Macedonian Cuisine - Main Meals

BEEF RIB ROAST

Ingredients needed: - One 3-rib beef rib roast (small end),
about 3.5 kg., with chine bone removed
- 3 tbsp. whole tricolor peppercorns (red, green, and black)
- 1 tsp. salt

How to prepare:

1. In medium roasting pan (about 35cm by 25cm), place beef rib roast, fat-side up. In mortar with pestle, crush peppercorns with salt. Rub peppercorn mixture over roast. Insert meat thermometer into center of roast, being careful that pointed end of thermometer does not touch bone.

2. Roast beef in 160°C. oven until meat thermometer reaches 60°C. (about 40 minutes per kilo). Internal temperature of meat will rise to 62°C. (medium-rare) upon standing. Or, roast to desired doneness.

3. When beef is done, place on warm large platter and let stand 15 minutes for easier carving.

BRAIDED EGG BREAD

Ingredients needed:
- 5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 package active dry yeast
- 1-1/4 cups water
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 3 tablespoons margarine
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 beaten egg yolk (optional)
- 2 teaspoons poppy seed (optional)

How to prepare:

1. In a large mixing bowl stir together 2 cups of the flour and the yeast; set aside. In a medium saucepan heat and stir water, sugar, margarine, and salt just till warm (50°C) and margarine almost melts.

2. Add water mixture to dry mixture along with the eggs. Beat with an electric mixer on low to medium speed for 30 seconds, scraping the sides of the bowl constantly. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.

3. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (6 to 8 minutes total). Shape the dough into a ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface of the dough. Cover and let rise in a warm place till double in size (about 1 hour).

4. Punch dough down; divide in thirds. Cover; let rest 10 minutes. Roll each third into an 45-cm rope. Place ropes on a large baking sheet 2.5 cm apart and braid. Cover; let rise 30 minutes or till nearly double. Brush braid with egg yolk and sprinkle with poppy seed, if desired.

5. Bake in a 200°C oven for 25 to 30 minutes or till bread sounds hollow when you tap the top (if necessary, cover loosely with foil the last 10 minutes of baking).

6. Remove bread from pan. Cool on wire rack. Makes 1 braid (32 servings).

BREAD

Ingredients needed:
- 1 package (1tablespoon) 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

How to prepare:

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 200°C.

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

CARAWAY PORK WITH CABBAGE

Ingredients needed:
- 4 teaspoons caraway seed, crushed
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1.5kg. boneless double loin center cut pork roast
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 4 large carrots, peeled and sliced
- 2 bay leaves
- 1kg cabbage, shredded
- 0.33l beer
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 1 cup beef broth

How to prepare:

1. Combine half of the caraway, the garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl. Place pork in a glass baking dish. Rib pork with spice mixture. Cover and chill up to 24 hours.

2. Preheat oven to 180°C. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium high heat. Add onion, carrots, bay leaves, and half of the remaining caraway; saute until soft (8 minutes).

3. Transfer to a roasting pan. in the same skillet, heat 1/2 tablespoon olive oil over high heat. Add half of the cabbage and half of the remaining caraway. Saute until the cabbage wilts. Add to onion mixture. Repeat with remaining cabbage. Season entire cabbage onion mixture with salt and pepper.

4. In the same skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over high heat. Add pork; brown on all sides (10 minutes). Set atop the vegetables in pan. Add beer and molasses to skillet; bring to a boil, scraping browned bits. Pour over vegetables. Add broth.

5. Roast pork and vegetables for 45 minutes. Turn pork over and roast until thermometer inserted into thick part registers 65°C (45 more minutes). Place pork on cutting board. Discard bay leaves. Using slotted spoon, place vegetables on platter.

6. Slice pork; place atop vegetables. Transfer cooking juices to a small saucepan. Boil 5 minutes. Spoon over pork.

CHEESY CHICKEN WINGS

Ingredients needed:
- 16 chicken wings
- 2 Tbsp. margarine
- 3/4 cup crumbled crackers
or fine bread crumbs
- 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp. dried basil leaves
- 1/2 tsp. garlic
- salt Fresh basil or parsley,
for garnish

How to prepare:

1. Wash chicken wings and pat dry.

2. In a bowl combine the crumbled crackers or bread crumbs,
herbs and Parmesan cheese.

3. Add seasonings and mix well to blend.

4. Melt butter.

5. Dip chicken wings, first in melted margarine and into the
crumb coating.

6. Arrange chicken wings in lightly oiled ovenproof baking dish.

7. Bake chicken Wings at 200°C for about 30 minutes or until
lightly brown and done. Chicken wings should be tender.

Serve with steamed broccoli or string beans, fried rice and a
tomato salad.

CHICKEN IN WINE SAUCE

Ingredients needed:
- Chicken (1 kg)
- 100 grams butter
- 3 small or 2 big onions
- 150 grams bacon
- 1 dl cognac/vinjak
- 2 dl red wine
- 2 dl chicken bouillon (made of 2 dl water and two squares of bouillon tablets)
- parsley, thyme, laurier, garlic
- 250 grams mushrooms
- salt, pepper
- 25 grams flower

How to prepare:

Make 50 grams butter warm in a pan and fry the chicken (in pieces) from all sides brown (10 minutes). Cut the onions small and cut the bacon in small squares. Take the chicken out of the pan and fry in the juices the bacon and the onion. Put the chicken meat back in the pan and add the cognac.

