carrots (chopped), C celery
(including leaves, chopped), salt & pepper to taste, basil, 3 T flour, sour cream
Optional ingredients: 1 t lemon pepper, can peas, add at step 6
1. Boil chicken in large pot with 4 cups water and 2 T salt until cooked (meat should
come off the bone easily, and it shouldnt be pink but still juicy), reserve 3 cups of the
chicken stock.
2. Cool 30 minutes and then remove the chicken from the bone. Discard carcass.
3. While chicken is cooling, place onion, carrots, celery, and basil in reserved chicken
broth, and cook 5 minutes.
4. Remove cup of stock and add flour to the removed stock; mix it until it is smooth
and all the lumps are gone. Slowly pour the flour mixture into the pot.
5. Cook over low heat 20 minutes or until mixture thickens.
6. Add cut up chicken to sauce, add salt and pepper to taste, Serve over pasta or rice.
7. Alternatives: You can add cup sour cream to make the sauce richer.
Ingredients: kg soft beef, 2 T soy sauce [Y], salt and pepper to taste, C olive oil, other favorite
seasonings
1. Marinate steak by sealing it in a Ziploc bag with olive oil and soy sauce. Shake up
bag and leave it in the refrigerator for 4-5 hours.
2. Pre-heat oven to 350F/180C.
3. Remove steak from the bag, rub generously with salt, pepper, and optional additional
spices, then lay the steak on the oven grill. Cook to desired doneness (bloody or
charred).
4. Pour yourself a shot of vodka and say a toast to the lone star state.
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[M] Meatloaf (Colleen Hardin, A10)
Ingredients: 1 kg ground beef (or ground pork, lamb, turkey, chicken), 1 C bread pieces
(torn up into very small pieces), 2 t salt, C milk, t pepper, 1 medium carrot (peeled &
grated), 1 small onion (diced), 2 eggs (slightly beaten)
1. Mix above ingredients together thoroughly. Pat into foil-lined pan.
2. Bake at 350F/180C 1 to 1 hours or until done. After having cooked awhile (about
the time) you can carefully pour off the grease/juice.
Optional: Use slices of bacon/ham to top for a really nice flavor.
Ingredients: grape leaves or cabbage leaves or vegetables, 300 g butter (cut small), 1 kg ground
beef, 2 C chopped fresh herbs, 4 big onions (chopped), pinch of salt, 1 t red pepper paste, C dried
cilantro, 1 T tomato paste, 1 C uncooked rice
1. If using grape leaves, use canned grape leaves. If using cabbage, boil it first to
soften, then peel off the leaves.
2. Combine everything except wrapping material to make a fine mixture. Roll a small
amount of mixture into the leaves or stuff the vegetables.
3. Line the bottom of a large pot with dolma; invert a plate over the dolma; cover the
dolma with about 2 inches of water above and boil until the water boils down to the
level of the dolma. Serve with garlic and yogurt; makes 50-70.
Ingredients: kg ground meat, C onion (chopped), C green pepper (chopped), 2-3 tomatoes
(chopped), 2 T oats, 1-1 t chili powder, 1-2 t Worcestershire sauce [Y], t garlic salt, hot pepper
sauce (Tabasco, MiviMex, etc), C water
1. In a large skillet brown meat, onion, and green pepper. Drain fat.
2. Stir in tomatoes, oats, chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, garlic salt, hot pepper
sauce, and C water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes or
until mixture is of desired consistency; serve with sandwich bread.
[A, M] Kufta
Ingredients: kg ground lamb, 100 g ground beef, 2 egg yolks, C milk, 1 C bread crumbs, 1
onion (finely chopped), 1 t salt, t allspice, t red pepper, t cumin, t pepper, C chopped
parsley
1. Knead all the ingredients together, including only 1 C of bread crumbs. Shape into
good size patties; dip in C bread crumbs and fry in butter.
Ingredients: 6 pork chops ( inch thick), 1 beaten egg, 1 T milk, C fine dry bread crumbs, 2 T
shortening, t salt
1. Trim excess fat from chops. Combine beaten egg & milk. Dip pork chops in egg
mixture, then in crumbs.
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2. In a skillet, brown chops on both sides in hot shortening. Season with salt. Add cup
water. Cover and cook over low heat for 30 to 45 minutes, or until tender. Lift chops
occasionally to prevent sticking. For crisp coating, remove cover the last 15 minutes.
Ingredients: 1 kg boneless pork, 4 medium potatoes, 4-5 T olive oil, 4 cloves of garlic (finely
chopped), C red wine, 2 T coriander, salt and black pepper
[M] D & Es Luau Pork (David Barshes, A14 & Eloise Gray, A15)
Ingredients: 1 kg of pork, 2 T soy sauce [Y], 1 medium sized onion, 2 T vegetable oil, 2 cloves of
garlic (chopped), 1 can of pineapple, 1 hot pepper (or more to taste), 2 T sesame seeds (optional), 1
T mustard, 2 cups of rice, 4 T honey
1. Prepare rice. Chop pork into bite sizes pieces, removing fat.
2. Chop onions and garlic, saut in pan with oil until golden brown. Add hot pepper and
saut for a minute together.
3. To the pan, add soy sauce, honey and mustard and mix together to create a thick
sauce. (If youd like, you can double the sauce recipe and pour some of the sauce in
a bowl to top the pork at the table).
4. Add pork to the sauce and simmer until cooked through. Add pineapple and let
simmer for 1 minute. (you can also wait and add the pineapple to the pork as a
topper at the table)
5. Serve the pork over rice and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
6. Luau pork is also delicious served over green beans, with other veggies or by itself!
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Fish
[M] Poached Trout (Cuisines of the Caucasus)
Ingredients: 4 trout (may be hard to find), salt, C ground walnuts, 1 small onion (finely chopped),
C lemon juice, 1 tsp sugar, pinch cayenne or hot paprika, pepper to taste, 3 T chopped cilantro
1. Wash and dry trout; salt and poach (sit in a pan with water on a hot stove) until
mostly done. Plate (that is, put the trout on plates).
2. In a small saucepan, combine walnuts, onion, lemon juice, cayenne/paprika and
sugar on medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Add salt & pepper. Stir in cilantro and pour
over fish
3. Serve hot or cold.
Ingredients: oil, 1 cleaned fish, 2 T flour, 1 egg, beaten, t salt, dry bread crumbs, t pepper
1. Mix flour, salt, and pepper. Coat fish with flour mixture, then dip into egg. Then coat
fish with bread crumbs.
2. In a skillet, heat oil. Fry fish about 3 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork and
is golden brown. Drain off oil by blotting fish on paper
[M] Old Fashioned Wisconsin Beer Batter Fish Fry (John Schuchart, A6)
Ingredients: 8 beers (courtesy of Abovian), 2 eggs, 8 whole fish (courtesy of Lake Sevan), 1 can
sweetened condensed milk, jar of mayonnaise, 2 bottles of vegetable oil, 4-5 dill pickles, 1 small
bag of flour (approx, 1kg), salt & pepper, 2 kg potatoes (peeled & sliced)
1. First, drink one of the beers. This will help you relax before having to gut and clean
all those fish. Next, using a sharp knife, skin and fillet the fish. If you are not
experienced in this fine art, then scale the fish, cut off the head and fins, remove the
innards (khash, anyone?), and cut remaining fish into 3 or more pieces (most of the
smaller bones will dissolve during frying). Keep meat wrapped and cold until its time
to fry.
2. Now, mix half the mayonnaise with 4-5 diced dill pickles, and presto, instant tartar
sauce. Salt, pepper, or ketchup may also be mixed in.
3. Next, drink another beer, leaving a cup. Mix this with the eggs, can of
sweetened, condensed milk, T salt, 1 T pepper, and 1 T oil. Mix well. Next, pour
half a bag of flour in another pan and mix with salt and pepper.
4. Now, heat both bottles of oil in a 8-10 inch tall pot for 3-4 minutes. Throw the
potatoes in, half a batch at a time and cook until done to your liking and remove. Now
for the fish: Roll each fillet in the beer batter, then in the flour, then throw it in the hot
oil. You may want to do 2 or 3 batches to avoid overcrowding. After 10 minutes, or
when the batter begins to turn light brown, remove.
5. When all the fillets are done, serve with potatoes, tartar sauce, ketchup, and of
course, leftover beers! Serves 6.
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[M] Sevan Fish Cakes (Aaron Martinez & Salena Bailey, A10s)
Ingredients: 2 Sevan fish (cleaned), 1 T red pepper flakes, 1 C bread crumbs, olive or corn oil, 2 egg
whites, salt & pepper to taste, 1 onion (chopped), 1 garlic clove (minced), chopped fresh herbs
Optional ingredients: C canned corn, C chopped peppers, C corn meal [Y]
1. Preheat oven to 350F/180C; cook fish for about 15-20 minutes or until done; Can
also be cooked on the stovetop.
2. While fish cooks, combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl.
3. After fish cools, scoop out into the bowl; try to remove bones. Add another egg white
or more bread crumbs if mixture is too stiff or too liquid.
4. Form into small patties (2 inches in diameter, inch in thickness)
5. Heat enough olive or corn oil in a frying pan to cover about inch on medium heat
(Can also be baked in the oven in a greased pan at 350F/180C). Place fish cakes
in pan making sure not to crowd the pan, cook until golden brown on each side;
remove and place cakes on a napkin to drain excess oil
6. Serve alone, with sour cream, salsa, or sauce of choice.
1. Thoroughly clean and wash the fish, cut into small pieces (throw the heads away),
and add salt and pepper.
2. Slice onions and carrots. Mix and blend together tomato paste, water, sugar, vinegar,
and oil. Put everything in a sauce-pan, add chopped parsley and garlic. Cover with a
lid and put on very slow fire for 3 hours. (Cooked this way you can eat even the
bones.) Serve when cold outdoors.
Ingredients: 1 can of tuna [Y] (drained), 1 egg, 1 or 2 T flour, bread crumbs, onion (chopped), 1 T oil,
salt & pepper
1. Mix all ingredients together, using enough bread crumbs to ensure that mixture will
hold its shape on a spoon.
2. Heat oiled skillet. Drop tuna mixture by large spoonfuls and cook until golden-brown
on one side. Flip and cook until golden-brown on the other side. Makes 5 or 6 3-inch
patties.
3. Note: You can substitute salmon or mackerel for the tuna.
Italian
[B] Pizza
Really these are just suggestions. You can make vegan pizza or meaty pizza, or put
whatever toppings you like on the pizza. Experiment: be bold!
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Ingredients: pizza dough, tomatoes (sliced or chopped), grated cheese, corn meal [Y]
Optional ingredients: sliced onions, sliced red peppers or hot peppers, chopped basil and/or
cilantro, canned corn kernels, grated carrots, minced garlic, cooked meat/sausage, eggplant, smoky
eggplant & pepper spread, salsa, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes [Y], etc.
1. Follow the instructions for your chosen pizza dough. Pour a thin layer or cornmeal on
the oven baking pan (optional) to prevent sticking and place the flattened dough onto
the pan.
2. Spread a thin layer of cheese, tomatoes, and optional ingredients on the pizza
dough; use care to not overload the pizza or else it will become soggy in the center.
3. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until the bottom of the pizza is browned and the cheese is
melted.
Ingredients: 3 medium eggplants (sliced to -inch), 1 t dried oregano, 3-4 T vegetable oil, 1 t dried
basil, fresh garlic (1 clove per eggplant slice), cheese (thinly sliced), 2-3 tomatoes (thinly sliced), 2 T
chopped parsley, salt & pepper to taste
Ingredients: 1.5 kg bag of pasta, olive oil, 2-3 eggs, 4-5 medium sized eggplants, flour, Italian spices
(can substitute dried cilantro), salt and/or garlic salt, pepper, cheese, parmesan cheese (add it if you
have it)
Sauce ingredients: 4-5 onions, 6-8 cloves of garlic, 3-4 green peppers, 1-2 hot peppers, 7-8 large
tomatoes, fresh cilantro, 2-4 spoonfuls of tomato paste, salt & pepper (or you can use another tomato
based sauce recipe):
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sticking to the pan. Pour pasta sauce over the pasta and spread it evenly into the
corners of the pan. Place fried eggplant slices evenly on top of the pasta. Drizzle as
much shredded cheese as youd like over the eggplant or two. Sprinkle Parmesan
cheese on top of this, if you have it. Bake for 20 min. at 400F/205C, or until its
bubbling and steaming.
4. Cool, slice into squares, and serve with toasted garlic bread and red wine. Enjoy!
The proportions may vary considerably depending on the age of the potatoes you use and
the humidity, so be sure to test-boil a few first.
Ingredients: 1 kg potatoes, 6-10 C flour, 2 eggs, 2-3 cloves of gloves (minced), 2 T butter (plus more
for frying, if desired), grated cheese (optional), salt to taste
1. Peel, wash, and cube potatoes and boil in salted water until tender. Drain and return
to pot. Cover pot with dish towel and let stand for 10 minutes.
2. Mash potatoes and add butter, garlic, eggs, and cheese.
3. Stir in flour until a stiff dough forms. Knead gently (the dough should not be so sticky
that it cant be handled.)
4. Form small balls of dough (the size of a marble).
5. Add gnocchi to boiling water and simmer until gnocchi rise to the surface. Remove
with a slotted spoon and drain on a clean dishtowel.
6. If desired, fry in butter until golden brown. Serve with any delectable sauce of your
choosing.
Lasagna with Homemade Noodles (Elvira Dana & Jennifer Carter, A13s)
Endless variations including different vegetables and/or meat are possible, but this is a good
start. The noodles cook on their own in the sauce in the oven.
Noodle ingredients: 2 C flour, 2 t salt, water
Lasagna ingredients: 4 C pasta sauce of your choosing, 2 C ricotta cheese (or 2-3 packages curd,
mixed with water until spreadable), 3-4 C grated cheese, 2 eggs, C chopped parsley (optional),
pinch nutmeg (optional)
1. Prepare the noodles by mixing flour and salt, then adding water to make a stiff
dough. Knead for 5-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Separate into four to six
parts (depending on the dimensions of the pan). Roll out each ball of dough on a
lightly floured board very thin to the size of the pan youll be using (I recommend the
metal enameled storage dishes which are about the same size as American lasagna
pans.)
2. Mix ricotta (or curd) with 1 C grated cheese, eggs, parsley, and nutmeg.
3. Pour about C sauce in the bottom of the pan. Add one noodle layer. Spread
noodle with ricotta mixture and sprinkle with some grated cheese.
4. Add another noodle. Spread with sauce and sprinkle with cheese.
5. Continue layering, alternating ricotta mixture and sauce, ending with sauce and a
sprinkling of cheese.
6. Bake at 375F/190C for one hour. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving
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Mexican
[B] Nachos
Ingredients: lavash chips, C onion (chopped), 2 cloves garlic (minced), 2 green peppers, 1 C
cooked beans, 1 C shredded cheese, salsa
Optional ingredients: C olives (sliced, pitted), pound ground beef,sour cream
1. Cook optional meat, onion, and garlic until meat is brown or onions are translucent. If
using meat, drain.
