A Shark Steak

Uhh, I must admit that was a challenge. A shark. My first question: my Goodness, is it edible? I bought only one small piece (in case it turns out to be terrible) and searched through the Internet to find out more about good ways to prepare THAT. During my research I found some information that sharks are under preservation, did you know? Well I didn't... so that's for sure the last time I bought it. I do encourage you all to look up for such information, they're life-useful.

But - for those who don't mind or - as me - didn't know and have already bought it - here is extremely easy and short recipe that will help you prepare it and not put it in the bin (as wasting food seems same bad...)

About the fish - surprisingly not disgusting, though it probably depends on your own taste and how well can you deal with the 'fishy smell' and 'fishy taste' of the fish ;) the meat itself is bright, delicate and moist. Personally I don't know what to do with the dark part of the fish - it is edible but maybe it should be cut out?
The big advantage is - no fishbones! :) except for a big one, that needs to be cut out before preparing, but that seems obvious :)

The recipe comes from... all the ideas from the Internet put together ;)

Ingredients (serves 1):

• 200g of shark steak
• 1-2 drops of lemon juice 
• spices: salt, pepper, oregano, basil
• chopped parsley

Optional/Additional:
anything you like to eat it with, for example:

• boiled vegetables
• chips
• potatoes
• rice
• couscous
• grains

Preparation:

1. Defrost the fish, wash. Cut out the big fishbone. (And here maybe the dark part too?)
2. Sprinkle with all the spices and put aside for 10 minutes.
3. Take a grill (electric one, or a grill-like frying pan, etc.) put the fish on it, add 1-2 drops of lemon juice, put parsley on the top, start grilling.
4. After few minutes overturn, add another 1-2 drops of lemon juice and parsley, keep grilling for another few minutes.
5. Bon Appetit (? ;) )

Barley Soup (Krupnik)

Well-known Polish soup, boiled on vegetable/chicken stock with barley :) So easy, standard, tasty and filling, great for children :) 

Recipe from my Mum :)

Ingredients:

• 3 litres of water
• 500g of chicken breasts
• 3-4 big carrots
• 5 potatoes
• 1-2 parsleys
• 1/2 or 1/4 of a celery
• 1/2 onion or 1 green part of a leek
• 3-4 bay leaves
• 3-4 allspice pieces
• 150-200g of barley
• 4 tablespoons of ghee
• 1-3 teaspoons of black, ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• vegeta
• chopped parsley(green part, leaves) or dill (optional, though worth adding)

Preparation:

1. Take a big pot. Put water inside.
2. Wash chicken breasts, cut into cubes, add to the pot, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Start boiling (around 10-15 minutes on an average heat).
3. Using a spoon take out the 'foam' from the top of the soup and throw it away.
4. Wash all the vegetables. Peel and throw away the skins.
5. Cut carrots, parsley and onion/leek into slices, potatoes and celery into cubes.
6. When the water in the pot boils, add onion/leek to the pot, chopped celery and parsley. Boil for 15 minutes on an average or low heat.
7. Add carrots and potatoes and continue boiling.
8. Add 3-4 tablespoons of ghee, bay leaves, allspice and barley. Stir and keep boiling. Stir all the time for 5 minutes so that the barley doesn't burn.
9. Boil for 30 minutes and - if needed - season with vegeta and pepper.
10. Add chopped parsley or dill. It is also possible to sprinkle a particular plate with parsley or dill, it's not necessary to add it to the entire pot with the soup.
11. Bon Appetit! :)

Meatballs with rice

Might be considered as a dietary meal. Healthy, tasty, without oil. Of course it is possible to fry those meatballs instead of boiling. I do recommend!

Ingredients:

• 500g of turkey/pork mince
• 1-2 handfuls of chopped parsley or dill
• 1 chopped onion
• 1 bigger grated carrot
• 1 small chopped leek
• 1 egg
• 1/3-1/2 glass of breadcrumbs
• spices: basil, oregano, black pepper, salt, cayenne pepper, poultry/pork spice mix
• oil

Optional ingredients:

• rice
• potatoes
• vegs - broccoli, carrot, parsley, beans, sweetcorn
• light/dark meat sauce

Preparation:

1. Take a big bowl, put all the ingredients inside, mix.
2. Sprinkle with  all the spices, mix.
3. Take 2 pots, put some water on them, boil till it reaches 100C
4. Put the rice to the first pot with boiling water. Sprinkle it with salt.
5. Form small balls out of meat, put inside the second pot with boiling water and boil for around 15 minutes* on a middle heat.
6. Bon Appetit!

* It might take a little bit more or less time, depending on meat, stove, etc. Check if the meat is ready just by cutting it into 2 halves.

Courgette pancake

That's an easy, healthy and delicious meal. Good idea for dinner, lunch or supper. Tzatziki matches it very much. Recipe taken from my uncle, greetings and thanks for him!

