Romanian Cuisine

Moldavian StewSecuianu Alina-AndreeaChiriac Andreea-Mihaela

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Moldavian Stew

Main Ingredients-Pork meat-Smoked sausages-Thyme-Garlic cloves-Feta cheese-Sunflower oil-Eggs-Polenta

Pork meat

The diversity of Romanian cuisine is undeniably high and a careful observer will notice traces and influences of many international cuisines.

There is an ubiquitous and frequent usage of pork meat within its gastronomical main tendencies, forasmuch as its rustic preparation methods are still greatly appreciated even in Romania’s larger cities or cosmopolitan spectrums of gastronomy.

Smoked Sausages

• Sausages are some of the most familiar deriving Romanian dishes from pork meat and, in quite an accurate manner of preparation, Moldavian stew makes use of particular smoked sausages.

Subsequent to cooking sausages, these ones follow the accurate steps of a smoking process just in order to achieve a particular flavor, for that afterwards, the final output to become exceptionally tender and tastier.

Thyme

• Thyme is the leaf of a low-growing shrub Thyme is the leaf of a low-growing shrub from a mint vegetal family, whose from a mint vegetal family, whose gastronomical use relies on an utmost gastronomical use relies on an utmost degree of frequency, given its subtle, dry degree of frequency, given its subtle, dry aroma and slightly minty flavor.aroma and slightly minty flavor.

• On top of everything, thyme is mostly known On top of everything, thyme is mostly known for becoming the fundamental aromatic for becoming the fundamental aromatic texture of particular meaty dishes.texture of particular meaty dishes.

• Thyme is grown on Southern Europe, Thyme is grown on Southern Europe, including France, Spain and Portugal, being including France, Spain and Portugal, being indigenous to the Mediterranean.indigenous to the Mediterranean.

Garlic

• An essential element in cuisines around the world, garlic enjoys near mythic status among cooks, chefs, foodies and enthusiasts of natural remedies.

• Garlic is an old ingredient, popular around the world for many thousands of years.

• The use of garlic in foods probably originated in the Middle East and is known to have been mainly consumed by the Greeks and Roman soldiers.

• Being a relative of the onion family, it has a pungent odor and can have a spicy flavor if eaten raw or eaten in large quantities.

Polenta

• One of the most notable features and specificities ofm Romanian gastronomy resides in the exclusively traditional dish of polenta, a familiar preparation of polenta corn flower and water.Polenta is made with ground yellow or white cornmeal (ground maize) originally made with Chestnut meal in ancient times. Many current polenta recipes have given new life to an essentially bland and simple food, enriching it with meat and mushrooms sauces, and adding vegetables, beans or various cheeses into the basic mixture.

Preparation Method

• First of all, while heating the oil in a pot, you must chop the garlic cloves and leave them to saute for 2-3 minutes just until the oil gets a bit of their flavor, and then take them out and set them aside.

• Secondly, you must add the meat, piece by piece, on high heat and stir it until is gets a bit of a crust. When the meat starts to get somewhat of a white color, you must add the cut sausage, just a bit of water at a time, cover the pot and let everything fry on medium heat for about 10-15 minutes.

• Ultimately, you must add the chopped thyme, salt and pepper and the garlic removed in the beginning. Let it stir like that for 2-3 minutes more.

Polenta

• In the meantime, you could already do the polenta, for which you should use ½ litre of water, salt and polenta corn flower.

• You must bring the water with salt to boil, turn the fire low and pour in the flower, stirring with a whisk.

• Let it boil for around 15 minutes.

Enjoy!