2. Stir in beans. Arrange chips, meat-bean mixture, olives (if using), peppers, and
cheese on baking pan. Bake at 350F/180C for 5 to 7 minutes or until cheese melts.
3. Serve with salsa and optional sour cream; Serves 8.
[B] Quesadillas
[V] Mexican Fried Rice (Colin Bonner & Victoria Hurn, A7s)
Ingredients: 1 C uncooked rice, 3 T oil, 1 medium onion (chopped), 2 C water, 1 carrot (chopped, 2 t
chili powder [Y], 1 green pepper (chopped), 1 bouillon cube, 2 cloves garlic (minced), salt and pepper
to taste
Ingredients: lavash, grated cheese, 1 C oil, kg cooked ground meat (optional) and/or cooked
beans, 1 C onion (chopped), 1 C tomatoes (chopped), fresh cilantro, peppers (chopped: sauted or
raw), 1 T cumin, 1 t red pepper (optional), 1 t salt, 1 t pepper, salsa, sour cream
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1. On medium heat, heat a lightly oiled skillet on the stove. If using meat, brown ground
meat. Drain excess oil.
2. Saut chopped onions, chopped peppers, cumin, red pepper, salt, and pepper along
with meat or beans. Cook until onions are to desired doneness. Remove from heat
and pour taco mixture into a bowl.
3. Over medium heat, reheat the skillet with 1 C oil (you can cut the oil if you dont want
it fried, but it also cuts the flavor).
4. Scoop taco mixture into a 10 inch square of lavash, add cheese and fresh cilantro,
fold over, fry until golden brown on both sides, remove and drain excess oil from taco
on a napkin. Serve with sour cream and salsa.
Ingredients: 1 whole chicken or 4 large chicken breasts, enchilada sauce, 1 bouillon cube, 6 pieces
lavash, 2 C salsa, 2 C grated cheese, 2 cloves garlic, 1 onion (chopped), 1 spicy pepper
Optional ingredients: taco seasoning, 1 C cooked rice
Ingredients: 2 bunches spinach, C grated cheese, 2-4 cloves garlic (minced), salt to taste, 1
medium onion (chopped), 2 sheets lavash (cut into thirds), 3 T oil, 1 tomato (chopped)
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1. Clean spinach thoroughly. Set aside. Sour Cream Chili Sauce
Preheat oven to 350F/180C.
Ingredients: 450 g sour cream, 2 cloves
2. In large saucepan, saute onion and garlic
garlic, C chopped pickled hot green chili
in oil until translucent. Add spinach and peppers (e.g., Tukas brand), 2 T pickled
tomatoes and cover until tender and hot green chili pepper liquid, 50 g butter,
bright green. Stir in cheese and salt. salt & pepper
3. Spoon mixture into middle of lavash and
In a saucepan, melt butter. Saute
wrap to form enchiladas. Place in baking
garlic in butter. Add sour cream,
dish and cover with sauce.
peppers, liquid and salt and pepper to
4. Bake for 30 mins. or until sauce starts to taste. Yields 2 C.
brown on top. Makes 6 enchiladas.
Bean & Cheese Burritos (Aaron Martinez & Salena Bailey, A10s)
Ingredients: 2 C cooked beans, lavash, 1 onion (chopped), 2 garlic cloves (pressed or minced), 2
peppers (chopped), 2-3 tomatoes (chopped), 2 C grated cheese, sour cream, cilantro, salsa, 1 t salt
and pepper (each)
Optional ingredients: hot sauce, 2 medium potatoes (chopped), cooked rice, cooked meat
1. Heat beans in skillet. If using potatoes, cook until nearly done, then add onions and
garlic; otherwise, add onions and garlic to beans and cook until the onions are nearly
translucent.
2. Add salt and pepper, peppers, tomatoes, optional cooked rice, and hot sauce and
cook for 3 minutes longer.
3. Cut lavash into 10 inch squares, spoon mixture onto one side of the lavash, leaving a
border of about 1 inch. Fold bottom of lavash up over mixture like a pocket. Fold top
of lavash down. Roll lavash around the mixture so you can pick it up with your hands.
Ingredients: 2 peppers (hot and sweet), 1 onion, C cilantro, 1 T oil, 2 t cumin, sour cream, salsa,
lavash
Optional ingredients: potatoes, cooked meat, cooked beans, grated cheese, cooked rice, other
seasonal vegetables
1. Slice peppers, onions, and optional ingredients into 1 inch strips. Saut meat and
all vegetables in a pan over medium heat (if using potatoes, cook first since they take
much longer to cook).
2. Remove from heat and mix in cumin, cilantro, and optional grated cheese. Wrap in
lavash and serve with sour cream and salsa.
1. In a saucepan, cook onion and garlic in hot oil until tender but not brown. Stir in chili
powder, cumin, and salt. Cook 1 minute more; cool. Stir in cooked beans, cooked
rice, cheese, mild, and eggs
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2. Grease a 10 inch pie plate. Spoon mixture into pie plate. Bake uncovered in a 350F/
180C oven about 25 minutes or until the center is set. Let stand 10 minutes. If
desired, sprinkle with sweet pepper and serve with salsa. Makes 6 servings.
Asian/Fusion
Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad with Peanuts (Jennifer Haile, A8)
Ingredients: kg cucumbers (peeled & halved), t crushed red pepper, 2 t salt, 2 T onion (minced),
C water, 1 T peanuts (roasted & chopped), 3 T sugar, 2 T soy sauce [Y]
1. Place cucumbers slices in a colander; sprinkle with salt. Toss well and let drain 1
hour.
2. Roast the peanuts by placing them in a single layer on a baking sheet and cooking
for 10 minutes at 350F/180C; remove from oven and chop.
3. Combine water, sugar, soy sauce, and pepper in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and cook for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat; cool.
4. Stir in onion. Combine cucumbers and then sprinkle with peanuts; serves 4.
Ingredients: 3 C water or 3 C water + 1 bouillon cubes or 3 C stock, 1 t salt & pepper, 10 strands
green onions (chopped), 2 eggs (beaten: more if you like)
Ingredients: 2 C flour, -1 C hot water, t salt, sesame oil, scallions (finely chopped), vegetable oil
for pan-frying
1. Place flour in bowl. Add water and stir with fork until the dough starts to stick
together. On a lightly floured board, knead the dough for five minutes or until satiny
smooth. If the dough wont stay together, add water in small increments. If dough is
too wet, slowly add flour. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes. If
you're not ready to make the pancakes yet, you can put the dough in the fridge for up
to a day or so.
2. Take rested dough and form it out into a cylinder on a floured cutting board. Cut into
6 portions.
3. Take one piece and keep the rest of the dough covered with plastic wrap and a
kitchen towel so it doesnt dry out.
4. Flatten out into a disk with the palm of your hand and roll out dough until its about
inch thick and 8 inches in diameter (if its smaller, dont worry about it; if its bigger,
consider if it will fit into your skillet). Brush top of pancake with sesame oil and
distribute green onions. Roll dough into a cylinder and roll again into a coil (kind of
like a cinnamon bun). Tuck end of dough underneath. Flatten out into a disk with the
palm of your hand and roll out again to make an 8 inch circle, inches thick.
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5. Heat skillet over medium/medium-high heat. Add 2 T oil minimum and swirl it around;
you can put a little more oil too if you're not oil-adverse, enough so that the pancake
will float a little and the oil will go slightly over the sides of the pancake. Add a
pancake and cook until golden brown and dry on the edges, about 2-3 minutes, and
flip over to cook the other side. When done, drain pancake on paper towels and
repeat process with remaining dough.
6. Cut pancakes into wedges and serve with dipping sauce (2 parts soy sauce, 1 part
vinegar, part sesame oil or chili sesame oil, 1 part sugar (optional)).
Ingredients: kg ground pork ( can be omitted for vegetarian), 10 lavash ( 1 sheet makes 4 egg
rolls), 1 small head cabbage (grated), 4-6 garlic cloves (chopped very finely), 1 kg carrots (grated)m
Soy sauce, salt, black pepper, 2 eggs (beaten), Cooking oil (corn, vegetable, etc.), 1 can mushroom
(chopped)
Optional ingredients: fresh mushrooms, vermicelli, shrimp
1. Saut ground pork with garlic until brown, add grated Sweet-sour sauce
carrots, cabbage, and chopped mushroom and saut until
the vegetable are tender, add beaten eggs and mix well. Mix over low heat
Season with soy sauce, salt, and black pepper to taste. until desired
Remove from heat. consistency is
reached: 2-3 Red
2. Use lavash pieces without the hard edges. Cut 1 lavash
pepper, 2 T sugar,
into 4 pcs. In a piece of lavash put in one T of saut
teaspoon salt, 2 T
ingredients, roll up tightly. (make about 30-40 egg rolls)
vinegar
3. To fry, heat about inch. corn oil in a skillet over medium
heat. Fry egg rolls until brown.
4. Serve immediately with sweet-sour sauce or spicy
mustard.
Ingredients: 3/4 package Fettuccini Noodles, 2 pinches of black pepper, kg of meat cubed
(chicken, pork, beef: optional), 3 T soy sauce [Y], 1 medium onion, 1 carrot slivered, 3 cloves of garlic
(chopped), 2 eggs, 1/2 hot green pepper (chopped), c peanuts (chopped or whole), 1 T
Worcestershire sauce [Y], 3 T vegetable oil
1. Prepare noodles (slightly undercooked), drain, and set aside. (You can prepare the
noodles the night before for best results, add some oil to avoid noodles sticking
together.)
2. In frying pan, saut onions and garlic with 2 T oil until tender, add hot pepper and
cook for 1 minute (use as much or as little as you like for spice) (meat option-add
meat and saut until cooked.)
3. Add noodles and carrots, stir together (add extra oil if necessary).
4. Add soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce stir for a few minutes letting flavors mix
together and some of the liquid cooks away.
5. In the meantime, in a separate pan, scramble eggs until almost cooked.
6. Add scrambled eggs to the noodles, stir together. Add peanuts and mix together. Add
pepper, extra soy and Worcestershire to taste. Serve and enjoy!
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Pad Thai-Style Fried Rice
The secret to making a great fried rice is to cook the rice the night before and to use a little
less liquid than is called for on the package instructions. Rice that is cooked a bit on the
dry side will not become mushy when stir-fried.
Ingredients: 3 T oil (divided), 2 eggs (lightly beaten), cup shredded carrots, 2 large garlic cloves
(minced), 1 t ginger, 1 C thinly sliced green onion, C diced red pepper, t crushed red pepper
flakes, 4 cups cooked rice (chilled), 10 fresh Thai or regular basil leaves (chopped), C fresh cilantro
(minced)
Optional ingredients: lb precooked peeled medium shrimp, C fresh bean sprouts, chopped
peanuts (for garnish)
1. To prepare the fried rice, place a large nonstick skillet Peanut Sauce:
over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon oil and the eggs,
stirring to scramble loosely; cook until done, 1-2 minutes. Ingredients: 2 T fish
Remove the eggs to a plate. sauce or soy sauce, 2 T
defatted chicken stock or
2. Add 2 teaspoon oil to the skillet with the carrots; cook for broth, 1 T ketchup
2-3 minutes or until the carrots begin to soften. Remove (sweetened with fruit
from the pan. juice or plain), 1 T
3. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet with the peanut butter [Y]
garlic, ginger, green onion, red pepper, and crushed red To prepare the peanut
pepper flakes. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until the sauce, mix together
vegetables begin to soften. the first five
4. Reduce the heat to low and add the cooked rice. Cook for ingredients in a small
1-2 minutes; stir in the eggs, shrimp, basil, cilantro, and bowl, set aside.
peanut sauce; cooked until heated through. Taste for
seasoning and add salt if needed. Garnish with the bean
sprouts and shopped peanuts, if desired. Serve
immediately.
Ingredients: C /macun, 1 small cucumber (diced), 1 small green or red chile pepper
(minced), 1-2 sprigs cilantro for garnish
Optional ingredients: celery, chopped tomato, 1 onion (chopped), chopped radish, potato (boiled
and cubed)
Ingredients: 2 C long-grain rice (steamed & cold, 2 t cardamom, C onion (chopped), 2 t ginger
powder, 2 cloves garlic (minced), pinch of turmeric, 2 t cumin seeds, salt & pepper, 4 T oil, C milk,
steamed veggies (chopped: optional)
1. In large frying pan, fry onion and garlic in oil until translucent. Add cumin seeds,
cardamom, ginger, turmeric, and fry several minutes.
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2. Add milk, salt and pepper and mix until hot. Turn up heat, add rice and veggies, and
cook until heated through. Serve immediately. Serves 2-3.
Ingredients: 1 C lentils, 2 cloves, 1 onion (sliced), t turmeric, 1 tomato (diced), salt to taste, 1 t
ginger powder, red chili powder to taste, 1 green chili pepper (sliced), 2 T oil, 1 t cumin seeds, 1 t
lemon juice, 2 bay leaves, finely chopped cilantro
1. Clean and wash lentils. Soak 10-15 minutes in water. Boil in 5 C water until soft.
Drain and set aside.
2. Heat oil in pan. Add cloves, bay leaves and cumin seeds. Stir together. Add ginger,
onion and green chili. Fry together until golden. Add tomato and fry until soft. Add
turmeric, chili powder and salt. Stir together. Add lentils and lemon juice. Mix gently.
3. Sprinkle with coriander leaves.
Ingredients: 2 bunches green onions (chopped), 2 tomatoes (chopped), 1 can coconut milk [Y], 1 bell
pepper (thinly sliced), C soy sauce [Y], can mushrooms (sliced), t brown sugar [Y], C
chopped fresh basil, 1 t curry powder [Y], 1 C cabbage (coarsely chopped), pinch of ginger [Y], salt
to taste, 1 clove garlic (finely minced), 1 t red pepper flakes, steamed rice
1. In large saucepan, bring coconut milk, soy sauce, brown sugar, curry powder, ginger,
garlic, and pepper to a boil. Add vegetables and cover and cook 5 mins.
2. Add basil and cabbage, cover and cook 5 more mins or until all vegetables are
tender but crisp. Serve immediately over rice. Serves 3-4.
Ingredients: kg potatoes (peeled & diced), C peas (canned), 3 T oil, 1 green pepper (sliced), 1
onion (chopped), C water, 2-3 T curry powder [Y], C tomatoes (chopped)
1. Fry potatoes for 10 minutes in oil; add onions and fry for 5 more minutes.
2. Stir in spices; add tomatoes, peas, green pepper, and water. Cover and cook until
potatoes are tender. Serve with rice.
Ingredients: kg beef or chicken, 2 C water, 2 carrots (chopped), 3 stalks celery, 1 green pepper,
medium onion, 1 t salt, t pepper, 1 T curry powder [Y], 1 C tomato paste, C milk, 2 T corn
starch [Y] or potato starch or flour
1. Brown beef or chicken. Add water; Chop and add vegetables, salt, pepper, and curry
powder. Blend.
