Transylvanian cookbook
 

My husband, dear sweet man that he is, was passing a table selling
these cookbooks to raise funds for the sister church's steeple
project. He immediately thought of me and bought one.

It appears from the recipes I've looked at to be a derivative of
Hungarian cooking. Lots of interesting things which I have
ingredients right here in the house. The source for many of the
recipes is "Transylvanian Cooking Orastie Style."

Except that this week, I will be home approximately 9 hours a day, 6
of which I insist on sleeping.

maxine in ri

Transylvanian cookbook
 

On Nov 1, 8:58*pm, maxine in ri > wrote:
> My husband, dear sweet man that he is, was passing a table selling
> these cookbooks to raise funds for the sister church's steeple
> project. *He immediately thought of me and bought one.
>
> It appears from the recipes I've looked at to be a derivative of
> Hungarian cooking. *Lots of interesting things which I have
> ingredients right here in the house. *The source for many of the
> recipes is "Transylvanian Cooking Orastie Style."
>
> Except that this week, I will be home approximately 9 hours a day, 6
> of which I insist on sleeping.
>
> maxine in ri

We had a Transylvanian restaurant near us for a while. As an
amuse-bouche they had a very garlicky mushroom paste/dip.
We always theorized the garlic kept the vampires away.

This particular restaurant did a very nice, simple chicken noodle
soup. Nothing particular Transylvanian about it, as far as I can
tell, but it was absolutely delicious.

Cindy Hamilton

Transylvanian cookbook
 

On Mon, 2 Nov 2009 06:17:46 -0800 (PST), Cindy Hamilton
> wrote:

>We had a Transylvanian restaurant near us for a while.

We used to have a Gypsy restaurant. Very nice people, but they gave
up the restaurant to grow their catering business.

--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

forgive me for being naive but what exactly is transylvanian cooking?

Transylvanian cookbook
 

On Nov 2, 12:42*pm, AnnaBanana <AnnaBanana.534fe0a.
> wrote:
> forgive me for being naive but what exactly is transylvanian cooking?
>
> --
> AnnaBanana

As Maxine divined from a brief look at her new cookbook, it's a lot
like
Hungarian cooking.

Now you know everything there is to know about it.

Now that I have that out of my system, I recall that it was like much
other
Eastern European food. Noodles with sour cream, cabbage in various
ways, something like goulash. The place closed a few years ago, and
it's
hard to remember what the food was like. Sorry, that's about the best
I can manage. Maybe when Maxine has had time to really look at the
cookbook, she'll post some recipes here.

I googled "transylvanian cooking", but wasn't terribly satisfied with
the
results.

Cindy Hamilton

Transylvanian cookbook
 

AnnaBanana wrote:
>
> forgive me for being naive but what exactly is transylvanian cooking?
>
> --
> AnnaBanana

Presumably the cooking of the Transylvania region of Romania :) None of
the Romanians I know are from that region, so no idea what the cooking
is like.

Transylvanian cookbook
 

On Mon, 2 Nov 2009 17:42:37 +0000, AnnaBanana
> wrote:

>
>forgive me for being naive but what exactly is transylvanian cooking?

ACtually the term "Transylvanian cooking" is a misnomer. The word
Transylvania means "beyond the forest" and, although it is now part
of Romania, was Hungarian for centuries. Its history is woven into
the history of Wallachia, home of Vlad Dracul (Dracula).

Centuries ago, the then Hungarian Kings made a couple of decisions
about Transylvania. One was to establish a stronger Hungarian
presence there, which they did by settling Szekely people from
southern Hungary to that region. The second was extending and
invitation and incentives to the then King of Saxony (German)
to promote emigration of Saxon miners to Transylvania, which
actually happened. The region they settled in is still known
as SiebenBurgen. So you have 2 culinary traditions, Hungarian
(Szekely) and German. There were also significant populations
of Jews, Armenians and, of course, native Romanians, each
group with its own special take on cooking.

I recommend Paul Kovi's book "Paul Kovi's Transylvanian
Cuisine" as a great resource, as it traces the major
cooking traditions of all these peoples.

HTH,

Alex

BTW: Some believe there's another group not well understood
in Transylvania. These are supposedly Magyar/Turkic tribes
that were part of the great Magyar migration, but who did
not cross into the Carpathian basin with the majority (9th
C. AD), settling instead in the region we now know as
Transylvania. You could consider them sort of proto-Hungarians,
different from later Hungarian cooking (less Muslim influence)
but still "cousins" of the Szekely people, with a fairly
similar language. So even Hungarian cooking in T. is not
monolithic. <G>

Transylvanian cookbook
 

Chemiker wrote:
>
> The word
> Transylvania means "beyond the forest" and, although it is now part
> of Romania, was Hungarian for centuries. Its history is woven into
> the history of Wallachia, home of Vlad Dracul (Dracula).

