Bulgarian Country Style Salad

You need:

• 5 tomatoes
• 3 roasted peppers
• ½ onion
• 3 boiled eggs
• ½ cup olives
• ½ pound Feta Cheese
• 2 bunches of parsley
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Chop all the ingredients and mix together. You may like them more arranged in layers. When you cut the Feta, form cubes. Sprinkle with salt. Drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil. Sprinkle with black pepper on top. This serves 4.

Bean Salad (Vodenicharska)

You need:

• 2 cups of boiled white beans
• ½  onion, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 3 roasted peppers, finely chopped
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes
• 1/3 cup, finely chopped parsley
• black pepper and salt to taste
• 3-4 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions:

Boil the beans. Marinate them in vinegar for 10-15 minutes before you get the other ingredients ready for the salad. Cut the tomatoes and the roasted peppers into small pieces. Chop the ½ onion and the parsley, or use a food processor. Sprinkle with black pepper and salt. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice. Mix all the ingredients together. This serves 4.

Breaded Roasted Peppers

You need:

• 8 red bell peppers
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 2 eggs
• salt to taste
• 1 cup oil for frying

Instructions:

Roast the peppers. Remove the stems, peel, and wash them. In a bowl, whisk the 2 eggs. Place the bread crumbs into a plate. Dip each one of the roasted peppers into the egg mixture, and then into the bread crumbs. Fry them, making sure each side has a golden color. Sprinkle with salt. You could add some additional salty flavor to it by using grated Parmesan cheese. It will have a more rich flavor. Serve as an appetizer, side dish, or just a vegetable dish. This serves 4.

Zucchini Patties

You need:

• 4 zucchini, trimmed and grated
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups of bread crumbs
• ½ chopped onion
• 1/3 cup of olive oil
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• ½ bunch of fresh dill

Instructions:

Place all the ingredients in a large bowl. Mix them all together well. You will not need to add water (the zucchini are moist enough). Make the patties. In a skillet head oil for frying, cook each one of them in a medium heat each side for about 2-3 minutes. You may serve with a topping of your choice. Zucchini are very delicious with plain yogurt, garlic and fresh cucumber dip. This serves 4.

Potato Circles (Round Fries)

You need:

• 1 pounds of Large Red Potatoes
• 2 cups of vegetable oil
• salt to taste

Instructions:

Peel about a pound of large red potatoes and cut them into circles. In a skillet, heat the vegetable oil and fry the circles for 4-5 minutes each side, or until they become golden brown. You can also deep fry them. Remove and place on a paper towel. Sprinkle with salt. You may grate some feta cheese on top of the potatoes. Serve immediately while they are still hot. This serves 3.

Crispy Potato Wedges with Feta

You need:

• 2 pounds of Red Potatoes
• 2 cups of vegetable oil
• salt to taste
• ½ cup of Feta Cheese

Instructions:

Peel the potatoes. Cut them into wedges. In a skillet, heat the vegetable oil and fry the wedges for 4-5 minutes each side, or until they become golden brown. You can also deep fry them. Remove and place on a paper towel. Sprinkle with salt, not much though, the feta adds a considerable amount of salt. Crumble or grate the feta on top of the potatoes. Serve immediately while they are still hot. This serves 5.

Fried Green Beans

You need:

• 12 oz green beans (or yellow beans)
• 2 cups of oil for frying
• 2 tablespoons of flour
• salt to taste

Instructions:

Wash and trim the green
(or yellow) beans. Dip each green bean into the flour. This will cause the beans to be crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Fry each side for 2-3 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and your favorite seasoning. Serve immediately as a side dish, or an appetizer. This serves 4.

Roast Pepper Salad

You need:

9-10 yellow, red, or green peppers

½ bunch fresh parsley

2-3 garlic cloves

¼ cup of olive oil

1-2 tbsp red wine vinegar

salt to taste

Instructions:

Roast the peppers on all sides over high heat. Place them in a covered pot for 10-15 minutes. Remove peels, stems, and seeds from the peppers and split them lengthwise. Arrange the peppers in a plate and add the minced garlic cloves atop the peppers. Add the dressing made of salt, vinegar and oil. Sprinkle with finely chopped parsley. You can arrange them with a few olives.

Salad Olivier (Russian Salad)

You need:

• 5-6 large boiled potatoes
• 3 carrots
• 5-6 pickled cucumbers
• 4 hard boiled eggs
• ½ onion
• 6 oz sweet peas
• ½ pound ham
• salt to taste
• 6 oz mayonnaise

Instructions:

Boil the potatoes, peas, carrots and eggs. Dice the potatoes, carrots, and eggs into cubes. Add the chopped onion, pickles and ham. Mix with mayonnaise and the salt. This serves 4.