2. Add rest of ingredients and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring frequently until vegetables
Ingredients: 2 chicken halves, 2 cucumbers (thinly sliced), 2 tomatoes (diced), C vinegar, C oil,
2 t salt, t curry powder [Y], t pepper
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1. Place chicken in a saucepan, adding enough water to cover it. Bring it to a boil, then
reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
2. Cool. Skin and de-bone. In separate bowl, mix oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and curry
powder and beat until thick. Pour over chicken.
3. Mix cold chicken with tomatoes and cucumbers.
[V] Satay Noodle Salad (Elizabeth Pou & Patti Hachiya, A15s)
Ingredients: 1 pkg spaghetti noodles (Italian only), 2 carrots, 4-5 C lettuce or cabbage, 2 green
peppers, 2 cucumbers, 2-3 tomatoes, C cilantro or parsley (other mixed raw veggies are ok)
4. are tender and sauce is thick. Serve with rice, noodles, or biscuits.
Ingredients: spinach, tomato, water, sour cream, onion, cayenne pepper (optional), garlic, butter, oil,
paneer, cumin seeds, steamed rice*
1. Steam spinach in saucepan. Add to blender and mix until smooth, adding water to
get a creamy but thick consistency.
2. In a clean saucepan, saute onions and garlic in oil until translucent. Add cumin
seeds and fry for several minutes.
3. Add tomatoes, onion mixture, cayenne, paneer and sour cream to spinach and return
to saucepan. Reheat. Serve over rice with a tab of butter on top.
* Adjust proportions to taste; purchase in quantities that match your appetite. But get more
spinach as it tends to shrink (1 bundle will serve 2)
107
See the section Measurement Conversions (p. 3f.) for help adapting your favorite recipes
from home.
Ingredients: 2 C flour, 1 t baking soda, 1 t salt, 1 C butter (softened), C white sugar, C packed
brown sugar [Y] (or sub. white), 1 packet vanillin or 1 t vanilla extract [Y], 2 eggs, 2 C chocolate chips
(or chopped plain chocolate bars or 2 C M&Ms), 1 C chopped nuts (optional)
Ingredients: 1 C (200 g) butter (softened: or can substitute C oil), 2 C white sugar, 2 eggs, 2 t
vanilla extract (or 2 packets vanillin), 2 C flour, C (80 g) unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 t baking
soda, t salt, 1 C white chocolate chips
Choc-Oat-Chip Cookies
Ingredients: 1 C flour, 1 t baking soda, t salt, 1 C brown sugar (or substitute white), C white
sugar, 2 eggs, 1 C butter (200 g), 2 T milk, 2 t vanilla (or 1 packet vanillin), 2 C oatmeal, 2 C
chocolate chips (or 2 dark chocolate bars coarsely chopped)
1. Preheat oven to 350F/175C; combine flour, baking soda & salt in a bowl and set
aside.
2. Cream together butter, brown sugar, and sugar until creamy. Add milk, vanilla, and
eggs and mix well.
3. Gradually beat in flour mixture.
4. Stir in oats and chocolate; mix well.
5. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto a cookie sheet and bake for 9-10 minutes for
chewy cookies or 12-13 minutes for crispy cookies. Let cool on baking sheet for 1
minute and then remove to cool completely. Or eat hot off the pan.
108
Ingredients: 1 C sugar, 6-6 C flour, 1 C butter, 2 t baking powder [Y], 2 eggs, 1 packet vanillin or
1 t vanilla extract [Y], 1 C sour cream
1. Cream together sugar, butter, eggs, and sour cream. Stir in flour, baking powder, and
vanilla. Chill the dough
2. Roll out dough and sprinkle with a little sugar; then roll over it again lightly. Cut it into
small rounds or use cookie cutters. Bake at 375F/190C for 10-12 minutes. Makes
about 30 cookies
Ingredients: 1 C butter, 2 eggs, 1 packet vanillin or 1 t vanilla [Y], 1 C flour, C sugar, t salt
Ingredients: C shortening, C peanut butter [Y], C white sugar, C brown sugar [Y] (or sub.
white), 1 egg, t salt, t baking soda, t baking powder [Y], 1 C flour
1. Mix all ingredients except flour and C white sugar. Add the flour and mix well.
2. Add C white sugar to a small bowl. Roll the dough into balls, dip into the sugar and
press with fork.
3. Bake until lightly browned (about 10-12 min.) in a 350F/180C oven.
1. Bring butter, milk, salt, and sugar to a boil for one minute. Add vanilla, cocoa,
cappuccino, coconut, and oats. Mix well.
2. Drop on greased cookie sheet. Let stand until firm.
Note: Best served when cooled for 2 hours or until firm. If you do not have cocoa use a
whole Bounty bar.
1. Boil raisins in 1 c water until water is boiled down & raisins are rehydrated & plump.
2. Meanwhile, cream sugar and butter together in a bowl. Add eggs and mix well.
3. Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl and add the dry mixture to the sugar/butter/egg
mixture. Mix well.
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4. Cool raisins and add to the mixture. Fill a small (cereal) bowl with sugar (not
powdered); make the cookie dough into balls about 1 inch in diameter and roll each
ball in the sugar. Place cookies on greased cookie sheet.
5. Bake at 350 (180) until cookies are puffed up and only slightly darker than whiteif
you brown the cookies, they will not be soft and fluffy.
Ingredients: 2 eggs, packet vanillin or t vanilla extract [Y], 1 C sugar, 2 C flour, C sour cream,
t soda, 3 T melted butter
1. Preheat oven to 375F/190C and These cookies are really good with:
grease cookie sheets.
Chocolate Glaze
2. Beat the eggs; add sugar, sour
cream, butter, and vanilla, beating Ingredients: 1-2 chocolate bars, 1 can
until well-blended. condensed milk
3. In a separate bowl, mix flour and
Melt chocolate over low heat. Stir in
soda and add to first mixture,
condensed milk. After removing sauce from
beating well.
heat, let cool slightly and then dip cookies
4. With a spoon, scoop dough on (or doughnuts!) into it.
cookie sheets 1 inch apart and
bake for 10 minutes or until light
brown .
1. Cream butter and sugar (vigorously beat sugar and shortening/softened butter); add
eggs and vanilla.
2. Sift together baking soda, salt, 1 C sugar, flour, and optional cream of tartar; add to
first mixture. Mix 2 T sugar and 2 t cinnamon in a separate small bowl.
3. Roll dough into small balls and dip into sugar and cinnamon mixture. Place an inch
apart on a cookie sheet and bake at 375F/190C for 10 minutes; makes 5 dozen 2
inch cookies.
Ingredients: 1 C brown sugar [Y] (or sub. white), 1 C white sugar, C margarine or butter, 3 eggs, 2
C + 2 t flour, t soda, t salt, C oatmeal, 2 packets vanillin or 2 t vanilla extract [Y], 3-4 packets of
M&Ms; chocolate frosting
1. Cream butter, sugar and eggs until fluffy. Add dry ingredients, mixing well. Spread
onto greased cookie sheet (should fill your whole pan) and bake at 350F/180C
15-20 minutes or until brown.
2. Drizzle with diluted chocolate frosting and sprinkle with 3-4 packets of crushed
M&Ms.
3. Chill for 1-2 hours and cut onto squares.
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Oatmeal Chocolate Bars (Lisa Scorsolini, A5)
Ingredients: 1 C margarine or shortening, 1 C flour, 1 C brown sugar [Y] (or sub. white), 1 t
baking soda, C sugar, t salt (optional), 2 eggs, 2 C oats, 2 T milk, 2 plain chocolate bars broken
into chips (or 1 C chocolate chips), 2 packets vanillin or 2 t vanilla extract [Y], 1 C nuts (chopped)
Ingredients: 3 C oats, 2 packets vanillin or 2 t vanilla extract [Y] (divided), 2 C flour, 1 C sweetened
condensed milk, 1 t baking soda, 2 plain chocolate bars, dash salt, 1 C + 2 T butter (divided), C
honey, 1 C sugar, 2 eggs, nuts (optional)
1. Combine oats, flour, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl; soften butter and beat
until fluffy with sugar. Add eggs and half of vanilla. Beat well. Stir in dry ingredients to
the wet ingredients.
2. Heat together milk, chocolate, 2 T butter, honey, and another pinch of salt. Stir until
smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in nuts and remaining vanilla.
3. Pat of mixture in bottom of ungreased pan. Cover with chocolate mixture. Sprinkle
remaining oat mixture on. Bake at 350F/180C for 25-30 minutes.
Fudge Bars
Ingredients for crust: C shortening, 1 C brown sugar [Y] (or sub. white), 1 egg, packet vanillin
or t vanilla extract [Y], C flour, t salt, t baking soda, 2 C oats
Ingredients for filling: 2 plain chocolate bars, 1 T butter, 1 can sweetened condensed milk, dash of
salt, 1 packet vanillin or 1 t vanilla extract [Y], C chopped nuts (optional)
Ingredients: 1 C brown sugar [Y], 1 C butter (softened), 1 egg yolk, 1 packet vanillin or 1 t vanilla
extract [Y], 2 C flour, t salt, 1 bar (4 oz) chocolate bar, C nuts, chopped
1. Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Mix sugar, sugar, butter, egg yolk, and vanilla. Stir in
flour and salt. Press in greased pan
2. Bake until very light brown, 25 to 30 minutes (crust will be soft). Remove from oven.
3. Immediately place separated pieces of chocolate candy on crust. Let stand until soft;
spread evenly. Sprinkle with nuts. Cut into bars, about 2x1 inches, while warm;
makes 32 cookies.
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Lemon Bars
Ingredients: C butter, C sugar, 1 C flour, 2 eggs, t salt, 2 t lemon peel (grated), 3 T lemon
juice, t baking powder [Y]
1. Cream butter with C of the sugar. Beat in 1 C flour and baking powder until
crumbly.
2. Press into the bottom of an ungreased 8 8 2-inch baking pan. Bake at 350F/
180C for 15 to 18 minutes or until golden.
3. Meanwhile, combine eggs, the remaining sugar, salt, lemon peel, and lemon. Beat
until thoroughly combined. Pour over hot baked crust.
4. Bake in a 350F/180C oven for about 20 minutes or until lightly browned around the
edge and center is set. Cool on a wire rack. If desired, sift powdered sugar over top.
Cut into bars; makes 20.
Honey, Date, and Nut Bars (Christy & Matt Schindler, A5s)
Ingredients: 2 T butter (melted), C honey, 2 eggs (well beaten), C flour, t baking powder [Y],
dash of salt, C dates (finely chopped), C chopped nuts, powdered sugar [Y]
Date Bars (Elaine Dickey, A3, Kate Girard, A4, Lindee Johnson, A15)
1. Prepare date filling by mixing dates, C sugar, and water and cooking for 10
minutes, stirring until thick.
2. Next, grease a round pan. Mix 1 C sugar and butter. Add the flour, salt, baking soda,
and oats until crumbly. Press half crumb mixture evenly in bottom of pan. Spread with
date filling. Lightly sprinkle remaining crumb mixture on top.
3. Bake at 350F/180C for 25 to 30 minutes.
Ingredients: C unsalted butter cut into 6 pieces, C (2 oz) unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 C
granulated sugar, t salt, 2 large eggs, 1 t vanilla (or 1 packet vanillin), 1 C flour, C coarsely
chopped bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, C chopped nuts
1. Preheat oven to 350F/175C, place rack in middle of oven, butter (really well) an 8"
cooking dish.
2. Then, in a saucepan over medium heat on the stove, melt butter, stirring
occasionally.
3. Remove from heat, add cocoa and whisk until smooth. Add sugar and salt, whisk
until just blended.
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4. Add one egg, whisk until blended. Whisk in vanilla and 2nd egg.
5. Sprinkle in flour and stir with a rubber spatula. Add chopped chocolate and stir until
combined
6. Pour into pan, sprinkle nuts on top. Cook 33-38 minutes, don't overbake. Toothpick
should be gooey with clumps.
Ingredients: 100 g butter, 1 C sugar, 2 eggs, 1 packet vanillin or 1 t vanilla extract [Y], t baking
powder (if you do not have baking powder, omit all leavening: do not use baking soda unless you like
cleaning your oven), 50g cocoa, C flour, C chopped nuts or chocolate chips (optional)
1. Add sugar to melted butter in the sauce pan. Beat in eggs. Mix flour, baking powder,
and cocoa and then stir into creamy mix. Grease and flour a baking pan; spread the
batter in the pan & bake 20-30 minutes at 350F/180C.
2. Bake until dry on top and firm to the touch. For chewy moist brownies dont
overbake! For cake like brownies add more flour and cook longer.
Note: for vegan brownies, use C vegetable oil in place of the butter and 1 mashed
banana in place of the eggs.
Ingredients: 1 C flour, t baking powder, 1/8 t baking soda, t salt, C butter, 1 C brown sugar, 1
egg, 1 t vanilla, C choc chips/chunks
1. Butter a saucepan. Cook sugar, milk, honey, salt, and cocoa in a 2 qt. saucepan,
stirring constantly until sugar dissolves. Cook, stirring occasionally, until a small
amount of the mixture dropped in cold water forms a ball that flattens when removed
from water
2. Remove from heat; add butter. Cool mixture without stirring until bottom of the pan is
lukewarm. Add vanilla and beat vigorously and continuously until candy is thick and
no longer glossy and will hold its shape when dropped from a spoon
3. Quickly stir in nuts. Spread in pan. Cool until firm. Cut into 1 inch squares; makes 32
one inch squares
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1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
2. Stir in brown sugar and milk. Bring to a boil for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Remove from heat and immediately stir in peanut butter and vanilla.
4. Pour over powdered sugar in a large bowl and mix until smooth.
5. Pour into an 8x8 dish or whatever you have that is comparable. Chill and then cut it
up.
1. Fry flour and oil in a pan, stirring constantly until they turn into a homogenous brown
mass. Add honey, mix well and stir for another 5 minutes.
2. Pour warm halva onto a plate, make the surface even, chill, and cut into small
pieces. Enjoy with tea or coffee.
Ingredients: 1 C butter (softened), 1 t vanilla (or one packet vanillin), C powdered sugar, 2 C
flour, t salt, C finely chopped nuts
Ingredients: 1 egg, dash salt, 5 T butter (melted), 1 packet vanillin or 1 t vanilla extract [Y], 1 C brown
sugar [Y] (or sub. white), 4 C flour, 5 T baking powder [Y], oil, 1 C sweet milk
1. Mix all ingredients, adding about 4 C flour, to make a soft dough. Deep fry in clean oil
until golden brown, flipping to ensure even cooking.
Dough ingredients: 3 eggs, 1 C /macun, 1 t soda, 2 T oil, 2 T sugar, 4 C flour, Oil for frying,
powdered sugar (for dusting)
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1. To make dough, mix macun and soda. Beat in eggs. Cream Filling
2. Add liquid mixture to dry ingredients and knead to form
Filling ingredients: 1
soft dough.
egg, C sugar, 3 T flour,
3. Separate dough into three parts. 1 C milk, 1 packet vanillin
(or 1 t vanilla extract)
4. Roll out one ball into an approximately 15 inch circle.
Cut out circles with a floured glass. On each circle, 1. To make filling,
place a spoonful of cream filling. mix all ingre-
5. Roll out the second ball of dough to the same size and dients in a pan
place over filled circles. Cut out circles again with a and cook over
glass. medium heat
until thickened
6. Repeat, dividing remaining ball of dough in two.
about 5 minutes.
