Fruit Dishes

Apart from deserts, there are dishes, in the Romanian cuisine, which are based on fruit, whether fresh or preserved. At this time of the year, you can find plenty of apples, quinces and smoked prunes in Romanian marketplaces, and all of these can be used to make delicious meals.

Ștefan Baciu, 01.01.1970, 02:00

Apart from deserts, there are dishes, in the Romanian cuisine, which are based on fruit, whether fresh or preserved. At this time of the year, you can find plenty of apples, quinces and smoked prunes in Romanian marketplaces, and all of these can be used to make delicious meals.

The apple or sour cherry soup is specific to the southern parts of Transylvania, and is a dish with Saxon roots. As you probably know already, many villages and towns in this part of the country were founded by Saxon colonists between the 10th and 14th centuries. In order to cook this unusual kind of soup, you must peel, core and dice the apples, and then boil them as if for compote. Add one egg, beaten, sour cream and a little lemon juice. The apple soup can be served either hot, or cold.

Another autumn fruit suitable for winter preserves is the vitamin C-rich quince, used not only in traditional cooking, but also in traditional medicine. For therapeutic purposes, not only the fruit itself, but also the leaves are used, particularly in treating gastrointestinal disorders. Quinces are often used for deserts, such as comfiture or compote. But there are also a lot of other recipes using quinces, and these recipes date back to medieval times, when the European cuisine was not yet familiar with vegetables like potatoes, tomatoes and peppers, brought later on from America. Here is a vegetarian dish using about one kilo of quinces. Core and slice the quinces, and then sauté them. Mix some flour and a glass of wine in a pot over low heat, add in the quince slices and some water, and when the mixture starts boiling, add two or three spoonfuls of sugar. Cook until the mixture reaches the desired thickness.

Smoked prunes are also the key ingredient for a delicious dish. You need one kilo of dried smoked prunes, two onions, a small cup of rice, oil, sugar and salt. Wash the prunes in warm water, and then set them in cold water over low heat until they come to a boil. Add the rice and the finely chopped onions. Simmer everything, but make sure the prunes remain whole. At the end add a little oil, sugar and salt to taste. For a nicer color, mash a couple of prunes and mix them into the dish. Serve hot, with pickled cucumbers or tomatoes. Enjoy!