Appetizer “Melnik”

You need:

• 2 bell peppers
• 8 oz mushrooms
• 1 medium onion
• 4-5 garlic gloves
• 4-5 small zucchini
• 1 cup of vegetable oil
• 1-2 oz of feta cheese
• 5-6 olives
• ½ bunch of parsley
• salt to taste
• vinegar
• grape seed oil
• 1 cucumber
• 2 tomatoes

Instructions:

Peel and cut up the zucchini into circles. Deep fry them, or fry them in a skillet using the vegetable oil. When they turn golden brown, remove and drain them. In the same oil, fry the mushrooms, peppers, and the onion. Add the garlic to it at the very end. Arrange in a large plate and add fresh tomatoes, a cucumber, and the finely chopped parsley. Top it with feta cheese and olives. Pour the vinegar and the grape seed oil over the top.This serves 4.

Pepper Appetizer Liutenica

You need:

• 6-7 red bell peppers
• 1-2 tomatoes
• 1 large onion
• 5-6 garlic cloves
• 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, or red wine vinegar
• ½ bunch of fresh parsley

Instructions:

Roast the peppers, or bake them. Place them in a covered pot for a few minutes to peel easier. Peel off the skin along with the stems and seeds. Mash the peppers forming a chunky mass. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet and sauté the onion until golden brown. Add garlic and the tomato(es), and cook for 2 more minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the mix. Add lemon juice or vinegar, and salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with fresh parsley.

Serve as an appetizer to spread on pieces of fresh bread with chunks of feta cheese. You can use it as a side dish to grilled or roasted meats. This serves 6 to 8.

FRIED EGGPLANT

You need:

• 
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• 1 large eggplant
• 1 cup flour
• salt to taste
• 2 cups vegetable oil

Instructions:

Peel the eggplant. Cut in 1/2 inch slices. Dip each one of the pieces into the flour. It will make it more crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Fry each side for 2- 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt. Serve immediately with your favorite dip. Mine is the dip “Snejanka.”

 Snejanka dip:

Chop up 1/3 of a fresh European cucumber. Add a few tablespoons of plain yogurt, fresh dill, garlic, and salt. Mix well. There you go!

Fried Gyuvech

Traditionally, Bulgarian Gyuvech is oven-baked. My version is fried. I hope you enjoy it.

You need:

• 6-7 potatoes
• 1 onion
• 8 oz. of Crimini Mushrooms
• 4 oz. dried Wild Mushrooms
• 15-20 tender green beans
• 10 Okra Pods
• 3 red bell peppers
• 3 Garlic cloves
• ½ bunch of parsley
• ½ cup of vegetable oil
• A pinch of “Sharena Sol”

Instructions:

Pour the vegetable oil into a skillet and bring it to high heat. Peel and cut the potatoes in circles and place them into the skillet. Fry them for a couple of minutes. Add the rest of the vegetables. Bring to medium heat. Fry those for 5 minutes. Add Garlic and a generous amount of Parsley. Add regular table salt and stir. Cook them for 3-4 additional minutes. Dump out the excess oil before arranging the vegetables into a dish. Sprinkle with “Sharena Sol.”

Potato salad

You need:

• 2 pounds of potatoes
• ¼ cup a butter
• fresh parsley
• 1 medium onion
• salt
• sharena sol

Instructions:

Boil the potatoes in a large pot for 25-30 minutes. Peel them and place them in a bowl.

You may want to cut them into pieces, or leave them whole. Chop the onion and mix it with the potatoes and some salt to state. Warm the butter and pour it over the potatoes and the onion. Add the fresh parsley the very end. Sprinkle with paprika and/or Bulgarian sharena sol.*

*See it  in Secret Ingredient Category

Mish Mash with Eggs

You need:

• 6-7 large eggs
• ½ an onion
• 4-5 peppers
• 2 medium tomatoes
• ½ lb feta cheese
• fresh parsley
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp. paprika
• 3 tbsp. of oil

Instructions:

Grill the peppers. Cover them in a pot for a few minutes to peel them more easily. Chop the onion and fry it in a skillet with the oil. Add the chopped grilled peppers and the tomatoes. Fry them until the liquid vaporizes. Mash the feta cheese and add it to the mix with the chopped parsley. Cook it for 4-5 minutes. Whisk the eggs and add them too. Cook for a couple of minutes.

Arrange and sprinkle with paprika.

Yogurt Salad (Snejanka)

You need:

2 fresh European cucumbers or 6-9 pickles

4 lb Plain Yogurt

½ Bunch fresh dill

4-5 garlic cloves

¼ cup sunflower oil
1/3 cup walnuts

salt to taste

Instructions:

Place the Plain Yogurt into a cheesecloth over a pot and strain for 2-3 hours. Peel the fresh cucumbers (not the pickles) and dice them. Place them in a deep bowl. Add the finely chopped dill, the garlic (crushed with salt or pressed) Add grated walnuts and the sunflower oil. Add the plain yogurt and the salt and stir. Mix with dill.

Peppers Stuffed with Cheese:

You need:

• 14-15 Hungarian peppers
• 1 pound of feta cheese
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of finely chopped parsley
• 5-6 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of pepper

Preparation:

Cut the top of the peppers off, and scoop out seeds. In a bowl, mash the feta with a fork until very fine. Add the eggs. Mix it with the oil, parsley, salt, and pepper until very well combined. Using a small spoon, stuff the cheese mixture into the peppers through the top. Lay the peppers in a lightly greased pan and fry for 20 minutes or until they soften on both sides.