7. Fry bonchik in hot oil until golden brown, flipping once.
Drain on paper and dust with powdered sugar.
Ingredients: C sugar, 2 C flour, 2 t baking powder, t salt, C (solid at room temperature) butter
or margarine, 1 egg (beaten), 1 orange or lemon, 1 orange or lemons worth of grated zest, some sort
of yummy fruit preserve for filling
Optional ingredients: 1 t vanilla (1 packet of vanillin)
1. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Add zest and stir. Cut butter in.
Beat egg and add. Add juice. Mix. Add more flour as necessary, knead as you would
for bread dough, and roll out as you would for a pie. The dough should be about a
quarter to half an inch thick when rolled out.
2. Chill in fridge for at least two hours, though the longer you can leave it in, the better.
Cut into circles with a cup. Fold three sides of each circle over so that each one
forms a triangle and fill with fruit preserve. Very little fruit preserve is needed.
3. If you have extra dough, you can re-roll if you want. Just be careful not to let the
dough get too warm. If it does get warm, put it back in the fridge for 20 min. If you
dont feel like re-rolling the dough, just cook the scraps. Youll need to keep an eye
on them to be sure they dont burn.
4. Put in oven for 12 to 15 min. at 350F/180C Depending on your oven, it may take
longer, and you might want to rotate trays when theyre about halfway done.
Ingredients: 1 C scalded milk, C shortening, C sugar, pinch salt, 1 T dry yeast, 1 C lukewarm
water, 2 eggs (beaten), 4 C flour (sifted)
1. Mix shortening, sugar and salt into scalded milk. Cool to lukewarm.
2. Mix yeast with 1 C lukewarm water, let stand 5 minutes. Combine shortening mixture
with yeast mixture.
3. Add eggs and of the flour. Beat well. Add the last 2 C flour; knead. Roll into small
balls and press center down with thumb. Let rise hour.
4. Fill with choice of fruit or preserves. Bake at 350F/180C for 30 minutes.
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Quick Breads & Cakes
It might seem strange to find breads so far away from the yeasted breads and savory
baked goods. As most of the quick breads tended to be sweeter (more appropriate as
teacakes than as an accompaniment to a meal), they are listed with cakes instead.
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Apricot Rice Bread (Heidi & Jim Wilton, A6s)
1. Beat yogurt, sugar, oil, and egg whites. Stir in flour, oatmeal, soda, and salt. If too
wet, add additional flour or oatmeal, if too thick, add a little water. Fold in apricots and
rice.
2. Pour mixture into a greased bread pan. Sprinkle top with 2-3 T sugar. Bake at 350F/
180C for 30 minutes or until brown. When warm spread butter on top. Even better
topped with apricot jam!
Ingredients: 2 C flour, 2 C sugar, 1 C oil, 1 t salt, 1 t baking soda, 2 C shredded zucchini, 4 eggs,
1 t cinnamon
Frosting ingredients: C butter, 1 T milk, 2 C sugar, 1 t vanilla extract (or 1 packet vanillin), 1 C
curds (or cream cheese)
1. Combine all bread ingredients except zucchini. Beat well. Add zucchini and just mix.
Pour into a greased pan and bake at 350F/180C for 35-40 minutes (or until a
toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean).
2. To prepare the frosting, cream butter and sugar. Add softened curds (or cream
cheese), milk and vanilla. Beat for 2 minutes and frost bread when bread has cooled.
Ingredients: 1 C flour, 1 t baking soda, t salt, 1 t cinnamon, t nutmeg [Y], C vegetable oil, 2
eggs, C water, 1 C pumpkin pure, 1 C sugar
Ingredients: 2 C flour, 1 C sugar, 450 g /macun (about 1 C) & 1 T vegetable oil (or 1 C
milk and C vegetable oil: this will make a somewhat denser and smoother cake), 1 t baking powder
[Y] (or t baking soda), t salt, 2 eggs, t vanilla extract (or packet vanillin), zest of 1 lemon
(wash before zesting!), 1 T lemon juice, 1 T poppyseeds
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between the top of the batter and the top of the loaf pan, as batter might bubble over
when baking.
Ingredients: 2 T boiling water; 1 tea bag (e.g. English Breakfast), C dried fruit (apricots, raisins;
chopped small), 1 C flour, 1 t baking powder, t salt, 2 T + T sugar, stick (4 T) cold unsalted
butter, cut into inch cubes, 6 T milk
Topping Ingredients: C brown sugar [Y] or white sugar, C white sugar, 1 t cinnamon, C
chopped nuts
Cake ingredients: C butter, 1 t baking powder [Y], 1 C sugar, t baking soda, 2 eggs, t salt, 2
C flour, 1 C sour cream, 1 t vanilla extract (or 1 packet vanillin)
Ingredients: 150g butter, C sugar, 3 eggs, C flour, C nuts (ground: hazelnuts or almonds are
easiest to work with; use grater or blender), 100g chocolate bar (melted: dark would be better), C
cocoa powder, 1 t instant coffee, 1 t baking powder [Y], 2 t lemon juice, 1 T of alcohol (with some sort
of flavor, i.e. cognac better than vodka)
1. Mix together the butter and sugar. Add eggs and melted chocolate, and mix. Add
ground nuts, and mix. Add flour and cocoa, and mix. Add in other ingredients, and
mix. Taste. If needs a little more sugar, or a little more alcohol, or whatever, add such.
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2. Bake at 325F/165C, until knife stuck in center comes out clean. Dont overbake.
Once somewhat cool, put in a plastic bag to finish cooling, as the cake will retain
more moisture this way.
Ingredients: C sugar & C sugar, 1 C all-purpose flour, 3 T & 4 T cocoa (Grand Candy Kakoa), 2 t
baking powder (Y), t salt, C milk, cup butter (melted), 1 t vanilla, C packed light brown
sugar, 1 C hot water
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. In mixing bowl combine cup sugar, flour, 3 tablespoons
cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Blend in milk, melted butter and vanilla; beat until
smooth. Pour batter in square pan, 8x8x2 inches.
2. In small bowl combine remaining cup sugar, brown sugar, and remaining 4
tablespoons cocoa; sprinkle mixture evenly over batter. Pour hot water over top; do
not stir. Bake 40 minutes or until center is almost set. Let stand 15 minutes; spoon
into desert dishes, spooning sauce from bottom of pan over top (with ice cream).
Ingredients: 1 C sugar, C flour, 1/8 t salt, 2 T butter (melted), 5-6 T lemon juice, grated rind of 2
small lemons, 3 egg yolks, 1 C milk, 3 egg whites.
Ingredients: 1 C chopped pitted date, 1 C water, 1 t baking soda, 3 T butter, dash of salt, 6.75 oz
flour (= 1 C), 1 t baking powder, t salt, 1 C sugar, 1 t vanilla extract, 1 large egg (lightly beaten)
Optional: C packed brown sugar, C flaked sweetened coconut, 2, 2 T milk
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Grandma Opals Carrot Cake (Matt & Christy Schindler, A5s)
1. Mix dry cake ingredients. Add eggs and oil and mix well. Add carrots. Pour into well-
greased cake pan. Bake in 350F/180C oven for 35-40 minutes until toothpick
inserted in middle comes out clean. Turn onto tray, if desired.
2. Frost as desired.
Ingredients: kg butter, 1 C sugar, 5 eggs, 2 C flour, t salt, 1 packet vanillin or 1 t vanilla [Y]
1. Preheat oven to 325F/165C. Butter and lightly flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
2. Cream the butter, slowly add the sugar, and beat until light. Add the eggs, one at a
time, beating each in well. Stir in the flour, salt, and vanilla, and combine well.
3. Spoon into the pan and bake for 1- 1 hours, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before turning out to cool on a rack. Slice and top with
fresh fruit to serve.
Ingredients: 2 C flour, 5-6 T cold butter (cut into pieces), 2 t baking powder [Y], 3 pints strawberries,
t salt, C sugar (to taste), 1 T sugar
Ingredients: C margarine (softened), 4 C apple (peeled, cored & chopped), 2 C sugar, 2 t baking
soda, 2 eggs, 1 t cinnamon, 1 packet vanillin or 1 t vanilla extract [Y], t salt, 2 C flour, chopped nuts
(optional)
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1. Mix margarine, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until creamy.
2. Combine remaining ingredients. Mix the creamy mixture into the dry.
3. Pour into a greased and floured cake pan and bake 350F/180C for about 50
minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Ingredients: 2 C apples (chopped and peeled), packet vanillin or t vanilla extract [Y], C
raisins, 1 C flour, 1 t cinnamon, 2-3 T butter (melted), 1 C water, C honey, C powdered milk, 1
egg, pinch of salt
1. Put apples, raisins, and cinnamon in a pan with enough water to cover. Bring to a
boil; simmer 10 minutes.
2. While cooling, mix dry ingredients.
3. Drain water off fruit and use this toward 1 C water needed. Add water, margarine,
and egg to dry ingredients. Stir well.
4. Mix in drained fruit. Pour into a greased and floured 10 inch pan.
5. Bake at 350F/180C for about 30-40 minutes. Cake should be somewhat rubbery
when it is done.
This also works for cupcakes; just use a cupcake tin lined with paper or foil liners.
Ingredients: 3 C flour, 2 C sugar, 1 T baking powder [Y], 1 C milk, C butter (softened), 1
packets vanillin or 1 t vanilla extract [Y], 2 eggs
1. In a bowl combine flour, sugar, and baking powder. Add milk, margarine, and vanilla.
Beat until combined well, about 2 minutes by hand. Add eggs and beat 2 minutes
more.
2. Pour into 2 greased and floured 9 1 inch round pans. Bake at 375F/190C for 25
to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the centers comes out clean. Cool on
wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans. Cool thoroughly on racks. 12 servings.
Ingredients: 1 C all-purpose flour, 1 t baking powder [Y], teaspoon salt, C unsalted butter
(softened), C granulated sugar, 2 eggs, 1 egg yolk, 2 t vanilla extract, C milk
1. Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Line 12 muffin tins with paper liners or butter and flour
the tins, set aside.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, beat the butter until light and fluffy with mixer on high speed.
Gradually beat in the sugar until very light and fluffy. Reduce speed to medium. Beat
in the eggs, one at a time, the egg yolk and the vanilla . Reduce speed to low. Beat in
the flour mixture alternately with the milk, just until blended.
4. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins full.
5. Bake until the tops of the cupcakes are springy when lightly pressed with fingertip but
not quite golden, 20 to 22 minutes. Cool 15 minutes in the muffin tin on a wire rack.
Makes 12 cupcakes.
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[A] Cake By Tikin Aroos (Andrew Morgan, A3)
Ingredients: 4 eggs, 1 C /macun, 1 C sugar, 1 t baking soda, 1 C soft butter, 2-2 C flour
Optional ingredients: nutmeg [Y, cinnamon, vanilla, etc.
1. Combine and mix eggs and sugar until blended. Add and stir in butter and optional
nutmeg or cinnamon/
2. In a separate bowl, combine yogurt and soda; add to first mixture. Stir in flour. Mix
well.
3. Grease and flour a pan. Pour in the mixture. Bake at 325F/163C for 45 minutes.
Makes 2 cakes.
This is the puff-pastry style of gata (as opposed to the bready village gata). Its really work intensive
and requires 2 days to make; not for the faint of heart, but so worth the effort. This recipe makes a lot
of gatadepending on how thick you slice em, you make at least 60-80.
Ingredients for the Dough/margarine balls: 4 eggs (whisked), 1 t salt, 1 t lemon salt, 1-1
C water, flour (seriously, just have a lot on hand), 2 packages margarine (room temperature); for
crumble stuff: 3 T ghee (Aftab stuff), 1 C sugar, 1 C flour, 1 packet vanillin; 1 egg (for glaze)
1. Combine 4 whisked eggs through water in a bowl, in order given, and mix well. Add
flour until dough stops being runny; turn out onto floured surface. Add a bit more
flour and knead until elastic.
2. Cut into 6 equal parts (roughly fist-sized) and form into pretty little balls; set these
dough balls aside.
3. Cut up the (room-temperature) margarine into chunks and put them into a bowl with
1 c of flour. Mix this with your hands. Divide this mixture into 6 balls slightly smaller
than the dough balls; set these margarine balls aside.
4. With a rolling pin, roll out a dough ball and wrap a margarine ball in it, smooshing it
flat a little bit and folding it over once. Repeat with remaining 6 dough and margarine
balls.
5. *With a rolling pin, roll out these dough/margarine balls into circles maybe 16 inches
across or so. Fold the sides of the circle in (so you are folding the circle in thirds);
you will have a 3-layered rectangle. Then roll the rectangle up from the bottom so it
is like a big, wide snail.** Repeat process from * to ** twice more and set aside.
Repeat with remaining dough/margarine balls. At this point, each dough/margarine
ball will have been rolled out, folded and rolled up again 3 times. Let balls rest 10
minutes, then repeat * to ** process once more with each ball. Cover with a damp
cloth and let sit in the fridge overnight.
6. For crumble stuff: combine in a bowl and mix til crumbly! (Easier to do with your
hands)
7. In a small bowl, beat an egg with a fork. Take one of the dough balls and roll it out
again to about the 16-inch circle size. Put down a layer of crumble stuff covering the
whole circle and fold the circle in from the left once (again, youre folding the circle in
thirds). On top of the folded center section put down another layer of crumble stuff
and press it lightly into the dough. Fold the last flap in from the right. Brush the top
with a thin layer of egg. Using a sharp, non-serrated knife, horizontally slice 1-1
inch wide strips (these are your individual gatas). Set strips on a lightly oiled pan.
On top of each strip there is the flap you can lift up; lift up this flap a little bit on each
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gata so it doesnt stick while baking. Bake at 350 (180) until the gatas are lightly
browned on top (20-25 minutes).
Ingredients: 300 grams of powdered sugar (3-4 C), 2 t vanilla extract (2 packets vanillin), 1 package
curds
1. Mix ingredients.
Royal Icing
1. Combine egg whites and powdered sugar water in a large mixing bowl. Beat at high
speed with an electric mixer (or by hand with a whisk) until stiff peaks form, 6-8
minutes. Makes 2 C.
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Chocolate Frosting (A9 Goris Girls)
Ingredients: 1-2 chocolate bars, 1 can condensed milk, 1 C powdered sugar [Y]
1. Melt chocolate over low heat. Stir in condensed milk. After removing sauce from
heat, stir in 1 C powdered sugar. As it cools, it will become fudge-like!
Ingredients: 225 g bitter chocolate (get the good stuff), 200 mL water
1. Break up the chocolate and put it into a pan with the water over medium heat to melt.
Stir the chocolate in the pan until completely melted. Have ready two bowls, one that
will sit inside the other. Into the bigger bowl, put some ice and a little water, and place
in it the smaller bowl. Pour the melted chocolate into the smaller bowl and whisk over
icethe mixture will gradually thicken and take on the appearance of whipped
cream, at which point it is ready to serve.