Ingredients (for around 15 pancakes):

• 1 courgette
• 1/2 of marrow
• spices: salt, pepper, chilli, cayenne pepper
• 1 egg
• 1-1,5 glasses of milk
• 2-2,5 glasses of flour

Optional ingredients:

• onion

Preparation:

1. Wash the courgette and the marrow. 
2. Peel (optional).
3. Grate both vegs on a grater, put in a big bowl. 
4. Sprinkle with salt. Leave for a few minutes so that water comes out.
5. Pour the water away by squeezing vegs or using a sieve. It has to be done precisely.
6. Sprinkle the vegs with spices.
7. Add chopped onion (optional)
8. Add milk, stir. Add flour - one glass after another, stiring all the time. The consistency of the dough needs to be very thick.
9. Take a frying pan* grease it, start preheating. Put 1-3 tablespoons of the dough on the frying pan and distribute on the entire surface, so that the pancake is thin.
10. Fry for 2-3 minutes on a low heat (each side).
11. Other vegs, Tzatziki, etc. matches that pancakes, so feel free to take your favourite ones.
12. Bon Appetit! :)

* I've got a frying pan that doesn't require any greasing before frying. It does have its price, but believe me, it is a real miracle. Nothing burns, your meal will be fried in a colour you let it be, not burnt brown. I do recommend it. If you are willing to buy it - one, middle size, will be enough and you'll probably stop using the rest of your frying pans :).

Dill Pickles

Why to buy some artificial ones in markets, while you can make your own, tasty dill pickles, without all those chemicals? Here is the recipe, coming from my mum.

Ingredients:

• 3kg of fresh cucumbers
• 5 cloves of garlic
• 3 pieces of fresh horseradish
• 6 bunches of dill
• water and salt*

* for 1 litre of water - 1 tablespoon of salt, if the jug is smaller, then automatically 500 ml of water + 1/2 tablespoon of salt.

Preparation:

1. Wash the cucumbers.
2. Take a big jar. Put 1 kg of cucumbers inside, so that 1/3 of the jar is full. 
3. Add 2 cloves of garlic, 1 piece of horseradish and 2 bunches of dill. Add another 1 kg of cucumbers, and another 2 cloves of garlic, 1 piece of horseradish and another 2 bunches of dill. Put the rest of cucumbers, the last clove of garlic, the last piece of horseradish and the rest of the dill on the top.
4. Take measure jug, put 1 litre of water inside, add 1 tablespoon of salt, stir, pour to the jar. Fill the entire jar with salted water.
5. Close the jar, shake.
6. Put aside, for at least 3 days.
7. Bon Appetit!

Curry Cod

Well... if it comes to fish, my favourite one is.. chicken. Yes, that's a joke and yes, I am not really a fish-fan. But, this way of preparing cod is beyond gorgeous (both if it comes to the time of the preparation and the taste).

Try it :)

Part of the recipe comes from this website.

Ingredients:

• 4 cod fillets (fresh or frozen)
• salt, pepper
• 2 tablespoons of flour
• 2-3 teaspoons of curry (powder)
• oil

Preparation:

1. While using frozen fillets - totally defrost. Wash under running water, dry using paper towels.
2. Mix flour with curry on a big plate. 
3. Put one fillet on the plate, sprinkle it with the mix of flour and curry (both sides of the cod)
4. Heat the frying pan with some oil.*
5. Put the fillets (as many as your frying pan can take) and on a low heat - fry. When gold - turn around.
6. When ready - put on a paper towel (optional - to dry it from the oil, if you don't want to, don't do it)
7. Before putting next fillets on the frying pan, clean it using a paper towel and grease again.
8. Serve with potatoes, rice, salad, etc.
9. Bon Appetit!

*Don't use a lot of money. 1-2 tablespoons are enough, just grease the entire frying pan with it.

The old formula for a young cabbage

An old recipe, coming from my Grandmother, for a very delicius addition on your dinner plate. Worth trying :)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cabbage
• 1 bunch of dill
• 1 smaller onion
• 2 litres of salted water
• pepper
• salt
• 2-3 teaspoons of vinegar
• 2 tablespoons of flour
• water

Preparation:

1. Chop lettuce, put in a big pot with salted water. Put it on the heat and start boiling. (It will take something around 30 minutes, till it gets soft. Do not overboil it.)
2. Chop the dill, into small parts (try to seperate stems and throw them away, so that you get only the soft part)
3. Chop the onion.
4. Put the onion on a plate/in a bowl, sprinkle it with pepper and salt and vinegar. Stir.
5. If it is the right time, drain the cabbage.
6. Add dill and onion from the plate to the cabbage. Stir. 
7. Take a glass with water, put the flour inside and stir till smooth (there can't be any lumps)
8. Put the cabbage-mix on the heat and add the glass with water-flour, stir all the time till it links and starts boiling. 
9. Boil for 3-5 minutes. 
10. Try it - if you wish - add more salt or pepper.
11. Bon Appetit!