Ingredients:
2 1/5 lb wheat flour
1-2 tbsp yeast
2 tbsp butter for dpugh and the same quantity for stuffing
2 cups water
salt, ground pepper
* for stuffing
2 1/2 cups haricot tinned kidney beans
3 onions
spices (khmeli-suneli)

Directions:
Dissolve yeast in the warm water, add salt, pepper, flour, knead dough. Stir in some melted butter. Leave to stand for 2 hours, knocking back 1-2 times.
Boil pre-soaked beans, cool and shred, add butter. Sauté chopped onion in the oil, mix with the beans, sprinkle with salt, pepper and khmeli-suneli.
Divide dough into 10 even pieces, roll out flat cakes, and lay out the stuffing on each one. Pinch the edges up and press, roll out in 0.5 inch thick. Bake over 448 °F (220 °C). When serving, brush with butter.

Follow the directions given in the Bean Bread recipe for making baking-soda dough. Substitute the following mixture for herb filling:

Actually some call it grits. I don't. It is cornmeal. We have it in large supermarkets. It is like Italian polenta or Rumanian mamaliga.

Ingredients:
1cup of grits or cornmeal
2 cups of water
Salt

Directions:
In a heavy saucepan cook the meal in salted water over low heat, covered, until it is thick and steaming.
Note: All gomis can be eaten with a variety of sauces poured on top of it. It is used as a compliment to a dish. I like my Chicken Satsivi with gomi abundantly drowned with walnut sauce. It is also very delicious with cheese.

Ingredients:
3/4 lb Dried red beans soaked in water overnight & drained

8 c Water boiling
1/2 c Walnuts shelled & made into a paste
Salt & pepper to taste
1 c Celery chopped
1 c Onions chopped fine
2 tb Fresh mint chopped
2 tb Fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley chopped
2 tb Fresh dill chopped
2 tb Fresh coriander chopped


Directions:
Put beans & hot water in a pan, bring to a boil, & cook over moderate heat until soft, for 1 hr. Mash beans with 1 cup of liquid to a puree & return to pan. Add walnut paste, salt, pepper, celery & onions to pan and simmer over low heat for 10 mins. Add herbs & simmer for 10 mins more. Serve hot with bread.

Ingredients:
spinach 1 lb, washed
walnuts, chopped
3/8 cupgarlic
1 large clove dried coriander
1/2 tspsmall onion chopped
1chopped cilantro 1/4 cup
salt and vinegar to taste
hungarian paprika 1/4tsp

Directions:
Cook spinach until leaves are just wilted. Drain, cool, and squeeze out as much water as you can. In a food processor or coffee grinder, grind walnuts, garlic and dried coriander to a paste. Run the spinach, cilantro, and onion through a meat grinder, or chop very, very finely. Combine with walnut paste in a bowl with your fingertips, mixing thoroughly and adding salt, vinegar and paprika to taste. cover bowl and leave at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours, then store in fridge. When ready to serve, form into a thick pancake shape on a small plate. Score crosswise, with a knife. Garnish with pomegranite seeds, if you have some.

NOTE: It is very important to leave this at room temperature for an hour or two after mixing. This is necessary for the taming of the raw garlic , and the melding of flavors. Keeps several days in fridge.

Ingredients:
3/4 pound of stewing beef (or leftover cooked beef)
1/2 stick of butter
1 cup of raisins
1 medium potato, boiled
1/2 cup of shelled walnuts
1/4 cup of chopped parsley
3/4 teaspoon of salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 egg, well beaten
1/ 3 cup of fine dry dread crumbs
Parsley sprigs for garnish

Directions:
Bring beef to a boil in cold salted water, skimming any foam that rises to the surface. Simmer, partially covered, for 1 hour, or until tender.
In a skillet melt half of the butter. Stir in 3/4 cup of raisins and cook them, covered, over low heat until plump, about 10 minutes.
In a food processor, coarsely grind together the boiled beef, boiled potato, walnuts, the remaining 1/4 cup of raisins, and parsley. Stir in the salt, pepper to taste, and the beaten egg. Shape the mixture into 12 flat, oval patties, about 3 inches long. Dust the patties with breadcrumbs on both sides.
Melt the remaining half of the butter in a large skillet and fry the patties slowly until browned, turning once. Arrange the patties decoratively on a platter and strew the plumped raisins over them. Garnish with sprigs of parsley. I have seen parsley being substituted with cilantro.