The beauty of this dish is that, if you over-whip the chocolate mix, simply tip it back into the
pan and start again
Ingredients: 450 g sour cream, 50 g butter, 2 C sugar, C powdered sugar, 1 packet vanillin
1. Boil sour cream and sugar until mixture reaches the soft ball stage (about 15-20
minutes). Remove from heat and cool.
2. Cream butter. Add to sour cream mixture (use an electric mixer). Add vanillin and
powdered sugar to reach desired consistency.
1. In a large bowl, beat together sugar, butter, vanilla, and milk until smooth. If
necessary, add more milk until frosting is spreading consistency. This recipe can
cover 2 cakes.
1. In a saucepan melt chocolate and margarine over low heat, stirring frequently. Cool
about 5 minutes.
2. Stir in sour cream. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until smooth and of
spreading consistency.
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Puddings & Custards
Quick Chocolate Pudding (Lisa Scorsolini, A5)
Ingredients: C sugar, 2 C milk, 2 T corn starch [Y] or potato starch, 1 packet vanillin or 1 t vanilla
extract [Y], 2 T cocoa, 1 T butter (optional)
1. Combine sugar, corn/potato starch, cocoa, and milk in a saucepan and cook over low
heat until thickened, stirring constantly.
2. Add vanilla and optional butter and serve warm or chill until cool. This can also be
used for chocolate pie!
Ingredients: C sugar, 2 egg yolks, 2 t flour or corn starch [Y] or potato starch, 2 T soft butter, t
salt, 2 packets vanillin or 2 t vanilla extract [Y], 2 C milk
1. Mix sugar, flour, and salt in a saucepan. Gradually add milk. Cook over medium heat,
stirring constantly until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute.
2. Gradually stir in at least of the hot mixture into egg yolks. Stir into hot mixture in
the pan. Boil and stir 1 minute; remove from heat.
3. Stir in butter and vanilla. Chill 2 hours. Serves 4.
Variation: For chocolate pudding, increase sugar to C and stir in C cocoa. Omit butter
Ingredients: 3 eggs (slightly beaten), dash of salt, C sugar, 2 C scalded milk, 1 packet vanillin or
1 t vanilla extract [Y], cinnamon or nutmeg [Y]
1. In a mixing bowl beat together eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla.
2. Place dry bread cubes in a 81 inch round baking dish. Sprinkle raisins over
bread. Pour egg mixture over all.
3. Bake at 325F/165C for 35 to 40 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center
comes out clean. Cool slightly before serving. Serves 6.
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Rice Pudding (Heatherly Lewis, A3)
1. Combine all except vanilla. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until thickened
about 10-15 minutes. Do not boil. Stir in vanilla and let cool.
1. Pour rice into boiling milk and cook over low heat, stirring from time to time.
2. When rice is cooked, add sugar, and cinnamon. Can be served both warm and
cooled.
Ingredients: C flour, 2 apples (peeled & chopped), C raisins, 2 eggs, C bread crumbs, 1
lemon (juiced and peel grated), C sugar, 1 C milk, 1 packet vanillin or 1 t vanilla extract [Y], 4 T rum
or schnapps [Y], t cinnamon, C oil
1. Mix ingredients. Press into bottom of pan. Bake in 375F/190C for 8 minutes.
This also can be sprinkled as a topping for open fruit pies or fruit slices before baking
Ingredients: C butter or shortening or lard, sugar to taste (if desired), 2 C flour, 5 T cold water,
dash salt
1. Cut butter into flour and salt with two knives or pastry blender until well-blended. Add
sugar, if desired.
2. Gradually add cold water until you can roll the crust into a ball. Divide in half and roll
into a circle. Place in pie pan; add whatever youre putting inside, cover with other
half of pastry; makes two 9 inch shells
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Cinnamon tidbits from leftover pie dough (Kenni-Lou Walker, A10)
1. Roll the dough in a rectangular or oval shape, as thin as possible while still holding
together.
2. Spread a very thin layer of butter on the flat dough. Mix the sugar and cinnamon and
sprinkle the mixture evenly over the dough while preserving t
3. Roll the dough beginning at the narrow end of the pastry.
4. With sharp knife slice almost through the roll of dough, every - inch.
5. With spatula lift onto baking surface, either on a baking tray or cookie sheet; sprinkle
remaining sugar mixture over the top.
6. Bake at 375F/190C for about 20 minutes or until lightly brown; let stand 10 minutes
before eating.
Ingredients: 1 pie crust, 3 eggs (separated), C lemon juice, 4 T sugar, 1 t grated lemon peel,
cream of tartar [US] (optional), 1 can sweetened condensed milk
1. Combine lemon juice, grated lemon peel, condensed milk, and egg yolks. Pour in pie
shell.
2. Whip egg whites until stiff, adding sugar and cream of tartar if desired. Pile on top of
lemon mixture.
3. Bake 15 minutes at 325F/165C. Cool to room temperature. Chill. Serve cold.
Ingredients: 1 C mashed pumpkin, 1 C milk, C brown sugar [Y] or white sugar, 2 eggs
(beaten), t ginger [Y], 1 t salt, 1 t cinnamon, 1 T salad oil, 1 9-inch pie crust (pricked with fork in
bottom)
1. Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Mix all ingredients together and pour into unbaked pie
crust.
2. Bake for 1 hour (or more) or until it doesnt stick to your finger.
Ingredients: 6-8 tart apples (pared, cored, & thinly sliced: 6 C), to 1 C sugar, 2 T flour, to 1 t
cinnamon, dash ground nutmeg [Y], pastry crust for 2 crust 9-inch pies, 2 T butter
1. If apples lack tartness, sprinkle with about 1 T lemon juice. Combine sugar, flour,
spices, and a dash salt, mix with apples.
2. Line 9-inch pie pan with pastry. Fill with apple mixture; dot with butter. Adjust top
crust, cutting slits for escape of steam;seal. Sprinkle with sugar.
3. Bake at 400F/205C degrees for 50 minutes or until done.
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Pear Crumble Pie (Colleen Hardin, A10)
Ingredients: 6 medium pears (pared), 3 T lemon juice, 1 C sugar (split), C flour + 2 T flour, 1 t
grated lemon peel, 1 (one) 9-inch unbaked pastry shell, 3 slices cheese, C butter, t ground
ginger [Y], t cinnamon, t ground mace [US]
1. Mix C flour, C sugar, ground ginger, cinnamon, and ground mace. Cut in butter
until crumbly, set aside.
2. Slice 5 pears; cut remaining pear in sixths. Sprinkle pears with lemon juice.
3. Mix remaining C sugar, 2 T flour, and lemon peel; stir into sliced pears. Spoon into
pastry shell. Arrange pear wedges atop sliced pears. Sprinkle with sugar, ginger, and
cinnamon mixture.
4. Bake at 400F/205C for 45 minutes or until pears are tender. Remove from oven.
Cut cheese slices in half diagonally and arrange on pie. Serve warm.
Ingredients: 1 9 baked pie shell, 3 eggs (separated), 1 C sour cream, 1 C sugar, 4 T corn starch [Y]
or potato starch, t grated lemon peel, pinch salt, 1 C brown sugar [Y], 1 C chopped pecans (or
walnuts), 2 packets vanillin or 2 t vanilla extract [Y]
1. Cook the egg yolks, sour cream, sugar, corn/potato starch, lemon peel, and the pinch
of salt together in the top of a double boiler (or boil water in a pot, then put a smaller
pan inside the pot so it is just above the boiling water) until thick enough to coat a
spoon. Pour the mixture into the cooled pie shell.
2. Beat the egg whites and a pinch of salt together until they begin to stiffen, then add
the brown sugar and pecans/walnuts gradually, beating all the time/
3. Spread the nut meringue over the custard in the pie shell and bake at 400F/205C
just until the top browns. Watch carefully to prevent burning.
[A] Paklava
1. Cut wax paper the size of a large baking pan. When you have the first stack of five
dough sheets ready, lay the wax paper over it and cut the same size four times.
Place each stack of five pieces in a buttered pan and brush the top of the dough with
melted butter. Add the next stack of dough, brush it with butter; then sprinkle with
walnuts. Continue the same way, buttering every fifth layer and sprinkling nuts every
tenth layer. Arrange leftover pieces of dough in layers in pan. Next, roll out the
remaining 5 balls and repeat the process. You should have about 50 layers.
2. Before baking, cut dough in pan into diamond shaped pieces, about 1 inches. Pour
a little heated butter on each diamond and bake at 350F/180C for 15 minutes. Pull
pan halfway out and pour more heated butter, this time very hot, but not burnt, on
each diamond. It should make a sizzle sound. Bake again for 25-30 minutes until
brown. If you like it less brown, cover pan the last 10 minutes and finish baking to the
time limit.
3. When pan is out of the oven, drain as much butter as you can. Then remove one
piece from a corner and leave pan in a tilted position for 15 minutes. Keep removing
excess butter, soaking it up with a paper towel, napkin, or sturdy toilet paper. Then
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add lukewarm syrup, which is the sugar, water, and lemon juice boiled until
dissolved, to lukewarm paklava.
Ingredients: 1 large egg, 2 T olive oil, 2 T yogurt, 2 C flour, C water, t baking powder [Y]
(optional), t salt, corn starch [Y] or potato starch or flour (use as little as possible)
1. Mix eggs with fork; add yogurt, water, salt, and olive oil, and blend together. Stir in
sifted flour and baking powder. Knead. Make medium soft dough. Divide dough into
10 small egg sized balls. Flour the bottom of a pan; arrange the balls side by side
without touching and cover tightly. Let stand several hours or overnight. Spread corn/
potato starch or flour on a flat surface and on a rolling pin. Roll out each ball into a
circle the size of a medium plate. Stack up the circles with a lot of starch or flour
between layers.
2. Take 2 or 3 or as many as 5 of these circles to roll out together as one piece. First
use the regular pin to make the circle larger. Then using a long, thin, stick rolling pin,
rubbed with starch, roll or lap the stack of circles over the stick. Press dough with
fingers in an up and down, rolling motion, beginning from the center of the stick and
working your way towards the opposite ends of the dough. Bring the bottom layer of
circles over the top; then unroll the stack of dough on the flat surface in a diagonal
position. This is to check to see if the layers are sticking; add more starch or flour if
needed. The top layer will probably be off position. To bring it back in line, place the
stick rolling pin in the center of the circle, overlap dough, and pull back into the right
position. Start horizontally to roll dough over the stick. Repeat the process until the
circle has enlarged to about 36 inches across and each sheet is as thin as possible.
Fruit Desserts
[B] Sour Cream Fruit Dip (Christy and Matt Schindler, A5s)
[B] Cream Cheese Fruit Dip (Heidi & Jim Wilton, A6s)
Ingredients: C cream cheese (Viola or curds), 2 T sugar or honey, 1 T milk, t almond extract.
1. Mix ingredients and beat until creamy. Serve as a dip for fruit.
Oatmeal Crumb Topping for Crisps (Christy & Matt Schindler, A5s)
Ingredients: C oatmeal, t salt, 1 C brown sugar [Y] or substitute white, t cinnamon, C flour,
100 g butter
1. Combine all ingredients. Cut butter into dry ingredients with fingers or a pastry
blender until it looks like coarse crumbs.
2. Spread over prepared fruits (sweetened if tart).
3. Bake at 350F/180C until browned; about 25 minutes.
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Apple Sauce
1. Quarter and core apples; it is optional to peel them. Leaving the peel on adds a nice
color and flavor to the sauce.
2. Add apples, water, sugar, cinnamon, optional nutmeg, and optional fruit to a stockpot
or saucepan and simmer, covered, for an hour or until soft. Mash into sauce, correct
with additional sugar and cinnamon if necessary.
Ingredients: 4 large apples (cored, peeled, & cut into inch rings), 2 T sugar, dash salt, C milk, 1
C flour, 1 t baking powder [Y], 1 beaten egg, enough oil to fill 1 inch bottom of pan + 1 t oil
1. Stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine egg,
milk and oil; add all at once to flour mixture, stirring until combined.
2. In deep skillet, heat 1 inch oil. Dip apple slices in batter one at a time. Fry 1
minutes per side, turning once. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.
3. Variation: You can also make doughnuts using this recipe by omitting apples and
adding 1 C flour. Also, I dont see why you couldnt use baking sod.a; just omit the
salt and be careful, maybe use t soda instead of 1 t
Ingredients: 4 C fruit, chopped, C citrus juice*, 3 T sugar (or to taste), C honey (or to taste)
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3. Refrigerate and serve chilled.
*Any citrus juice works, it can be freshly squeezed or boxed juice
Ingredients: 2 t butter, t lemon peel, 2 apples (peeled, cored, & sliced in rings), packet vanillin or
t vanilla extract [Y], 6 t sugar, t flour, 1 egg (separated)
1. Melt butter, add apple rings, sprinkle with sugar. Cook until tender.
2. In bowl, beat egg yolk, lemon, and vanilla for one minute.
3. Beat egg white until fluffy, add flour and beat again. Fold into egg yolk mixture.
4. Place apple rings in greased dish spread egg mixture on top. Bake 15 minutes. on
medium heat
Ingredients: 1 C flour, 1 egg, pinch salt, C sugar, t cinnamon, 1 t baking powder [Y], C melted
butter, 2 C fruit (cherries, sliced apples, or peaches)
Ingredients: C brandy or cognac, C wine, C orange juice, 2 T grated orange peel, 1 T grated
lemon peel, 3 cloves, C lemon juice, C very strong black tea, 2 C dried figs, 1 packet vanillin or 1
t vanilla extract [Y], C honey
1. Combine everything but figs and boil over a low flame. Simmer for 30 minutes. Add
figs and boil, simmer 1 hour, until figs are soft. Best over ice cream!
1. Steam figs or broil until soft. Drizzle honey on top, then drizzle with sweet cream.
Biscuit topper ingredients: 1 C flour, 2 T sugar, 1 t baking powder [Y], t salt, C butter, C
milk, 1 egg
1. Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter until mixture
resembles coarse crumbs.
2. Combine milk and beaten egg. Add to dry mixture; stir just to moisten
3. Prepare peach or apple filling. Pour filling into 8 in. x 1 in. round baking pan.
Immediately spoon on biscuit topper in 6 mounds.
4. Bake at 400F/205C for 20 to 25 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream or cream. 6
servings
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Peach Filling Ingredients Apple Filling Ingredients
Ingredients: C sugar, t salt, C flour, C milk, 1 t baking powder [Y], 2 C fruit (fresh, frozen, or
canned)
Ingredients: 3 large quinces (peeled & halved), 1 quince (peeled & finely grated), 1 C sweet wine, 2
T vodka, 1 T honey, 8 cloves, 1 t cinnamon, 2 lemons (juiced)
1. Peel, halve and de-seed the quinces and toss them in a bowl of cold water where
you will have previously added the juice from two lemons.
