Week 5: Greece, Belgium, and Switzerland!

This week I decided to cook 3 different things from 3 different countries!

Kourabiedes:

The first thing that I prepared was Kourabiedes, also known as Greek butter cookies. Greek cookies can date back all the way to 1,200 BC. Bakers had a hard time finding baking supplies and ingredients, and used only staple foods (flour, butter, sugar, etc.) to create their cookies, which is why the recipes are so simple today. Covering the tops of cookies with powdered sugar, like I did, is a popular tradition in Greece.

The recipe I made used easy ingredients – 1 cup of butter, ¾ cup of sugar, 1 egg, vanilla and almond extract, and 2 cups of flour. I creamed the butter, sugar, and egg together, and then stirred in the vanilla and almond extracts. Then I blended the flour in to make my cookie dough. Next I took small pieces of the dough, and rolled them in crescent-like logs. I baked them for 10 minutes, and then dusted them with powdered sugar. Done! They were so easy to make, and tasted delicious.

Stoemp:

Next, I make stoemp, which are Belgian mashed potatoes. Throughout history, fresh meat was hard to come by, specifically in Belgium. Potatoes were easy to prepare, and stayed fresh longer than other foods. Traditionally, stoemp is served with boudin (sausage), bacon, fried eggs, or (in some families) horse tenderloin. Throughout Europe, there are many dishes similar to stoemp. “Bubble and squeak” from England, “Colcannan and Champ” from Ireland, and “Rumbledethumps” from Scotland are just a few.

For this recipe, I used 4 large russet potatoes, heavy cream, 1 small onion, 2 garlic cloves, 3 leeks, and vegetable stock. I peeled, and boiled the potatoes until they were tender, and then mashed them. I then melted butter into a pan, and added the chopped garlic and onion. Once the onions were slightly softened, I added my sliced leeks, and sautéed them until everything was translucent. Then I added the ¾ cup of heavy cream and ½ cup of stock, and let it simmer for 10 minutes. After, I separated the onion mixture from the liquid, and mixed in the onions and leeks into the mashed up potatoes. I reduced the liquid in the pan for a few minutes and then added that to the potatoes. I mixed everything together, and add salt, pepper, and butter to make them less dry. They were really delicious. It seemed like a lot of work just for mashed potatoes, because they didn’t taste extremely different than plain potatoes. Although, the leeks added a lot of good flavor. The recipe was easy to follow, and I would definitely make this again if I had to.

Cheese Fondue:

Finally, I made a cheese fondue. Fondue is known as the “Swiss national dish”, and is now found in many different countries. Early history suggests that melted cheese was a peasant food, and good way to use up old cheese and leftover bread. These fondue recipes appeared as early as the 1,600’s in Switzerland. On the other hand, some people think that fondue originated in the 1,800’s in the Swiss Alps, made to use hardened cheese and bread during the winter. Either way, fondue was a classic peasant dish used across Switzerland after World War I.

I used a super simple recipe for my cheese fondue, which is most similar to how it would’ve been made many years ago. I used garlic and rubbed it on the inside of the fondue pot. Then I added about 4 ounces of beer as a base, and added ½ teaspoon of mustard powder. Next, I added 2 cups of shredded sharp cheddar cheese, and melted it down while continuously stirring it. I also cut up a baguette and 2 Granny Smith apples to dip. This super easy recipe tasted really good, and was very filling. As a lover on fondue, I know have a new appreciation for it, knowing its history. I would definitely make this again!

Check out this quick YouTube video.. all about fondue!