These fried lamb dumplings are a Tatar dish, developed in the Crimea and bought to Georgia and other Central Asian areas, where many Tatars now live.

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons of butter
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
3/4 pound of lean lamb, finely ground twice
1/4 cup of finely chopped parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander
2 teaspoons of salt
3 tablespoons of cold boiled white rice
1 prepared dough (see below)
1 egg, lightly beaten
Vegetable oil for deep-frying

Directions:
Melt the 3 tablespoons of butter in 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a heavy 10 to 12-inch skillet set over high seat. When the fat just begins to brown lightly, add the ground lamb. Mashing the meat constantly with a fork to break up any lumps, cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until the lamb is light brown. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and with a large spoon or your hands, toss with the chopped parsley, coriander, salt and rice. Cool to room temperature.
On a lightly floured board surface, roll the dough until it is about 1/8 inch thick. Lift the dough over the backs of our hands and spread your hands apart gently until the dough stretches almost paper thin. Lay it flat on the table and with a 2 1/2 to 3-inch cookie cutter, cut out 76 rounds of the dough. Top half of the rounds with a heaping teaspoon of filling and flatten the filling slightly. Cover with the remaining rounds and seal the edges by pressing them firmly all around their circumferences with the prongs of a fork. With a pastry brush, coat the edges of the dumplings with the beaten egg to seal them even more securely.
Heat the oil in a deep-fat fryer until it reaches a temperature of 375°F. (contents). Fry the dumplings, 6 to 8 at a time, for 2 or 3 minutes, turning them over in the fat until they are evenly browned. Drain on paper towels and serve hot, with soup or as a first course.

This dish is another popular slow-cooked dish. It can be made with almost any meat, although lamb or kid is preferred. The meat is eaten separately, then the broth is drunk like soup. Serve this stew with bred and mild cheese.

Ingredients:
2 pounds of shoulder lamb chops
1 onions, peeled and chopped
1 cup of dry white wine
1/2 cup tkemali sauce
3 cups loosely packed fresh tarragon leaves
1 cup of loosely packed mixed fresh herbs (parsley, mint, dill, cilantro)
1 large garlic clove, peeled and minced
1/2 teaspoon of salt

Directions:
Preheat over to 350°F.
Place lamb chops in a single layer in a flameproof casserole and top it with chopped onions. Pour in the white wine. Cover the casserole and bring to a boil. Transfer to the oven and braise the lamb until tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
Coarsely chop the fresh herbs. When the lamb is ready, stir in the tkemali sauce, the herbs, the minced garlic, and salt. Return the casserole to the oven and cook 5 minutes longer. Let the lamb sit 5 minutes before serving.

An Abkhazian dish from the Batumi area, on the Black Sea Coast.

Ingredients:
1 pound of pork butt
3/4 pound of beef chuck
1 small onion, peeled
4 large garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 teaspoons of cayenne
1/2 teaspoon of ground coriander seed
1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon of dried fenugreek
1/2 teaspoon of dried savory
2 tablespoons of ground barberry or sumac
1 pound of caul fat, if available (fatty tissue around intestines)
2 teaspoons of salt
Vinegar

Directions:
Grind together the pork, beef, onion, and garlic. Work the spices in well with your hands and not with a spoon.
Soak the caul fat in warm water with a little vinegar until it becomes pliable, then cut it into 4-inch squares. Place a mound of ground met mixture on each square and enclose in the fat to make a plump meatball. Fry the meatballs over low heat until cooked through nicely browned. Serve with tkemali sauce. If caul is not available then form the meatballs like you normally do.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon of butter
1 pound of mushrooms, trimmed and thickly sliced
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups of heavy cream
4 handfuls each (about 2 ounces each) parsley, and dill sprigs
5 whole black peppercorns
One 2-inch piece of cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
3 whole cloves

Directions:
Melt butter in a saucepan and toss the mushrooms in it just long enough to coat them. Season lightly with salt and pepper to taste.
Heat the cream to boiling and pour over the mushrooms.
Tie the remaining ingredients into a cheesecloth and add to the mushrooms.
Cover and simmer the mixture for 40 50 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed. Remove the cheesecloth bag and serve.