2. Preheat the oven at 400F/205C. Strain the quinces well and arrange them in a
dish, over aluminum foil and stick a clove on them. Sprinkle with the sugar, grated
quince and cinnamon. Slightly warm the wine and dissolve it in warm honey. Pour
this over the quinces, do the same with the vodka and cover the quinces with the foil.
3. Place the dish with the quinces in the oven and bake at 350F/180C for
approximately 60 minutes. Remove the foil and allow the quinces to brown for 10
more minutes. Serve them with a tablespoon of yogurt or whisked fresh cream.
Ingredients: 1 C water, 1 C sugar (maybe a little more depending on fruit), 1 T lemon juice, crushed
fruit (whatever kind you want), crushed mint leaves (optional)
1. Make a sugar syrup with the water and sugar. Simmer the syrup for 5 minutes stirring
constantly.
2. In a separate bowl mix lemon juice, crushed fruit, and mint leaves. Mix into syrup.
3. Place in freezer in covered container. Every hour take out from freezer and mix until
icy.
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Banana Flamb Sauce With Cognac (Kathy Kacen, A10)
Hot Beverages
[A, B, V] Armenian Coffee
Ingredients (per person): 1 demitasse cup of water, 1 t finely (finely!) ground coffee (i.e. Armenian
style), t sugar
1. Place water, coffee, and sugar in a jazzve (long-handled coffee pot), and place over
medium-high heat. Coffee and sugar will dissolve in the water and a slight foam will
form on top. The coffee will appear to thicken slightly before it begins to simmer
around the edges. Hold it at this state for about a minute, watch carefully to be sure it
does not boil over.
1. Heat the milk, cocoa powder, sugar and salt to boiling, stirring constantly for 2
minutes. Do not boil. Stir until smooth. Can be served with liqueurs (such as coffee
cream, Amaretto, or peppermint), Makes 6 servings.
Ingredients: 2 plain dark chocolate bars (go for quality), -1 C milk (can substitute diluted
condensed milk, but omit sugar), t vanilla extract (or a light dusting of vanillin), dash of salt, sugar to
taste
1. In a double boiler (or a metal bowl balanced on a pot full of water), melt the chocolate
with the vanilla & salt, stirring capriciously but not fussily.
2. Add milk slowly, stirring constantly, until beverage is as thick as you like it (should be
syrupy, not hot-chocolate-y). Add sugar to taste. Serve immediately in demitasse
cups. Serves 1-3, depending on whos drinking.
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[V] Russian Tea (Jenny Tolley, A3)
Ingredients: 6 C water, 6 t tea leaves, C lemon juice, 12 whole cloves, 2 C pineapple juice, 1 t
grated lemon peel, juice of 2 oranges, sugar to taste
1. Boil water and cloves for 15 minutes. Add tea and steep for 2-4 minutes. Add
remaining ingredients and serve hot.
Cold Beverages
Mango Lassie (Eloise Gray, A15)
1. Stir and enjoy! You can add more mango juice if you prefer it Mangolicious!
Ingredients: 3 C cold water, C sugar or honey (to taste), 1 C lemon juice (about 4 squeezed
lemons)
Ingredients: 6 lemons, 2 L bottles Sprite (or ginger ale [Y]), 1 quart water, 2 C sugar, 1 C chopped
pitted cherries
Ingredients: 10-14 tea bags, 8 C water, 1 C sugar (or to taste), ice cubes, juice of 3-4 lemons (or to
taste)
1. In a large saucepan bring water to a boil. Remove water from heat and add tea bags.
Cover and let stand 5 minutes.
2. Remove tea bags and add lemon juice. Add sugar incrementally to taste and stir until
dissolved. Refrigerate. Serve with ice.
Ingredients: brick of ice-cream (any flavor), 1 sachet MacCoffee (can substitute 1 t Nescaf and 1
t sugar), bottle of carbonated mineral water (e.g. Jermuk)
1. Put the MacCoffee in a glass and add just enough mineral water to dissolve. Add ice-
cream and fill remaining space in the glass with mineral water. Try not to spill on the
floor.
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Cocktails, Punches, & Liqueurs
Bloody Mary (Wendy Schmidt, A8)
Ingredients: vodka (2 shots for a large glass), Worcestershire Sauce [Y], dash of salt, dash of
pepper, tomato juice to fill glass, 1 t lemon juice
Optional ingredients: garlic salt, celery salt [US]
Ingredients: 2-3 oz. rum (or whiskey), 1 slice lemon, 1 t sugar, 2 whole cloves, boiling water, 1 T of
butter for buttered rum (optional)
1. Place spoon in glass to prevent cracking. Add rum, sugar, cloves, and lemon. Fill with
boiling water. Stir and serve. For buttered rum, add 1 T butter before adding water.
Ingredients: 1 T instant coffee, 1 can condensed milk (sweet), 1 packet vanillin or 1 t vanilla extract
[Y], 1-2 C milk, 1 bottle good vodka (not the 250 dram stuff)
1. Stir coffee and vanilla into 1 C vodka until dissolved. Combine the coffee, vodka,
condensed milk, and milk. You can play with the milk/vodka ratio, making it the
strength you want. Drink it by itself or with hot cocoa.
Ingredients: 2 C sugar, 1 small can instant coffee, 1 qt vodka or rum, 3 C water, vanilla (to taste)
1. Mix sugar and water and bring to a boil. Add vanilla and simmer 20 minutes, stirring
frequently. Mix coffee with a little water and add to the simmering mixture. Simmer 5
minutes more, stirring often.
2. Let cool (so alcohol wont evaporate). When cooled, add alcohol and pour into
bottles. Let sit for several weeks, rotating bottles every few days.
Ingredients: 1 C brown sugar, C hot water, 1 C vodka, 1 T almond extract, 2 packets vanillin (or
2 t vanilla)
1. In saucepan, dissolve brown sugar in water. Let cool and add rest of ingredients.
Keep in a cool place.
Ingredients: 1 C sugar, 2 lemons (juiced), 2 C water, 1-1 shots Amaretto per serving glass
1. In a saucepan, mix sugar and water over low heat until sugar dissolves. No need to
boil. Add strained lemon juice. Chill. Also chill Amaretto.
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2. When ready to serve, pour one to one and a half shots Amaretto per glass and fill
with lemon mix. Stir and serve.
Ingredients: C sugar, 1 L pineapple juice, C water, 1 L sparkling water, 2-3 inch cinnamon sticks,
1 750 mL bottle champagne or ginger ale, C lemon juice
1. Heat sugar, water, and cinnamon to boiling; reduce heat. Cover & simmer 15 min.
2. Cover and refrigerate until chilled. Remove cinnamon from syrup. Just before
serving, mix syrup with remaining ingredients. Serves 26.
[V] Sangria
Ingredients: 1 bottle Armenian dry red wine, C brandy or cognac, 1 C orange juice, C lemon
juice, 1 C sugar, 8 to 12 ice cubes, 2 C chilled club soda [Y] or mineral water, 2 oranges (thinly sliced),
2 lemons (thinly sliced)
Ingredients: 6 C red wine (or apple cider), 2 t cloves, 2 oranges studded with cloves, 10 C apple
cider (or juice), 2 t cinnamon, C sugar, 2 t allspice [US]
1. Heat wine, cider, sugar, cloves, cinnamon, and allspice to boiling; cover and simmer
20 minutes. Strain punch into bowl. Float clove studded orange slices in bowl.
Serves 32.
Miscellaneous
[V] Popcorn
1. Put ingredients in a heavy pot. Cover and shake over medium high heat until popping
stops.
2. Enjoy!
Ingredients: 1 C unpopped popcorn, 1 T sugar, C oil (dont use olive oil), dash of salt
1. Put ingredients in a large pot. Cover and shake over medium high heat until popping
stops.
2. Immediately pour into a large bowl and enjoy!
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Caramel Corn (Bridget Anderson, A9)
Ingredients: 8 C popped popcorn ( C unpopped), C butter, caramel squares (Iris brand works; to
taste)
1. Remove all unpopped kernels from the popcorn. Place popcorn in a greased baking
pan. Keep popcorn warm in a 300F/150C oven while making caramel sauce.
2. Butter the sides of a heavy medium sauce pan. Combine broken apart caramel
squares and butter. Cook and stir over medium heat until melted.
3. Remove saucepan from heat. Add popcorn and stir gently to coat. Bake at 300F/
150C for 15 minutes; stir. Bake 5 minutes more. Transfer popcorn mixture to a large
piece of foil; cool completely. Break into clusters. STore tightly covered. Makes 9
servings.
Ingredients:2 C peanut butter [Y], C honey, 1 Bounty bar (shredded), 5 C popped corn
1. Mix peanut butter, honey, and Bounty bar; heat over low heat until thin.
2. Cover popcorn and & eat. You can shape the mixture into balls or spread it out & cut
it into squares (if it lasts that long!).
Ingredients: kg powdered sugar [Y], 1 C peanut butter [Y], 2 T + 1 C butter (divided), 4 plain
chocolate bars
1. Mix sugar, 1 C butter, and peanut butter until well blended. Shape into balls and chill.
2. Melt chocolate bars and 2 T butter in a double-boiler (or a metal bowl balanced over
a pot of simmering water). If you are using good quality chocolate, you might want to
drip some candle wax in with the chocolate and butter: it will help the chocolate stay
on the peanut butter.
3. Dip the chilled balls into the chocolate with toothpicks. Let cool.
1. Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat. Add thyme, cover, and
steep until cool.
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2. Strain. Stir in 1 C honey. Store in a covered class jar, refrigerated, for several
months. One teaspoon taken every hour will relieve a cough.
Ingredients: L (or smaller) bottle of cognac or vodka, good vanilla beans [US]
1. Have friend send you some good vanilla beans. Slit the whole bean vertically.
2. Scrape out the seeds and put them in the bottle of cognac/vodka.
3. Put the bean in the bottle, too.
4. Let it sit for about 3 weeks. If it smells more like cognac (or vodka) than vanilla, add
another bean.
Ingredients: 250 g red rose petals (approx. 24 roses), 1 C powdered sugar [Y], 1 C water, 1 t
coriander seeds [Y], 2 C vodka
1. Pluck the rose petals and remove the white tip that joins the calyx.
2. Add the water and sugar in a saucepan and warm for 5 minutes to make the syrup.
Add the rose petals and coriander seeds. Boil for 5 more minutes then remove pan
from oven ring and cover it with lid until the mixture cools off.
3. Pour the juice into a clean airtight jar through a fine sieve and add the vodka. Seal
the jar and store it in a cool place for a month.
4. Filter the juice and transfer to a clean bottle.
Ingredients: 2 C cooked & pureed carrots (carrots may be cooked & pureed hours ahead of time,
adding the lemon juice and covering tightly until ready to mix), 2 t lemon juice, 2 T minced or grated
onion, C butter (softened), C sugar, 1 T flour, 1 t salt, t cinnamon, 1 C milk, 3 eggs
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3. Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes to 1 hour until center is firm to touch.
Ingredients: C vegetable oil, 4 T soy sauce, C chopped onion, 2 C vegetable broth, 5 cloves
garlic (minced), t dried sage, C all-purpose flour, t salt, 4 t nutritional yeast, t ground black
pepper
1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Saut onion and garlic until soft
and translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Stir in flour, nutritional yeast, and soy sauce to form a smooth paste. Gradually whisk
in the broth.
3. Season with sage, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer,
stirring constantly, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until thickened.
4. Nutritional yeast has the consistency of wheat germ, is pale yellow, and available
very cheaply in bulk at all US health food stores. (Whole Foods) You can leave it out.
Ingredients: 1 T vegetable oil, Reserved turkey giblets and neck (do not use liver; soft, brownish, flat
organ), 1 onion (unpeeled and chopped, but take off dirty outer layer), 6 C chicken stock or 4 C
chicken broth & 2 C water, 2 sprigs fresh thyme (or t dried), 8 parsley stems, 3 T butter, C flour, 1
C dry white wine, salt & pepper
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medium-high heat (if drippings are not dark brown, cook, stirring constantly, until
they caramelize.) Return gravy in saucepan to a low simmer. Add wine and
reserved cup of broth to roasting pan and scrape up browned bits in pan. Boil
until liquid reduces by half, 5 minutes. Then strain mixture into gravy saucepan,
pressing to extract as much liquid as possible. Stir in giblets, return to simmer.
Adjust salt and pepper. Serve. Makes about 6 cups.
Ingredients: 8 T (1 stick) unsalted butter plus extra for baking dish, 1 large onion (chopped medium,
about 1 cups), 4 medium celery stalks (diced medium, about 1 cups), t each dried sage,
thyme, and marjoram, C minced fresh parsley leaves, t ground black pepper, 12 C dried -inch
cubes from one 1-pound loaf French bread, 2 C chicken stock, 3 large eggs (beaten lightly), 1
generous t salt
1. Dry the bread you choose by cutting -inch slices; then cut the slices into -inch
cubes and allow them to dry on baking sheets overnight. (If you are in a hurry, rush
the process by drying them in a 225-degree oven until brittle but not brown, 30-40
minutes.
2. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Heat butter in large skillet over medium-high heat until
fully melted; pour off 2 tablespoons butter and reserve.
3. Return skillet to heat; add onion and celery and saut, stirring occasionally, until
translucent, about 8 minutes. Stir in sage, thyme, marjoram, parsley, and black
pepper and cook until just fragrant, about 1 minute longer.
4. Turn onion mixture into large mixing bowl. Add bread cubes, stock, eggs, and salt
and toss gently to distribute dry and wet ingredients evenly. Turn mixture into
buttered 13-x 9-inch baking dish, drizzle with reserved melted butter, cover with foil,
and bake until fragrant, about 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake until golden crust
forms on top, 15 to 20 minutes longer. Serve warm.
Ingredients: 1 C salt, 1 turkey (12 to 14 pounds, rinsed thoroughly; giblets neck and tailpiece
removed and reserved for gravy), 3 onions (chopped coarse), 2 carrots (chopped coarse), 2 celery
ribs (chopped coarse), 6 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 t dried), 6 T butter (melted)
1. Day Before: Dissolve salt in 2 gallons cold water in a large bucket. Add turkey and
set in a very cool spot (outside or refrigerator) for 12 hours. Remove turkey from salt
water, rinse, pat dry, and set breast-side up on rack in roasting pan in a cool place
(40 degrees) for 6 to 12 hours. (Overnight) Brining (salting) the turkey helps to keep
the breast juicier and the meat more flavorful.)
2. Turkey Day: Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat to 400 degrees. Toss 1/3
of onion and celery with 2 sprigs thyme and 2 tablespoons butter; fill turkey with
mixture. Using a 5-foot length of twine/string, tie the legs together, run the twine
around the thighs and under the wings on both side of the bird, pulling tightly, and tie
a tight knot around the excess flesh at the neck of the bird. Snip off excess twine.
3. Scatter remaining vegetables and thyme in roasting pan with 1 cup water. Brush
turkey breast with butter, then place breast-side down in the pan (on rack), brush the
back with butter, and roast for one hour.