I thought the "trans-" part meant "in between". The forrest in between
the mostly Christian Europeans and the mostly Muslim Ottomans.

> Centuries ago, the then Hungarian Kings made a couple of decisions
> about Transylvania. One was to establish a stronger Hungarian
> presence there, which they did by settling Szekely people from
> southern Hungary to that region. The second was extending and
> invitation and incentives to the then King of Saxony (German)
> to promote emigration of Saxon miners to Transylvania, which
> actually happened. The region they settled in is still known
> as SiebenBurgen. So you have 2 culinary traditions, Hungarian
> (Szekely) and German. There were also significant populations
> of Jews, Armenians and, of course, native Romanians, each
> group with its own special take on cooking.
>
> I recommend Paul Kovi's book "Paul Kovi's Transylvanian
> Cuisine" as a great resource, as it traces the major
> cooking traditions of all these peoples.

I would have expected Turkish/Greek influenced dishes as well.

Transylvanian cookbook
 

"AnnaBanana" > wrote in message
...
>
> forgive me for being naive but what exactly is transylvanian cooking?
>
>
>
>
> --
> AnnaBanana

Transylvanian stuffed cabbage with Dill

Bacon
Cabbage, soured with dill and savory
Pork, fresh and smoked
Stuffed cabbage leaves, (as above)
Belly of pork
2 to 3 peppercorns
Dill
1 glass white wine
A little sour cream

Grease a large saucepan and spread some slices of bacon on the bottom.
Cover with a layer of sauerkraut, then a layer of mixed cuts of pork and
another layer of cabbage. Now come the stuffed cabbage leaves, then a layer
of sauerkraut, the belly of pork and finally another layer of sauerkraut.
Add the peppercorns, finely chopped dill and wine. Cover with water and
cook for two hours on a moderate heat, and before servings stir in a couple
of spoons of sour cream.



Transylvanian Lamb.

1 1/2 to 2 c. potatoes, cut in bite
size pieces, 2 to 3 med. potatoes
1/2 c. onion, coarsely chopped
2 tbsp. margarine
1 1/2 to 2 c. cooked lamb, cubed
1/2 c. fresh tomato, chopped
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. dill
2 tbsp. flour
1/4 c. milk
1 c. sour cream

Cook potatoes in salted water. In skillet sauté onion in margarine. Add
lamb, tomato and spices. Cook until tomato is tender, about 10 minutes.
With a lotted spoon remove onion, tomato and onion from skillet, leaving
juice. Add flour to juice; thicken. Add milk. Add sour cream. Add lamb,
tomatoes, onions and drained potatoes. Simmer until warm through 5 to 10
minutes. This recipe is a great way to use up leftover roast lamb with
herbs.

TRANSYLVANIAN GOULASH

1 lb. sauerkraut
2 tbsp. oil
1 c. finely chopped onions
1/4 tsp. finely chopped garlic
2 tbsp. sweet Hungarian paprika
3 c. chicken stock or water
2 lbs. boneless shoulder of pork, cut
into 1 inch cubes
1 1/2 tsp. caraway seeds
1/4 c. tomato puree
Salt
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 c. heavy cream
2 tbsp. flour

Cook onions and garlic in oil until lightly colored. Remove from heat and
stir in paprika. Pour in 1/2 cup of stock or water, bring to a boil, then
add the pork cubes. Spread sauerkraut over the meat, sprinkle with caraway
seeds. In a small bowl combine tomato puree, rest of the stock or water and
pour over the sauerkraut. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer
for 1 hour. Add little stock or water if needed. When the pork is tender,
combine sour cream and heavy cream; beat in flour. Stir the mixture into
the casserole. Simmer for 10 minutes longer. Taste for seasoning. Serve
in deep platter, accompanied by a bowl of sour cream.


--
Dimitri

Last minute grilled Cardboard :-)

http://kitchenguide.wordpress.com.

Transylvanian cookbook
 

Dimitri > wrote:

> Transylvanian Lamb.
[snip]
> 2 tbsp. margarine
[snip]

Margarine in a Transylvanian recipe? They'll be coming after you with
pitchforks and torches any time now. Be very afraid!