Ingredients:
1 onion, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons of butter
1 cup of shelled walnuts
4 garlic cloves, peeled
3/4 teaspoon of ground coriander seed
3/4 teaspoon of ground marigold
3/4 teaspoon of salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon of paprika
1/8 teaspoon of cayenne
1 cup of boiling water
2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
4 large firm tomatoes
3/4 cup of chopped mixed fresh herbs (basil, cilantro and parsley)Cilantro



Directions:
In a deep saucepan just large enough to hold the tomatoes, cook the onion in the butter until soft. Finely grind 1/2 cup of walnuts with 3 garlic cloves. Add to the cooked onions. Stir in the coriander seed (grinded), marigold, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, paprika and cayenne. Pour in the boiling water and the vinegar. Pour in the boiling water and the vinegar and simmer for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, slice the tops off the tomatoes and scrape out the seeds, being careful not to puncture the skin.
Grind together the remaining 1/2 cup of walnuts, garlic, clove, salt and black pepper. Stir in the finely chopped herbs. Stuff the tomatoes with this mixture and replace the tops.
Place tomatoes in the nut sauce and cook them over low heat, covered, until they are tender but still hold their shape, about 25 minutes. Allow cooling to room temperature in the pan.
Serve tomatoes on a bed of the sauce, garnished with sprigs of cilantro.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 pound of green tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into rounds
1/4 cup of coarsely chopped celery leaves
1/4 cup of coarsely chopped parsley
1/4 cup of water
3 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
1 teaspoon of salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
In a skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the chopped tomatoes, onion, carrots, parsley, celery leaves and the water. Cover skillet and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes.
In a mortar with a pestle, pound the garlic with salt until a paste is formed.
When the vegetables are tender, remove from heat and stir in the garlic paste and pepper to taste.
Cool to room temperature before serving.

Ingredients:
1/2 pound of dried kidney beans
1/4 cup of olive oil
1/4 cup of red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon of ground coriander seed
1/2 cup of mixed chopped fresh herbs (cilantro, parsley, basil dill and tarragon)
SaltFreshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Soak the beans overnight in water to cover. The next day, drain and rinse them. Place in a large pot and cover with fresh water. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Bring the water to boil and simmer until the beans are tender, about 1 hour. Drain. While the beans are still warm, stir in the remaining ingredients, adding salt and pepper to taste.
Allow the beans to cool to room temperature before serving.

Labda is a Passover specialty of the Georgian Jews, but this large, rich pancake makes a quick and filling supper any time of the year.

Ingredients:

1 pound of boiling potatoes
1 cup of finely chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons of finely chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon of salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 large eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of corn oil

Instructions:
Boil the potatoes until tender; peel and mash them. Stir in the walnuts, parsley, salt, pepper to taste and eggs, mixing them well.
In a 10-inch skillet with sloping sides, melt 1 tablespoon each of butter and oil. When hot, spoon the pancake batter into the pan, pressing down with a spatula to form and even pancake. Cook over medium high heat for about 4 minutes, or until the bottom of the pancake is brown and crusty. Slide the pancake onto a platter. Melt the remaining butter and oil in the skillet, then invert the pancake into the skillet and fry the other side until brown, about 4 minutes more. Slide onto a platter and serve, cut into wedges.

Certain mushrooms grow only in certain regions. These mushroom appear at springtime and they grow on the trees around Televi, Kakheti'- main city. Same mushrooms are not available in the United States. I suggest morels, but this dish will taste only as interesting as the mushrooms you choose. They should be strongly flavored, with firm texture.