4. Remove roasting pan with turkey from oven, with paper towels and potholders, turn
turkey breast side up and brush with butter. Roast one hour longer, until thickest part
of breast registers 165 degrees. Cut twine. If turkey is done, the legs will move
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easily, and the juices will run clear. If the juices are pink in color, the turkey is not
done. Often turkeys available in Armenia have a plug on the breast that pops up
when the turkey is done. This indicator is very unreliable, and most often the turkey
is underdone.
5. Move turkey from pan to carving board and let rest at least 20 to 30 minutes.
6. Finish preparing gravy.
Pumpkin Pie
This recipe assumes that you use one 200 gram package of Armenian butter which is 7 Tbs or 7/8
cup. Ingredients: 1 C flour, 2 t sugar, t salt, 7 T chilled butter cut into small pieces, 3-4 T cold
water, pie pan
1. Combine the flour, sugar and salt. Add the chilled butter. Mix it slightly with your
fingers, then cut in the butter with two knives or a pastry blender. (Hold the two
knives together in the same hand and cut into the butter to distribute it.) It is blended
when large crumbs are formed (pea size). It is over-blended (resulting in a tough,
not flakey crust) if it becomes one big mass.
2. Add the cold water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough holds together. Form a
5-inch-round disk, put it in a plastic bag and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 2 hours. (If
the dough is cold when you roll it out, it requires less flour to roll out, which keeps the
dough flakier, and it is easier to put in the pie plate.) Lightly flour a surface, and roll
out the dough to an 11 -inch round. Gently wrap the dough around the rolling pin,
and gently place it in the pie plate by unrolling it over the pie plate. Fold under the
excess dough, and press it down with your thumb around the rim at decorative
intervals. Refrigerate 20 to 30 minutes. (The refrigeration will help keep the dough
from shrinking as it cooks.)
3. Preheat an oven to 425 degrees. With a fork, poke holes inside the pie shell at 1-
inch intervals. (This helps to prevent the crust from puffing.) Bake until the crust is
crisp and lightly golden, 18 to 20 minutes. If the pastry begins to puff during baking,
poke it with a fork to release air. Cool on a rack.
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Preserving Food
Drying Herbs (Joy of Cooking)
Tie a small bunch of herbs together and hang to dry, or lay flat on a newspaper. You can
expect about kg dried herbs for every 3 kg gathered. Room dry it in a place under 90F.
To test for dryness before packing, put a few brittle sprigs or leaves in a tightly sealed glass
jar and watch for mold, condensation or discoloration. Store dried herbs in a glass jar in a
cool place.
All vegetables (*) should be blanched before freezing; otherwise, vegetables will lose flavor
and nutritional benefits.
To Blanch by Boiling
Allow one gallon of boiling water to one pound of vegetables. Bring water to a boil, then
submerge vegetables into the boiling water, cover and immediately begin to time the
blanching. When finished, lift vegetables from boiling water and submerge into ice water.
Chill until vegetables are cool to the center, remove, drain and package.
*Green peppers do not need to be blanched, and squash and pumpkins should be fully
cooked before freezing
Tomatoes to be served raw do not freeze well. But tomatoes for stewing or seasoning may
be scalded two minutes to loosen skins, then cored and packaged for the freezer without
any additional heating. Cook before serving.
Canning is potentially dangerous and if not done properly can lead to spoiled food and
botulism if that food is eaten. Take care and if in any doubt ask your Armenian friends for
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help. If you are suspicious about any canned food err on the side of caution and throw it
away. Signs of spoiled food are:
bad smell,
slimy texture,
mold,
discolored food,
bubbling or fizzing when the can is opened,
expanded lid indicating gas in jar which can lead to lid blowing off.
As a general rule always heat canned food thoroughly before eating.
1. Once the food has been prepared and cooked as required the basic method for
canning is always the same. Make sure that you have plenty of clean jars and lids
ready and plenty of hot water ready. It is vital that the jars are clean and hot when the
food is put into them, it is also important that food does not sit in the jars for very long
before being put into the water bath. The following steps should ensure that the food
remains hot and does not become contaminated:
2. Food has been cooked thoroughly as described in recipes that follow
3. Take each clean jar one at a time and do the following:
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Note: if you prepare more food than will fit in one water bath you will need to use another pot
as food should not sit around cooling in jars while other jars are in the water bath.
The length of time that food is processed in the water bath depends on its acid content.
Food with high acid content does not have to be processed as long because the acid will
attack any bacteria that develops in the food. Food with low acid content does not have this
natural defense mechanism so you must make sure that all bacteria is killed while it is in the
water bath. Hence, fruit which has high acid requires a lot less time than vegetables which
are low in acid. Adding vinegar to recipes increases the acid and lowers the boiling time.
Canning Recipes
Please note, all canning recipes are vegan.
Ingredients: 5 kg tomatoes (peeled & chopped), 1 kg peppers (peeled & chopped), salt to taste,
garlic and fresh herbs (optional)
1. Fill clean jars with veggies. Boil jars for 1 hours in a water bath with loose tops on
jars.
2. Seal jars after boiling
I found the most useful canned item was tomatoes. Although I canned a variety of recipes
with tomatoes in them, far and away the most useful was plain tomatoes. These can be used
for so many different meal ideas. Tomatoes should be ripe but firm; overripe tomatoes have
a lower acid content so err on the side of less ripe.
Ingredients: tomatoes (up to about 20 kg at a time), salt (optional), sugar (optional)
1. Peel tomatoes. Cut out the hard end and How to Peel a Tomato
remove any brown spots, chop the tomato
into the saucepan in which you will cook 1. Boil water in a medium
them. When you are on the last tomato, saucepan
add the next batch to the hot water and 2. Score tomatoes with a knife
keep the cycle going. Yes, it is very (cut 2-3 shallow crosses into
tedious. the skin)
2. When the tomatoes are all peeled and 3. Dip tomatoes in the hot water
chopped, place the pan on a medium heat for about 1 minute
and heat the tomatoes through. Once
simmering, leave them for 30 minutes. Add 4. Transfer them to a bowl of
salt and sugar as you desire. I only add a cold water
little sugar if the sauce tastes very bitter. 5. The peel should then come off
3. Process in water bath for 20 minutes. easily
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Chunky Salsa (Better Homes & Gardens New Cookbook)
1. Peel, seed, and coarsely chop tomatoes (you should have about 14 C). Place
tomatoes in a large colander and let drain about 30 minutes. Place drained tomatoes
in a 8 qt pot. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, 45-50 minutes or until
thick and chunky; stir frequently.
2. Add peppers, onions, cilantro or parsley, vinegar, garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper.
Return mixture to boiling. Remove from heat.
3. Ladle salsa into hot, clean jars, leaving a inch headspace. Wipe jar rims with clean
cloth and cover with lids.
4. Process in boiling water bath for 35 minutes. (Start timing when water begins to boil.)
Seal with lids.
Chutney is like relish, it has a sour-sweet taste and is great for livening up Armenian cheese,
especially in lavash. We used it to cheer up lunch during the winter when you cant buy fresh
tomatoes and cucumbers and cheese tastes a bit dry on its own. Other people just loved
eating it full stop as a sandwich filling in itself! These quantities make about 10 pints.
Ingredients: 5 kg tomatoes (peeled & chopped), 2-3 kg apples (peeled, cored, & chopped into small
pieces), 1 kg onions (peeled & finely chopped), 1 kg cucumbers (peeled & cubed), kg sweet red
pepper (washed, de-seeded & chopped into small pieces), kg raisins, 8 C sugar, 6 C vinegar*, 3 t
cinnamon, 2 T ginger [Y], 3 t salt, 3 cloves garlic (crushed)
1. Place all the ingredients in a large saucepan on medium heat. When the chutney is
simmering, maintain simmer and stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Chutney is
ready when it still has liquid but it has thickened
2. Process in water bath for 20 minutes.
* A note on vinegar. This recipe is from an American canning book and uses normal
American vinegar. I used the local vinegar which is much, much stronger. For this quantity I
recommend half a tea C of local vinegar and make up the rest with water.
Ingredients: 1 (one) 1 kg pumpkin (peeled & seeded), 2 medium onions (minced), 2 hot peppers
(seeded and minced), 2 C brown sugar (or substitute white), 1 t cinnamon, 1 t nutmeg [Y], 2 t ground
cloves, 1 t salt, 1 t ginger, 2 C vinegar*
1. Dice pumpkin. Place in a large pot with remaining ingredients. Mix well.
2. Place pan over medium-high heat, bring to boil, then reduce to medium low. Simmer
uncovered until pumpkin is very tender and liquid has thickened (45 minutes to an
hour). If chutney thickens but pumpkin is not soft, partially cover and cover as
needed.
3. While chutney cooks, sterilize two one-pint canning jars. When chutney is ready,
spoon into jars, cover with lids and allow to cool. Can be stored unopened at room
temperature for up to three months.
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* A note on vinegar. This recipe is from an American publication and uses normal American
vinegar. I used the local vinegar which is much, much stronger. For this quantity I
recommend half a tea C of local vinegar and make up the rest with water.
I made two different types of jash, both with the same ingredients but a different method of
cooking. These were useful as meals in winter just heated up and served with pasta or
potatoes. The following quantities make approx. five 3 liter jars. You can use smaller jars of
course and make less. This size is useful is you expect to cook large meals with numerous
guests.
Ingredients: 20 kg tomatoes, 10 kg eggplants, 5 kg green peppers, bunch of herbs (cilantro is my
favorite), salt and pepper, sugar if desired
Method 1
Method 2
1. Wash peppers and de-seed by pushing stalk so that it pops into the pepper and then
pulls out, poke finger inside hole and shake pepper to remove seeds. You should end
up with clean, de-seeded whole peppers
2. Peel eggplants and cut lengthwise. Soak in water for 10 minutes then drain
3. Peel tomatoes and remove hard end and any brown spots
4. Heat pan with shallow level of vegetable or olive oil. When oil is very hot add peppers
- do this in batches as you want to keep turning the peppers until they look a bit like
horovatzed peppers, remove them and keep to one side. You can peel the peppers
at this point if you wish
5. When all the peppers are cooked, make sure the pan still has a shallow covering of
oil and heat until very hot. Add the eggplants and keep turning until cooked, again do
them in batches and remove to one side
6. When the eggplants are all cooked, put tomatoes in remaining oil and heat, add
eggplants, peppers, herbs and seasoning and cook for 30 minutes so everything is
mixed and heated right through. After 30 minutes ready to can
7. Process in water bath for 2 hours. This may be over the top but this is what I did and
Im still here!
This is an Armenian dish which I later discovered Armenians actually serve cold more as a
relish. We ate it hot over pasta and really loved it!
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Ingredients: 10 kg sweet red peppers, 1 kg carrots, 3-4 bulbs of garlic (yes, bulbs not cloves), jar
of tomato paste, fresh herbs, salt
1. Wash, deseed and chop peppers. Peel and chop carrots. Peel garlic. Mince peppers,
carrots, and garlic and put in pan
2. Put pan on heat and heat through, stir in paste and add herbs and salt
3. Process in water bath for 1 hour.
There are a few different ways of making pickles. Here is one method, quantities assume a
large 3 liter jar
Essential ingredients (quantities can be varied according to taste): 4 cloves of garlic, handful of
whole black peppercorns, 4 or 5 bay leaves, 2 T of salt, 2 or 3 fresh hot peppers (depends how spicy
you like it!), herbs (use dill and something I dont know the name of but tell the ladies in the shuka
what you are doing and they will give you the right stuff), 1 t of local vinegar
Varying ingredients (you can include any of the following: cucumbers (washed), tomatoes (not very
ripe or green: washed), carrots (peeled and chopped lengthwise), turnip (peeled and chopped
lengthwise), beetroot (but it will turn everything purple: peeled and chopped), cauliflower (washed and
cut into flowers)
1. Put prepared vegetables in large clean jar. Pack in as much as you can without
damaging anything. Also include the peeled cloves of garlic, peppercorns, bay
leaves, hot peppers, and salt.
2. Boil a kettle of water and when it is boiling pour into jar leaving inch head space.
3. The jars of pickles can now be processed for 15 minutes BUT before sealing the lids
add the t of vinegar and then seal.
Ingredients: 10 kg cucumbers (for 5 jars), 1 T salt per jar, 1-2 hot peppers per jar, 3 bay leaves per
jar, kg garlic cloves, water to fill jars, assorted fresh herbs, 1 T vinegar per jar, 1 bunch fresh dill
1. Fill clean jars with veggies and fill with water. Pour that water into a pot and add
garlic cloves, herbs, dill, salt, and bay leaves to the water.
2. Boil rapidly for 15 minutes. Pour water along with garlic, herbs, etc. back into veggie-
full jars. Add vinegar and seal lids.
Ingredients: 5 kg carrots (cut julienne style), 2 kg onions, salt to taste, 2 kg peppers (cut), 1 bunch
fresh herbs, liter oil, 5 kg tomatoes (optional)
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1. Cut eggplant and sprinkle with salt and allow to sit one hour. Squeeze eggplant and
discard juice.
2. Mix remaining ingredients together and fry until soft (about 15 minutes). Then put into
jars.
3. With tops placed on jars, boil 45 minutes in water bath then close lids. This is great
served over pasta topped with crushed walnuts.
Ingredients: 5 kg peppers (peeled, cut, and seeded), 200 g whole garlic cloves, 1 liter water, fresh
herbs, 1 C oil, head cauliflower (optional), 1 T sugar, cucumbers (optional), 4 T salt, 2 T vinegar
1. Boil peppers, water, oil, sugar, and salt until peppers are soft.
2. Fill jars and add garlic cloves, herbs, and vinegar to each jar. Process in water bath
30 minutes, then seal each jar.
The leaves should be picked in late May or early June, when they are tender
1. Wash the leaves well. Stack them over each other, about 30 at a time, with the stems
together in a row. Fold once or twice and tie with a string
2. Bring 2 quarts of water and C salt to a boil. Drop the bundles of leaves into the
boiling water and take them out again, one at a time.
3. Let them cool, then pack them tightly in sterile jars. Pour the boiling salt water over it
and cover/seal immediately.
4. Each pint of leaves will serve 10-12 people.
Ingredients: 1 C sugar per 3 liters water, fruit to fill of each jar, water to fill jar
1. Boil all ingredients in a large pot for 1 hours, stirring occasionally. Fill clean jars and
seal.
2. If you use a tart fruit, add more sugar, if not using a juicy fruit, add more water.
1. Peel and pit fruit to be used. Pour sugar over top of fruit in large pot. If using tart fruit,
add more sugar. Let sit 3 hours
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2. Slowly boil for 1 hour, stirring every 10 minutes to keep from burning. After boiling, fill
clean jars and seal.
Ingredients: 1 kg apricots (choose the more orange colored fruit, slightly soft, but not mushy), 300 g
sugar per kg of fruit
1. Half and seed all apricots and place in large pot. Cover with all the sugar (dont
skimp or it wont preserve) and let sit covered 5-6 hours.
2. Boil over high heat, stirring often to keep bottom from burning. When the jam
becomes amber colored, taste for readiness. Flora suggests leaving some of the fruit
whole.