> TRANSYLVANIAN GOULASH
>
> 1 lb. sauerkraut
> 2 tbsp. oil
> 1 c. finely chopped onions
> 1/4 tsp. finely chopped garlic
> 2 tbsp. sweet Hungarian paprika
> 3 c. chicken stock or water
> 2 lbs. boneless shoulder of pork, cut
> into 1 inch cubes
> 1 1/2 tsp. caraway seeds
> 1/4 c. tomato puree
> Salt
> 1/2 c. sour cream
> 1/2 c. heavy cream
> 2 tbsp. flour

This is not a Transylvanian recipe; it is very obviously misnamed and
people familiar with Hungarian cooking will recognise it at once (even
in spite of the oil which does not belong there). The dish is Székely
gulyás or Székely káposzta and is named not after the ethnically
Hungarian Székely people from Transylvania, but after one József Székely
for whom it was first prepared.

Where'd you get these recipes, anyway?

Victor

Transylvanian cookbook
 

"Victor Sack" > wrote in message
.. .
> Dimitri > wrote:
>
>> Transylvanian Lamb.
> [snip]
>> 2 tbsp. margarine
> [snip]
>
> Margarine in a Transylvanian recipe? They'll be coming after you with
> pitchforks and torches any time now. Be very afraid!

YEP - cut & paste off a big recipe data base I have. You're right as usual

although my parish priest is from Rumania - IIRC the Transylvania district.
He's got a Transylvania U shirt.

LOL


--
Dimitri

Last minute grilled Cardboard :-)

http://kitchenguide.wordpress.com.

Transylvanian cookbook
 

On Thu, 5 Nov 2009 23:57:13 +0100, (Victor Sack)
wrote:

>Dimitri > wrote:

>Margarine in a Transylvanian recipe? They'll be coming after you with
>pitchforks and torches any time now. Be very afraid!
>
>> TRANSYLVANIAN GOULASH
>>
>> 1 lb. sauerkraut
>> 2 tbsp. oil
>> 1 c. finely chopped onions
>> 1/4 tsp. finely chopped garlic
>> 2 tbsp. sweet Hungarian paprika
>> 3 c. chicken stock or water
>> 2 lbs. boneless shoulder of pork, cut
>> into 1 inch cubes
>> 1 1/2 tsp. caraway seeds
>> 1/4 c. tomato puree
>> Salt
>> 1/2 c. sour cream
>> 1/2 c. heavy cream
>> 2 tbsp. flour
>
>This is not a Transylvanian recipe; it is very obviously misnamed and
>people familiar with Hungarian cooking will recognise it at once (even
>in spite of the oil which does not belong there). The dish is Székely
>gulyás or Székely káposzta and is named not after the ethnically
>Hungarian Székely people from Transylvania, but after one József Székely
>for whom it was first prepared.

Amen.

According to Geo. Lang, first served to Sandor Petofi (*) at the
Musical Clock Cafe in Budapest. Szekely was the head of the library
nearby, and one night worked late and tried to get some supper at this
cafe, but the kitchen had just closed. He asked them to throw
something together, and they served him a mix of sauerkraut, pork and
what else was left over, with some sour cream. Petofi supposedly
witnessed this and the next day ordered "szekely gulyas", meaning the
mixture Szekely had been served. They did, he pronounced it good, and
the rest is history. It is a case of 2 lies for the price of one, as
it is neither Szekely in origin, nor is it a gulyas in culinary terms.
For one thing, a paprikas is finished with cream, a gulyas is not.

Alex

(*) That is, first time served under the name "Szekely gulyas". The
first time was served, it was called "leftovers".

Transylvanian cookbook
 

On Nov 5, 4:57*pm, (Victor Sack) wrote:
> Dimitri > wrote:
> > Transylvanian Lamb.
> [snip]
> > 2 tbsp. margarine
>
> [snip]
>
> Margarine in a Transylvanian recipe? *They'll be coming after you with
> pitchforks and torches any time now. *Be very afraid!
>
Anyone who recommends eating margarine should be poked with a
pitchfork or a cattle prod.
>
> Victor

--Bryan

Transylvanian cookbook
 

On Nov 5, 11:53*pm, "Dimitri" > wrote:
> "Victor Sack" > wrote in message
>
> .. .
>
> > Dimitri > wrote:
>
> >> Transylvanian Lamb.
> > [snip]
> >> 2 tbsp. margarine
> > [snip]
>
> > Margarine in a Transylvanian recipe? *They'll be coming after you with
> > pitchforks and torches any time now. *Be very afraid!
>
> YEP - cut & paste off a big recipe data base I have. You're right as usual
>
> although my parish priest is from Rumania - IIRC the Transylvania district.

Transylvanian cookbook
 

Chemiker > wrote:

> It is a case of 2 lies for the price of one, as
> it is neither Szekely in origin, nor is it a gulyas in culinary terms.
> For one thing, a paprikas is finished with cream, a gulyas is not.

The dish is remarkable in the lie department. In Germany, it is very
popular and is invariably called Szegediner Gulasch, even though it has
just as little to do with the city of Szeged as with the Székely people.

Victor