Regional Cuisine Recipes

Austrian bread dumplings (Semmelknödel) turn stale bread, a single egg, and milk into pillowy poached dumplings flavored with fresh herbs. Drop them into broth or serve alongside roasts and stews to soak up gravy.

Favorite hasenpfeffer marinates rabbit for three days in red wine, vinegar, and pickling spice, then braises slow with onions and finishes the gravy with sour cream. Old-world German classic.

Hungarian goulash braises chuck beef with paprika, caraway seeds, cola, and red wine for a rich, deeply flavored stew. Served traditionally over hot egg noodles.

Kirsov's pudding is a Russian-style baked sweet potato dessert with molasses and buttermilk. Slow-baked until deep caramel colored with a rich, earthy sweetness.

Lincolnshire plum bread, a traditional English yeasted fruit loaf with prunes, currants, golden raisins, cinnamon, and allspice. A buttery, spiced bread that slices beautifully for tea.

Syrup-soaked semolina cake made with yogurt, toasted almonds, and butter, drenched in chilled lemon syrup while still hot. A beloved Middle Eastern dessert that serves 20.

Lamb and cabbage casserole layered with flour-dusted chops and thinly sliced white cabbage, simmered for 90 minutes with whole peppercorns. A rustic Nordic one-pot with just six ingredients.

Ajam Panggang is a flavorful Indonesian dish featuring chicken marinated in a rich blend of sweet soy sauce (kecap manis), garlic, lime, and spicy sambal ulek, then roasted or grilled until juicy and caramelized. Paired with crispy shrimp puffs (kroepoek oedang) and a thickened marinade sauce, it’s perfect as a standalone dish or part of an Indonesian rice table with nasi goreng (fried rice).

Jamaican jerk chicken wings marinated in a fiery blend of allspice, scotch bonnet heat, thyme, scallions, and warm spices, then roasted hot until lacquered and crisp. Island flavor on a party platter.

Scallop and green bean terrine is a French mousse of pureed scallops and creme fraiche folded with blanched green beans, baked in a water bath and served with tomato coulis.

Tabbouleh tosses bulgur wheat with masses of fresh parsley, mint, scallions, and ripe Roma tomato, dressed simply with lemon juice and olive oil. A vegan Levantine cracked wheat salad that gets better after an overnight chill.

Moustokouloura (Greek wine must cookies) shaped into oval wreaths with olive oil, petimezi, honey, cinnamon, cloves, and orange. A traditional vegan Greek cookie with a crunchy, spiced bite.

Beet kvas is a traditional Ukrainian fermented beet tonic made from grated beets and lukewarm water. Six-day wild fermentation yields a deep red, sour drink with probiotic benefits.

Cajun shepherd's pie with a spicy beef and pork meatloaf base, julienned zucchini and squash, and creamy buttery mashed potatoes browned on top. Louisiana comfort food at its finest.

General Tsao was a real person, general and poet who lived in China 155-220AD.

An Italian Christmas is not complete without this high-domed cylinder of fruit-studded sweet bread.