Zacuska 2015


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This has been a prosperous jam year: mullbery jam, elderberry jam and pear jam are stocked up in the summer kitchen.

In addition abundant corn relish and tomato sauce batches have been prepared.

It’s now time for the zacuska … and I am approaching it differently this year … for a couple of reasons. First is that I had a sad zacuska making experience last year. I lost three batches of zacuska (one with mushrooms and two with beans) that spoiled (there is a theory why, but that is another story. Second, there are alternatives Last year I collected a few options which provided a richer palette then zacuska spread. This includes things like humus, lentil paste and and a bean-paste which is like zacuska … but is made in fresh batches using freshly cooked beans together with a pre-made zacuska. Bottom line there is less need for making a ton of zacuska in advance.

So this year it is down to three things:

  1. Classic aubergines and peppers zacuska.
  2. Bhudeva classic roasted peppers in wine and honey zacuska.
  3. Pepper and tomato sauce – a liquidy zacuska used for making the bean paste.

I have recipe’s for the first two. The third Andreea and I made in the past but I don’t have the recipe. I am going to ask Andreea is she can find it and Annelieke if she has a general direction she can suggest for making it based on her familiarity with it and her cooking skills.

I will be getting the produce for the first two tomorrow and making them in the coming days (probably with Iulia’s help as she is planned to be here in the coming days). The third I hope to do during the next couple of weeks.

After that there is pickling … and preparations are pretty much done for this abundant winter.