Macedonian Fruit Salad

Ingredients

1 cup strawberries

1 cup cherries

1 cup plums

1 cup red grapes

1 cup blueberries

1 lemon

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon Crème de Cassis

1/2 cup Port

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup shelled pistachios

Mix all ingredients and serve chilled.

Macedonian Salad

Ingredients

2 small eggplants

2 medium tomatoes

2 scallions

1 cucumber

1 green pepper

1 sweet red pepper

Chopped parsley

Yogurt to top 

Marinade

2 cloves crushed garlic

2Tbsp dry red wine

Juice from 1 lemon

½ cup wine vinegar

½ tsp salt

Black pepper

1 tsp basil

½ tsp each oregano & thyme

Additional vinegar to make it liquid enough 

Preparation

Slice peel & lightly salt eggplant. Let stand 10 minutes. Broil until brown on both sides. Don't undercook or overcook. Slices should be just tender enough so fork can slide in. 

Prepare marinade. Chop the still-warm eggplant into bite-sized chunks, cover with marinade & let it absorb as it cools. Chill marinating eggplant for 2 hours.

Just before serving, cut the other vegetables into small chunks & toss with eggplant. Serve on greens, topped with yogurt.

Selsko Meso

Ingredients

1kg. pork meat

4-5 onions chopped

300gr. ground beef (for small meat balls)

Tomatoes or ketchup

700gr. mushrooms

300gr. dry smoked meat into small pieces

Salt, pepper, bukovec (a mixture of paprika & salt)

Some wine

A little cream & cheese  

How to prepare

First make the meatballs and include a piece of ground onion salt, pepper and spices. Then cut the pork into small pieces and fry it in oil, add the ground onion and fry it together. After they become red, add the tomatoes (or the ketchup), the mushrooms, the smoked meat and the small meat balls. Add spices, salt, red pepper, bukovec and pepper into the mixture.

Separately dissolve a spoon full of flour into a glass of water (the one in which the mushrooms were contained) and also add a glass of wine. The whole mixture is baked (roasted) in the oven in a baking dish made of clay.

By the end of the baking you can add cheese and cream according to your own taste.

Leb (Bread)

Ingredients

1 package (1 tablespoon) active dry yeast

3 1/2 cups flour

1 1/4 cups warm water

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon sugar  

Preparation

In a mixing bowl, combine yeast with 1 1/2 cups of flour. Combine water, oil, salt, and sugar and add to yeast mixture. Beat for 1/2 minute with an electric mixer at low speed; then beat for 3 minutes at high speed. Work in remaining flour by hand to form a smooth and elastic dough. Put in a greased bowl in a warm spot, cover, and let rise for 45 minutes. Punch dough down, divide into 12 pieces, and roll each into a ball. Let rest for 10 minutes.

Flatten each ball into a 5-inch circle. Place on a greased baking sheet; cover and let rest for 20 to 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Bake for 9 to 10 minutes, until puffed and lightly browned on bottom. Immediately wrap in foil and cool.

Ajvar

Ingredients

8-12 fresh red paprika (mild or medium-hot, to taste)

4 medium-size eggplants

1/2 to 3/4 cup olive oil

1 large onion, minced

3 large garlic cloves, chopped

1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice (or 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar)

Salt and pepper to taste

Chopped fresh parsley for garnish  

Preparation

Roast the paprika and eggplants over charcoal or a gas flame, or bake them in a preheated 475 F oven, until the skin is blistered and darkened. Place the roasted vegetables in a paper bag and let them steam in their own heat for 10 minutes. Peel off and discard the burnt skin along with the stems and seeds. Mash the peppers and eggplant pulp together to form a slightly chunky mass. You can do this with a fork or in a food processor.

Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet and sauté the onion until very soft. Add garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the pepper-eggplant pulp, mixing well. Slowly drizzle the remaining oil into the mixture, stirring constantly to incorporate all of the oil. Add lemon juice or vinegar, and salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with parsley.

Serve as an appetizer to spread on thick slices of country-style white bread or flat pita bread with chunks of feta cheese, or use as a side dish to accompany grilled or roasted meats.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings, as an appetizer or side dish.