Bulgarian Recipes

Here are some recipes from Bulgaria that you could use at a potluck or missions dinner or youth night or even at home.  We have not tried them all yet but the ones we have, were very good. These were taken off the web and so after each is the location of where we found the recipe. We hope you will enjoy eating Bulgarian!

Refreshing Creamed Zuccini Soup (BulgarianRecipes)

The true Bulgarian zuccini soup the way my mum cooks it, uses rice instead of potatoes, and it isn't pureed at the end. It also needs a special final touch - adding a beaten egg with a tbsp of lemon juice to 'bind the soup together'. 

My version is better, I think, especially if you like creamed (pureed) soups. The soup is delicious served cold with a drizzle of lemon juice, perfect for those hot summers days, but can also be served hot with a spoonful of reduced fat soft cheese instead of cream. Yummy!

For those concerned about calorie intake - the total calorie count is 460, or around 95 calories per serving, slightly more than those packet soups, but it is full of goodness.



Ingredients for 4-5 (1 litre):

2 medium zuccini (400 g), washed, cut in cubes
2 medium potatos (225 g), washed, peeled, cut in cubes
1 large onion (200 g), peeled and chopped
1 tbsp butter or oil
1 tbsp paprika
2 cubes chicken stock
1 litre plus half cup water
4 garlic cloves, minced or chopped
1 tbsp dill (either fresh or dill weed)



How to prepare:

In a 1.5 l lidded pan heat the butter or oil, add the onions and stir to cover with butter, sprinkle the paprika and stir to coat the onions, add the zuccini and potatoes and stir well, add the water and the stock cubes, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. 

Take off the hob (heat), stir in the minced garlic and the dill, cool for 10 minutes. Drain the liquid (and keep!!!), puree the vegetables in a food processor or use the puree attachment of your mixer, combine with the liquid, stir well ... enjoy!

http://www.passionateaboutfood.net/cgi-bin/news/viewnews.cgi?newsid1019581206,49339,

 

Spinach Puree with Feta Cheese (BulgarianRecipes)

Ingredients:
1 kg spinach, 
5 tbsp plain flour, 
100 g butter, 
200 g feta cheese/brined sheep's cheese, 
2 eggs, 
salt, 
1-2 medium onions, finely chopped



 

How to cook:

Wash the spinach, cut into fine strips, cook for about 15 minutes in salty water, drain, leave to cool, then puree. 
In a pan melt the butter, add the flour, then the onions and fry for about 5 minutes. Add 150 ml water (or milk) and the pureed spinach, bring to the boil, stirring frequently. Cook for about 5 minutes, then add the eggs (beaten) and the crumbled cheese. Cook for further 5 minutes and take off the hob.

 

http://www.passionateaboutfood.net/cgi-bin/news/viewnews.cgi?newsid1001591280,7353,

 

Aubergine(Eggplant) Dip - Kyopolou (BulgarianRecipes)

Ingredients:
2-3 aubergines/eggplants, 
4-5 peppers (red and green mixed)
2-3 medium tomatoes. 
4 cloves garlic, 
fresh bunch parsley, 
red wine vinegar, 
sunflower oil 
salt



 

How to prepare
Bake/roast the aubergines, tomatoes and peppers on a hot plate or in the oven (220C), peel their skin and cut into small pieces. Add the crushed garlic. Mix well, add oil and vinegar, salt to taste, stir again. Arrange into a serving dish, top with finely chopped parsley. Serve with toasted bread or bread sticks.

Unbelievably tasty!

 

http://www.passionateaboutfood.net/cgi-bin/news/viewnews.cgi?newsid1001589490,72296,

 

Moussaka (BulgarianRecipes)

Pretty similar to the Greek Moussaka...



 

Ingredients:
1/2 kg of minced meat (ground meat) (best mix pork and beef but beef only will do too)
1 kg of potatoes, peeled and finely chopped in cubes
2 tomatoes, finely chopped
parsley, 1/3 cupful, finely chopped
one onion, finely chopped
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup yogurt
2 tbs flour
salt and pepper to taste
oil for cooking
2 tbsp chubritza (a Bulgarian herb which you could substitute with some Herbes de Provance or Oregano - of course the taste will be different. However, if you live in the US, you can order it here - Chubritza Shop )



 

How to make it:
Fry the onion and the minced meat (ground meat) in a little oil. The more fatty the meat is, the less oil you need. In about 10 minutes take it off the hob and mix well with the potatoes, tomatoes, and parsley. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bake for about 45 minutes at 190C, or until the potatoes are cooked. Stir the eggs, the yogurt and the flour together and pour it over the dish. Bake for 10 more minutes. 
It's delicious with cold yogurt on the side. Enjoy!

 

http://www.passionateaboutfood.net/cgi-bin/news/viewnews.cgi?newsid994361221,50984

 

BEEF Kavarma Kebap - one of the most typical and delicious Bulgarian dishes (BulgarianRecipes)

Ingredients for 3-4:

400-500 g frying beef steak
1 onion 
1 clove of garlic 
1 glass of wine 
3-4 tbsp of fat or oil 
1 tbsp cornflour 
1/2 cup beef stock
paprika, pepper, salt 



 

How to cook:
Cut the meat in strips, season with salt and pepper and leave for half an hour. Then heat the fat in a pan and brown the meat. Take the meat out and put aside, in the same oil fry the finely chopped onion for 2-3 minutes and add to the meat. Season with salt, pepper, paprika and gently stir to mix the meat and onions.

