This Thanksgiving, reader appreciation is the one thing I am thankful for. The letters and feedback I have received have all been great.
First, a stuffing recipe addition – a reader and a Peace Corps worker wrote me and told me about celery root. I’m thankful, as I was clueless about this vegetable in Bulgaria. Celery root is leafy with stems and can be used as a vegetable for stuffing. The stuffing recipe was modified not to include celery root, but you may add a bunch of the vegetable if you so desire. Celery is kerviz or tselina in Bulgarian.
On to this week’s recipes. Squash is the orange vegetable that has a funny shape, similar to a gourd. This is a really easy food to make, and something any Thanksgiving guest will appreciate.
Mashed potatoes are a food that Bulgarians eat, but it is not a popular potato dish from my extensive na gosti experiences. This is something that I am actually thankful for, as I don’t fancy the dish. Mashed potatoes may involve a little rocket science, so be prepared for some experimenting. A package of ranch dressing or dill dressing will make your average mashed potatoes more exciting.
Pumpkin pie is a dessert that is either loved or hated, depending on how you feel about pumpkins. This theory holds true for Bulgarians, too. The process involves a lot more time in Bulgaria, since there is no canned pumpkin. This is something I am not thankful for.
Cooking pumpkin is similar to squash, but the wombats in my stove went on strike and cooking the pumpkin took three hours. Hopefully, this will not happen to you. One suggestion is to mix the pumpkin with a hand held mixer after it is cooked. This is easier than mashing it.
Enjoy your Thanksgiving dinner with friends, because you have lots of reasons to be thankful in such a great country.
Squash (or Pumpkin)
1 squash
25g butter
Directions: Wash outside of squash, then cut in half. Clean out the middle and the seeds, and then place face down in a pan. Fill the pan to about a 1-2cm level of water. Cook at 175°C for about one hour, or until squash is very soft. More water may need to be added to pan. Remove from pan and scoop out insides of squash bez skin into a bowl, mash with a fork, and add butter.
Mashed Potatoes
2kg of potatoes
1 450ml container yogurt, or 450ml milk
125-150g butter, in medium blocks
1 packet ranch or dill dressing (optional)
Salt and pepper
Directions: Peel potatoes and put into pan. Fill pan about 3/4 full with water, then place on stove and heat until water boils. Let boil for 15 minutes, or until you can put a fork into the potatoes. Drain water, then add butter, milk, and ranch dressing. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mash and stir until well-blended and there are no lumps.
Pumpkin Pie
375g cooked pumpkin
1 can condensed milk (about 300-350ml)
225g sugar
2 eggs, well beaten
1 small spoonful cinnamon
1 pie crust (half the recipe from last week)
1 very small spoonful each of ginger, nutmeg, and cloves
Directions: Mix all ingredients, bez pie crust, together. Grease pie pan and make crust. Pour mixture into piecrust. Do not put crust on top of pumpkin pie, as it is not needed. Bake at 225°C for 45-55 minutes, or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Regular milk can be used as a replacement, but condensed milk is far superior.
Joseph Herr is a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer currently working in Balchik. His column appears weekly and he can be contacted at jdherr75@sabreshockey.com.
First, a stuffing recipe addition – a reader and a Peace Corps worker wrote me and told me about celery root. I’m thankful, as I was clueless about this vegetable in Bulgaria. Celery root is leafy with stems and can be used as a vegetable for stuffing. The stuffing recipe was modified not to include celery root, but you may add a bunch of the vegetable if you so desire. Celery is kerviz or tselina in Bulgarian.
On to this week’s recipes. Squash is the orange vegetable that has a funny shape, similar to a gourd. This is a really easy food to make, and something any Thanksgiving guest will appreciate.
Mashed potatoes are a food that Bulgarians eat, but it is not a popular potato dish from my extensive na gosti experiences. This is something that I am actually thankful for, as I don’t fancy the dish. Mashed potatoes may involve a little rocket science, so be prepared for some experimenting. A package of ranch dressing or dill dressing will make your average mashed potatoes more exciting.
Pumpkin pie is a dessert that is either loved or hated, depending on how you feel about pumpkins. This theory holds true for Bulgarians, too. The process involves a lot more time in Bulgaria, since there is no canned pumpkin. This is something I am not thankful for.
Cooking pumpkin is similar to squash, but the wombats in my stove went on strike and cooking the pumpkin took three hours. Hopefully, this will not happen to you. One suggestion is to mix the pumpkin with a hand held mixer after it is cooked. This is easier than mashing it.
Enjoy your Thanksgiving dinner with friends, because you have lots of reasons to be thankful in such a great country.
Squash (or Pumpkin)
1 squash
25g butter
Directions: Wash outside of squash, then cut in half. Clean out the middle and the seeds, and then place face down in a pan. Fill the pan to about a 1-2cm level of water. Cook at 175°C for about one hour, or until squash is very soft. More water may need to be added to pan. Remove from pan and scoop out insides of squash bez skin into a bowl, mash with a fork, and add butter.
Mashed Potatoes
2kg of potatoes
1 450ml container yogurt, or 450ml milk
125-150g butter, in medium blocks
1 packet ranch or dill dressing (optional)
Salt and pepper
Directions: Peel potatoes and put into pan. Fill pan about 3/4 full with water, then place on stove and heat until water boils. Let boil for 15 minutes, or until you can put a fork into the potatoes. Drain water, then add butter, milk, and ranch dressing. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mash and stir until well-blended and there are no lumps.
Pumpkin Pie
375g cooked pumpkin
1 can condensed milk (about 300-350ml)
225g sugar
2 eggs, well beaten
1 small spoonful cinnamon
1 pie crust (half the recipe from last week)
1 very small spoonful each of ginger, nutmeg, and cloves
Directions: Mix all ingredients, bez pie crust, together. Grease pie pan and make crust. Pour mixture into piecrust. Do not put crust on top of pumpkin pie, as it is not needed. Bake at 225°C for 45-55 minutes, or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Regular milk can be used as a replacement, but condensed milk is far superior.
Joseph Herr is a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer currently working in Balchik. His column appears weekly and he can be contacted at jdherr75@sabreshockey.com.
