Native Name: Gedempte Fleysh (Yiddish: braised meat) Dietary Tags: Meat, Kosher (Meat) Cultural Background: Brisket, slow-braised until fork-tender with onions and carrots, is the centrepiece of countless Ashkenazi holiday tables, especially for Rosh Hashanah, where the sweetness of the carrots and onions symbolises hopes for a sweet new year. Its long, slow cooking made it […]
Introduction: The Frita Cubana is Cuba's answer to the hamburger — a spiced, paprika-seasoned beef and pork patty served on a soft roll and topped with a tangle of thin shoestring fried potatoes tucked right into the bun. Cultural Background: The Frita Cubana is Cuba's answer to the hamburger — a spiced, paprika-seasoned beef and […]
Introduction: Picadillo is a savoury-sweet ground beef hash simmered with tomato sofrito, olives and raisins, a combination that reflects Cuba's layered Spanish, Canary Islander and Caribbean influences. Cultural Background: Picadillo is a savoury-sweet ground beef hash simmered with tomato sofrito, olives and raisins, a combination that reflects Cuba's layered Spanish, Canary Islander and Caribbean influences. […]
Introduction: Ajiaco Criollo is considered Cuba's national soup, a hearty stew of multiple meats and an array of native root vegetables that historians point to as a living symbol of Cuban cultural mixing, combining Taino root crops, Spanish meats and African cooking techniques into a single pot. Cultural Background: Ajiaco Criollo is considered Cuba's national […]
Introduction: Ropa Vieja, meaning 'old clothes' in reference to the shredded, ragged appearance of the beef, is widely regarded as Cuba's unofficial national dish. Cultural Background: Ropa Vieja, meaning 'old clothes' in reference to the shredded, ragged appearance of the beef, is widely regarded as Cuba's unofficial national dish. Flank or skirt steak is simmered […]
Introduction: Bistec de Palomilla is a thin cut of beef, pounded and quickly pan-fried with garlic, bitter orange juice and onions, and is one of the most ordered midday plates in Cuban paladares and home kitchens alike. Cultural Background: Bistec de Palomilla is a thin cut of beef, pounded and quickly pan-fried with garlic, bitter […]
Native Name: Sikbaj Cultural Background: Sikbaj is one of the most historically documented dishes to survive from the Sassanid Persian court, a slow-braised sweet-and-sour meat stew built on vinegar, honey and dried fruit that was later carried into Abbasid Baghdad's cuisine and, from there, influenced dishes as far away as medieval Spain. This version reconstructs […]
Introduction: Burek is a spiralled meat-filled filo pastry sold fresh from bakeries across Croatia, often eaten on the go, especially in the morning or late at night. Cultural Background: Burek is a spiralled meat-filled filo pastry sold fresh from bakeries across Croatia, often eaten on the go, especially in the morning or late at night. […]
Introduction: Meaning literally "dirty macaroni," this Dubrovnik speciality is a slow-cooked beef ragù tossed through hand-rolled macaroni. Cultural Background: Meaning literally "dirty macaroni," this Dubrovnik speciality is a slow-cooked beef ragù tossed through hand-rolled macaroni. Its name comes from the dark, rich sauce that stains the pasta, a dish with roots in the aristocratic kitchens […]
Native Name: Ash-e Anar Cultural Background: Sour pomegranate juice and reduced pomegranate paste appear repeatedly in the oldest surviving Persian-tradition recipe writing as a souring agent for soups and stews, prized alongside vinegar and verjuice. A soup built around tart pomegranate, herbs, and small meatballs or rice would have made good use of the fruit's […]