Add the stock, wine and the chopped garlic to the hot oil in the pan, bring to the boil, simmer for few minutes to reduce the sauce, then thicken with cornflour (cornstarch). 

You can serve with mashed or roast potatoes using the sauce as gravy.

 

http://www.passionateaboutfood.net/cgi-bin/news/viewnews.cgi?newsid991142429,13918,

 

Mish-Mash - a type of omelette (BulgarianRecipes)

Ingredients for 3-4

3 medium tomatoes, 
3 red peppers, 
1 onion, 2-3 tbs. of vegetable oil, 
200 gr. of feta cheese, 
3 eggs,
chopped parsley, 
salt and pepper to season 



 

How to cook:
Cut the ingredients into small pieces. Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the onions, then the peppers and the tomatoes and cook for about 3-5 minutes. Add the cheese and eggs and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve. Delicious with toast.

 

http://www.passionateaboutfood.net/cgi-bin/news/viewnews.cgi?newsid991142197,76682

 

Snezhanka/Tarator - a great starter or a side dish (BulgarianRecipes)

Ingredients for 2-3:

500 gr. Greek Style joghurt, 
half a cucumber, 
1 finely chopped garlic clove, 
salt , 1 tbs. of olive oil, 
fresh dill - finely chopped 



 

How to prepare: 


Snezhanka - dip style version. Peel the skin of the cucumber using a potato peeler, chop in small pieces, squeeze between your hands to drain most of the water, season with salt, add the chopped garlic, olive oil and dill, and leave for 10 minutes. Then add the joghurt and chill for at least 1 hour before serving. 


 

Tarator - cold soup version. Prepare in the same way as Snezhanka, but do not squeeze the water. Dilute the joghurt with 1 cup of cold water, stir well and mix with the seasoned cucumber. Perfect for a hot summer's lunch.

 

http://www.passionateaboutfood.net/cgi-bin/news/viewnews.cgi?newsid991141290,43262,

 

Shopska Salad - a Bulgarian favourite (BulgarianRecipes)

Ingredients for 4:

4 spring onions, 
4 medium size tomatoes, half a cucumber, 
1 green pepper, 
1 red pepper, 
optional: olives 
chopped parsley, 
grated feta cheese to sprinkle salad, 
salt, pepper, vinegar and olive oil 



 

How to prepare: Cut all ingredients in slices or cubes. Season with salt, pepper, add the chopped parsley, 1 tbs. of vinegar and 2 tbs. of olive oil and mix well. Sprinkle with feta cheese and enjoy either on its own or as a side dish.

 

http://www.passionateaboutfood.net/cgi-bin/news/viewnews.cgi?newsid991141218,54026,

 

Cheese Stuffed Peppers (BulgarianRecipes)

Ingredients for 2-3

3 small green peppers, 
125 gr. of feta cheese,
frying oil, 
1 tomato (cut 3 disks or squares from the hard part of the tomato) 



 

How to cook: Cut a hole on top of each pepper, taking all seeds out and wash. Cut the cheese into 3 pieces or adjust depending on the number of pepper, fill each pepper with the cheese and close the hole with a tomato square (see above). Then fry each side of the peppers in a pan or you can use a deep-fat fryer. Leave to cool, then peel the skin and serve.

 

http://www.passionateaboutfood.net/cgi-bin/news/viewnews.cgi?newsid991141160,0,

 

Aubergines (eggplant) in a Tomato Sauce - a great starter or a side dish (BulgarianRecipes)

Ingredients for 4:

2 medium aubergines (cut in thin slices), 
frying oil, 50-80 gr. of plain white flour, 
1 can of chopped tomatoes, 
2 garlic cloves (crushed),
chopped parsley. 



 

How to cook: This dish is best prepared at least few hours in advance. After cutting the aubergines into slices season with salt and leave aside for 10 minutes and drain any water. According to the original recipe, dip each slice into the flour and fry in a pan. You can also use a deep-fat fryer. Or you can just grill them for 5-10 minutes each side after brushing them with little oil. Leave to cool.

For the tomato sauce, heat little oil in a pan, add half of the crushed garlic and stir, add the can of tomatoes and simmer until the sauce has thickened, add the rest of the garlic and season with salt and pepper. Take off the hob and add the chopped parsley.

In a dish arrange a layer sauce followed by a layer of aubergines. Cool in a fridge for few hours or just serve.

 

http://www.passionateaboutfood.net/cgi-bin/news/viewnews.cgi?newsid991142072,65498,

 

Shoppe Style Cheese

 

Ingredients: 500 g brined sheep's cheese, 40 g butter, 1-2 tomatoes, 1-2 peppers, black pepper, paprika, 5 eggs.

 

How to cook: Cut the cheese into five equal slices and place into butter-lined earthenware bowls. Top with tomato slices, pepper rings and some butter. Bake in a hot oven some 5-6 minutes. Break an egg on top of each bowl and add the remaining butter melted with pepper and paprika.Bake until a crust is formed. Serve hot, garnished with slices of tomato, parsley and a chili as desired.

 

http://www.travel-bulgaria.com/content/shopska_salad_receipt.shtml