3. On another burner, boil a large pot of water and submerge each jar and all lids in
boiling water just for a moment, then immediately fill with jam and seal. No need to
process this jam, but do leave upside down overnight covered with a towel
1. Layer berries and sugar in pot and let sit a couple hours. Place pot on medium flame
and heat.
2. Flora suggests smashing the berries with a potato masher. Bring just to boiling point
and seal in clean jars. Flora says theres no need to boil the jars for this jam, but do
leave jars upside down overnight, covered with a towel.
1. Layer berries and sugar in pot and let sit a couple hours. Place the pot on a medium
flame and heat. Bring just to boiling point and seal in clean jars
2. Again, Flora says theres no need to boil the jars (Christy has tried this one and it
worked without boiling the jars). But do leave jars upside down overnight, covered
with a towel
1. Put all in ingredients in a large pot and allow to sit for 1 hour.
2. Slowly bring to a boil until very syrupy, about 1-1 hours. Stir occasionally as to not
burn the bottom. Fill clean jars and seal.
Ingredients: 10 kg pears, 5-6 kg sugar ( + kg per 1 kg pears), 2 packets vanillin (2 packets per 10
kg pears), 5 whole cloves (1 per 2 kg pears)
1. Peel, core, and quarter the pears and place in a large pot. Cover with sugar and let
sit overnight.
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2. Cook over medium flame to boiling. Boil for 30 minutes, stirring often to prevent
burning on bottom. Allow to cool for 1 hour, then boil again until thickened. Test for
desired thickness by spooning out some liquid and letting it cool, then taste.
3. When as thick (at room temp.) as desired, add vanillin and cloves.
4. On another burner, be boiling a large pot of water and submerge each jar and all lids
in boiling water just for a moment, then immediately fill with muraba and seal.
5. Leave jars upside down overnight covered with a towel. This is really tasty warmed
and served over vanilla ice cream.
Ingredients: 8 kg purple figs (trim stems), 8 C water, 8 kg sugar, 8 little coffee C of cognac ( = 2 C)
1. Put all ingredients in large pot and bring to a boil over high flame, stirring often to
prevent burning. When it comes to a boil, boil for 10 minutes.
2. Cool for 3 hours. Again bring to a boil and allow to boil for 15 minutes and then again
let cool for 2 hours.
3. Boil again until the liquid thickens when cooled (Test by spooning out some liquid and
let cool to check for desired thickness). When at desired thickness, turn off flame and
let cool slightly.
4. On another burner, boil a large pot of water and submerge each jar and all lids in
boiling water just for a moment, then immediately fill with jam and seal. Leave jars
upside down overnight, covered with a towel.
This smells so good! Its a potpourri, remedy, and food all in one! Good with tea for a cough
or sore throat.
Ingredients: 200 g red rose petals, 2 kg sugar, 2 liters water
1. Boil all ingredients for 2 hours. Fill clean jars and seal
Ingredients: 3 kg carrots (sliced), 3 kg sugar, 2 liters water, 2 pinches cinnamon, 1 t lemon peel, t
salt
1. Boil all ingredients in a large pot for 1-2 hours until syrupy. Fill clean jars and seal.
1. Wash the oranges and lemon thoroughly, then dry them with a clean tea towel.
2. Pour 2 liters cold water into a large, wide pan or preserving pan. Squeeze the juices
of the oranges and lemon and add it to the pan of water. Reserve the pips and
orange halves but discard the squeezed lemon.
3. Cut the orange halves in half again and, using a metal spoon, scrape the pith and
pips into the centre of a large square of muslin. Tie the muslin with kitchen string to
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form a bag. Add to the pan and tie the ends of the string to the pan handle to make it
easier to remove.
4. Cut of the orange peel into thin strips using a sharp knife and add to the pan. bring
to the boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer, uncovered, for about 2 hours, until
the peel is soft and the liquid reduced by about half.
5. Remove and discard the muslin bag containing the pips and pith, squeezing as much
juice as possible back into the pan with the back of a wooden spoon.
6. Add the sugar and stir over a low heat until it has dissolved.
7. Increase the heat and boil rapidly until it reaches setting point, usually about 20 to 25
minutes (be careful as it may overflow the pan so dont leave the pan unattended). To
test, remove the pan from the heat and spoon a little marmalade into a chilled
saucer. allow to cool for a few seconds, then push with a finger. If the surface
wrinkles, it is ready. if not, boil for a further 5 minutes and test again.
8. Leave the marmalade settle for 15 minutes, then skim off any scum from the surface
with a slotted spoon. Stir the mixture and pour into warm, clean jars and cover when
cold.
1. In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients except the beets. Bring to a boil,
stirring occasionally. Stir in beet slices and bring to a boil again, then reduce heat.
Cover, simmer for 5 minutes. Cool in pan 30 minutes. Chill beets in the liquid 8 hours
before serving. Cover and store in liquid in refrigerator up to one month. Drain before
serving. 8 servings.
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Beer & Wine Guides
Beer
Since the oldest discovered and re-created beer recipe (Hittite in origin) is from the area of
ancient Armenia, a beer review is fitting. Background information was transcribed by the A10
editors from a phone interview with Frank Pastorino, A10; beer reviews were revised in a
semi-blind taste-test by Patrick Findler, Cassie Warholm-Wohlenhaus, & Meaghan Corwin
(A16s) with assistance from the Swedish travelers and beer connoisseurs Lisa Jansson &
Therese Svedberg.
Malt liquor: refers to any brewed beer that in process receives additional sugars (usually
corn syrup) which is used to elevate alcohol content.
Original gravity/Potential alcohol: refers to the specific gravity of a pre-fermented beer
Alcohol content now: The difference between the current alcohol content and the potential
alcohol content will give a determination about the sweetness of the beer. The greater the
difference between the two numbers will mean a sweeter beer.
Export: When the term is properly used, the beer is qualified to enter into almost any
country. Germany has the most strict laws about beer based on a 400 year-old law defining
beer. By the German law and to meet the Export quality label, beer can only be called beer if
it ONLY has the following ingredients: water, barley, hops, yeast. This is important to many
beer purists. Export beers are typically neutral tasting beers and generally good beers, but
not terribly interesting.
Ales and Lagers: the difference between ales and lagers is the type of yeast used. Lager
yeast is top fermenting while ale yeast is bottom fermenting. Beer should always be drunk at
the temperature of fermentation which means that ales should be drunk slightly warmer
(50-55F) and lagers are properly drunk at about 40-45F. This explains the old German law
that prohibits the brewing of beer during the summer. Examples of ale style beers include
porter and stout. Currently, mainly only the English still produce ales (they seem to be the
only people who still like ales). Lagers are a step forward in beer making and some styles
include Pilsener and Trappist, etc. Pilsener was originally made in Pils, in the Czech
Republic. This style of brewing uses light barley malt, and a very specific yeast that gives the
beer a clarity and a very crisp taste.
Kilikia Brewery
The name is derived from Cilicia, the area of greater Armenia that stretched across Anatolia
to the Mediteranean. Kilikia is the oldest beer brand in Armenia and is made in Yerevan.
Kilikia: It is a Bavarian style light lager. This is Franks favorite Armenian beer but
it is hit and miss. It seems that Kilikia is not pasteurized. This a good thing if the
beer is stored properly, but very bad if not. Kilikia is inconsistent, but at its best, it
is the best Armenian beer. Good Kilikia is really good and bad Kilikia is really bad.
The Kilikia in the plastic bottles is the same and sometimes it may be better
because sometimes the glass bottles arent properly washed.
Kilikia Jubilee: There is no noticeable difference between Jubilee and standard
Kilikia.
Kilikia Dark: This beer almost defies classification, it is not a porter, not a bock, a
dark lager perhaps. Its a little sweet, not bad, and has the same consistency
problems as regular Kilikia.
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Hayer: Easily the best beer to come out of the Kilikia brewery. Equivalent to
Baltica 3. Availability varies wildly. Sometimes it can be found in the regions, but
not in Yerevan, and vice versa.
Abovian Brewery
There are regional breweries in Vanadzor, Gyumri, and Shirak. They have to tasted to be
believed. Avoid Gyumri beer outside Gyumri. It is not pasturized and does not travel well.
Baltica Breweries
Baltica is a Russian brewery. Starred* beers should be readily available, even the regions.
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(Don): Also made by Baltica, it comes in a variety of types just like Baltica but without
the numbering scheme. Green is a light beer, Blue is the Standard/Normal, and Yellow is
honey; all are not bad. The real perk is that Don comes in 1 liter plastic screw-tops bottles
which makes them great for parties. The Blue is actually a nice beer, similar to Baltica 3
(Kvas): This is not a brand but a style. Kvas is a lesser-beer made from rye bread,
out-f*****-standing, has a sweet taste, very low alcohol (slightly more alcohol than kombucha
or kefir), and comes across almost root beery. There is nothing like it in the world, almost like
soda, and it has just enough alcohol to clean the water. Kvas is generally only available in
low-end stores and at the big barrel near Rossia.
Arsenalnoya: These are all malt liquors and pretty lousy at that. If you try one, youll never
have a second.
(Okhota): If Frank had a lawn in Armenia and it needed mowing, hed drink an Oxota
while mowing it. Franks Strohs Light. This is light-flavored, light-bodied, and a great warm
weather beer; sometimes available.
There are a variety of other Russian labels but most arent widely sold or distributed. By the
time you buy an off-brand, it has probably been on the store shelf for years and it probably
turned a year previous. However, if you can find any in Yerevan, try some, as some are very
good.
Wine
Wine selection in Armenia is very basic. There are good red wines made from the Areni
grape and thats your choice. Forget about a fruity, slightly chilled Chardonnay or a crisp, dry
Sauvignon Blanc. They dont exist. What does exist is some very good and unique tasting
red wines that are made mostly in the Vayots Dzor region or from grapes cultivated primarily
in this region. As in every other wine making region of the world, good wines depend on
good grapes (and of course, knowledge and wine making tradition) and good grapes depend
on climate. Contrary to popular belief, good wine grapes are primarily the result of favorable
ambient temperatures and only slightly by soil or cultivation techniques. The Vayots Dzor
region seems to have the correct temperatures to mature Areni grapes properly.
There are other red wines made from grapes from the Ararat valley and elsewhere but
generally the climates are too hot and the wines made from grapes from these regions lack
the distinctive flavor, color and strength of wines made in Vayots Dzor. There are also
amber wines available but these are really sherry and not white wines as we know them.
You will not likely be pleased with the flavor of these white wines. Instead, during your
Peace Corps service in Armenia, learn to develop a taste for Armenian red wines. Few of
you will be disappointed if you choose carefully.
Armenia has a great wine making tradition that is as old as the country. Over the millennia,
Armenians have learned that the Areni grape is the best grape for wine making considering
the climate (cold, snowy winters and hot, dry summers) of Armenia. Most other red and
white wine grapes we use in the west will not survive the Armenian winter. So, this is your
first clue, look for wines made with the Areni grape. There are no standards for labeling in
Armenia and many vintners use the word Areni in their labeling but it doesnt mean made
from the grape. In addition, the wine makers frequently change their label from year to year
to improve their marketing thus the process can be confusing. So, to make things straight-
forward, look for the following wines:
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Vayots Dzor
The name Vayots Dzor is prominently displayed on the label, and it usually has a picture of
the area that includes the church in Areni. The label also frequently says R & M or Rafael
and Michael the vintner/owners. It is made in the village of Areni (a further point of
confusion) the heart of the Areni grape growing region
The taste is dry and rich similar to a pinot. Very popular among PCV wine drinkers. Its past
wines are difficult to find: the 1994 is only sold at the winery, the 1995 exists in small
quantities at some restaurants, the 1996 is gone and the 1997 exists in diminishing
quantities around Yerevan. The 1998 should be quite good so give this a try. It should be
available by March 1999. If you visit the winery in Areni, say hello to Rafik from Wayne
Getap
This winery is located in the village of Getap near Yeghegnadzor. It is the old state winery
which used to make millions of liters of wine each year for export throughout the former
Soviet Union. It has not made any wine in the past five years. So, look for these wines to
carry dates of 1990, 1991 and 1993 (the 1992 is quite rare and not likely to be found in most
stores). Each of these years are quite good but drink the wine soon because they are getting
somewhat old and they will go flat within 3 hours of opening.
Somewhere on the label you will notice made in Getap or words to that effect. Often the
label will be printed in French, as several thousand cases of this wine are exported to
France each year.
Noravank
Noravank wines are actually made in Yerevan but from Areni grapes from near
Yeghegnadzor.
The wine master (I dont remember his name) is the director of the Wine Institute a
government sponsored agency designed to promote Armenian wines. The Wine Institute is
located across the street from the Kilikia bus station and is a must see item if you have any
interest in wines. The institute has wine caves with wines from 10 to 100 years old. Its quite
unique.
These are the three best wines (Vayots Dzor, Getap and Noravank) made in Armenia that
are readily available in stores. There are many more prevalent sweet wines, so if you dont
want sweet, ask the shopkeeper for the dry wines. There are additional wines mostly made
in Yerevan but their quality is too unpredictable. There are also many microwineries that
are making their appearance. Their wine is also unpredictable but they do have the
advantage that if you find them (usually at the large Yerevan shukas or at roadsides) you
can taste test before you buy. Many of these wines are very young and some are quite
sweet but some are also very good. Save your 2 liter Coke bottles and take some wine
home. There is also an occasional bottle of foreign wine - mostly German or Italian.
However, I have found that these wines are generally past their prime and not worth their
price.
In short...try the good Armenian red wines mentioned above. These wines will taste like a
cross between traditional clarets (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot etc) and burgundy wines
(Pinot Noir, Petite Sirah etc). Try to buy wines that are at least 2 years old. Try to make sure
the wines are made with Areni grapes. Dont buy white wines, domestic or foreign. Try a
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sweet red wine but not one with more than 3% residual sugar or it will be too sweet and
taste like Mogen David. Ask your Armenian friends if they have a wine connection. Often
they will have a relative or friend that lives in the country and makes their own. Taste some
and buy it in bulk if you like it.
Arevik: very sweet wine, almost like a cordial. Probably best with dessert or for
use as a cooking wine.
Ampel: moderately priced dry red wine.
Aygeshat: very sweet amber wine made in Artashat. About 10% sugar.
Ashtarak: sweet amber made in Ashtarak. Good for dessert or cooking and
inexpensive.
Byurakan: semi-sweet, dark amber wine.
Erevanian: similar to Aygeshat, quite sweet.
Garni: dry, not sweet, a little vinegary, but has been popular with past PCVs.
Getashen: sweetest wine found. About 18% sugar.
Lori: dry almost white wine made in Lori. Inexpensive.
Vedi Arnie: red dry wine. Good with cheese and meat dishes.
Voskevaz: dry amber wine. Highly recommended by Jenny Tolley
All wine information compiled from information submitted by Wayne Purves, A5; Angus
Anderson, A6; with a few added wine reviews from Jenny Tolley, A3. Slight revision by
Meaghan Corwin, A16
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