Add the wine, plus the parsley, thyme and laurier, the (washed and cut) mushrooms and the small cut garlic. Add salt and pepper as preferred. Make it boiling and put the lid on the pan. Leave it slowly boiling for 45 minutes till the meat is ready.

Mix the flower and the rest of the butter with a fork and add slowly to the sauce. Put the chicken on a plate and add the sauce over and around it.

CHICKEN PAPRIKASH

Ingredients needed:
- 1 cup green bell pepper strips
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup low-salt chicken broth
- 1 tbsp. hot paprika
- 3 tbsp. tomato paste
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 4 cups hot cooked egg noodles
- Coarsely ground pepper

How to prepare:

1. Combine first 3 ingredients in an 20-cm square baking dish. Microwave at HIGH 3 minutes or until tender; stir in broth and next 4 ingredients (broth through 1/4 teaspoon pepper).

2. Add chicken breasts, nestling them into vegetable mixture. Cover with heavy-duty plastic wrap, and vent. Microwave at HIGH 8 to 9 minutes, turning over chicken pieces after 4 minutes.

3. Remove chicken from dish; set aside, and keep warm.

4. Stir sour cream into vegetable mixture. Microwave at HIGH 30 seconds.

CHICKEN STEW

Ingredients needed:
- 4 medium sized chicken breasts or thigh, skinned
- 3 medium parsnips, chopped small
- 3 medium carrots, chopped small 
- 1 medium onion, diced 
- 1 tbsp. olive oil (or other vegetable oil)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp. Paprika
- 1 tbsp. all-purpose flour 
- 1 cup of hot water 
- ½ tsp. of your favorite dried herbs
(thyme, basil etc or a combination) 
- Pepper and salt to taste

How to prepare:

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil. While the oil heats, combine flour, paprika and pepper (if desired) in a bowl. Dredge chicken until complete covered in flour. Add to hot oil.
2. Cook chicken until well browned. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add vegetables, cook until almost tender.
3. Remove chicken and place on plate. You will be adding it back to the mixture later.
4. Push vegetables to outer edge of pan. In center of pan add 1 tbsp. of flour to oil (add additional oil if there is not enough, you are making a roux). Cook flour and oil stirring constantly until it darkens somewhat (it will start to become a lot smoother). Add 1 cup of hot water, stirring constantly. Stir vegetables back into sauce. Add herbs and stir until well mixed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Add chicken to mixture. Simmer covered until vegetables are tender and stew has reached desired thickness (if stew is too thick, add a small amount of water and stir well)
6. When chicken is completely cooked serve immediately, the stew will thicken substantially as it cools.
7. Serve with mashed potatoes, rice or by itself with a nice slice of fresh bread.

CHICKEN WITH MUSHROOMS

Ingredients needed:
- 4 medium chicken breast halves, with skin
- all purpose flour
- 2 tbs. vegetable oil
- 600 g. mushrooms, sliced
- 4 large shallots, chopped
- 1 1/2 tbs. chopped thyme
- 1 1/2 tbs. chopped tarragon
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup dry white wine

How to prepare:

1. Sprinkle chicken with some salt and pepper; dust with enough flour to coat thinly.

2. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; saute until brown, about 4 minutes per side.

3. Transfer to plate. Add mushrooms, shallots, thyme, and tarragon to skillet.

4. Saute until mushrooms are cooked through and juices are reduced to glaze, about 12 minutes.

5. Add broth and wine to skillet. Boil until reduced by half, about 8 minutes.

6. Return chicken to skillet. Simmer until chicken is cooked through and liquid thickens to sauce consistency, about 6 minutes.

7. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer chicken and sauce to plates.

FILLED PEPPERS

Ingredients needed:
- 3 red bell peppers
- 2 green or yellow bell peppers
- 1 cup ground veal/chicken
- 3 green onions, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 170g. cream cheese
- 1 egg
- 3 Tbsp. half-and-half (cream)
- 1 tsp. cumin
- Dash salt and Pepper
- Water

How to prepare:

1. Slice the tops off the peppers. Pull out the seeds and the cores. Dice 1 red pepper. Set aside. Save the tops.

2. Combine the diced red pepper and ground veal or chicken in a mixing bowl. Add the green onions and garlic. Stir in soft cream cheese and blend with a wooden spoon.

3. Stir in the egg and half-and-half, then add the grated cheese. Season with cumin and salt and pepper.

4. Preheat oven to 180°C.

5. Place the pepper shells in a baking dish that will hold them snugly together. Spoon the filling into the peppers. Replace the tops. Pour 3 tablespoons of water around the peppers.

6. Bake at 180°C until the filling is puffed and the peppers are soft, about 40 minutes. Serve immediately.