Ingredients:
1 pound of flavorful mushrooms, such as shiitake or morels
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons of minced cilantro
1 tablespoon of minced mint
2 tablespoons of minced scallion
1/4 teaspoon of salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons of butter

Directions:
Finely chop the mushrooms. Beat the eggs and combine them with cilantro, mint, scallion, salt and pepper.
In a large skillet melt the butter and cook the mushrooms quickly over high heat. Do not allow them to give off liquid.
Add the egg mixture and stir until they are just cooked through. Serve immediately.

Ingredients:

These wonderful beets are simultaneously sweet and tangy. In Georgia, Cornelian cherries are used, but our tart domestic cherries provide similar savor. Chogi is usually eaten warm or at room temperature.

Ingredients:
1 pound of beet
1 medium onion, peeled and mince
1 tablespoon of butter
1/3 cup of tart dried cherries
10 tablespoons of water
2 tablespoons of minced parsley
2 tablespoons of minced cilantro or dill
1/8 teaspoon of salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Scrub beets but do not peel. Bake until tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Meanwhile, saut? the onion in butter until soft, 10 to 15 minutes.
Simmer the cherries in water until they are very soft, about 15 minutes. Force through a sieve or food mill, adding additional water, if necessary, to make 1/4 cup of thick sauce.
When the beets are ready, peel and slice them thinly. Place in a bowl and add the cooked onion and cherry sauce. Stir in the minced herbs and salt.

A hallmark of Georgian cuisine is mkhali, a vegetable puree to which herbs and ground walnuts are added. Mkhali is made from any number of different vegetables, though spinach and beets are favored. Some of the most interesting versions call for radish and even cauliflower greens.
In making mkhali, you must rely on your palate, since the amount of vinegar necessary depends on the sugar content of each given vegetable. It should be sharp but vinegary.
Georgians like to mix their vegetable by hand and that means both hands. But, in our modern society we can use a blender.

Ingredients:
1 pound of beets
1/2 cup of shelled walnuts
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 cup of chopped cilantro
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon of dried summer savory
1/4 teaspoon of ground coriander seed
1 or 2 teaspoons of red wine vinegar (to taste)

Directions:
Bake the unpeeled beets at 375°F for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until tender. If you are short of time, the beets may be boiled, but their flavor will not be as good. While the beets are cooking, grind together walnuts, garlic and salt. Add the cilantro, parsley and continue grinding to make a fine paste. Transfer to a bowl.
When the beets are soft, peel them and finely grate them in the food processor. In a medium size bowl mix together the grated beets and the ground walnut mixture, then stir in the remaining ingredients. Keep tasting, as the amount of vinegar needed will depend on the sweetness of the beets. The mkhali should be slightly tart.
Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, but bring to room temperature before serving, mounted on a plate and cross-hatched on top with a knife.

Ingredients:
4 eggplants or about 2 pounds in total
1 large red pepper, cored and seeded
1 small onion, peeled
2 tablespoons of each minced cilantro, parsley and basil
1/4 cup of chopped celery leaves
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
Diced hot red or green pepper (use Mexican Chili Serrano)
5 medium tomatoes
1 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup of corn oil

Directions:
Cut eggplant in half lengthwise and with a spoon scrape out most of the seeds, creating a hollow in each half.
Dice the red pepper and the onion. Place them in a bowl with the minced herbs, celery leaves, garlic and hot pepper to taste. Peel, seed and chop the tomatoes; add to the other vegetables. Stir in the salt, pepper and 2 tablespoons of corn oil. Mix well.
Stuff the eggplants with this mixture and place in a large skillet. Add about 1/4 cup of water to the bottom of the pan. Drizzle the eggplant halves with the remaining to tablespoons of olive oil. Cover the skillet and simmer for 45 minutes, or until the eggplant is tender.
To serve, slice each stuffed half eggplant in half lengthwise.

Ingredients:
1 cup couscous1
1/2 cups boiling water
Zest and juice of 1 lemon or 2 limes
1/4 cup of fresh mint leaves, sliced thinly or chopped
4 x ripe tomatoes, pulp removed and set aside
Salt and pepper

Directions:
couscous in a medium sized bowl and cover with boiling water. Cover tightly with a piece of plastic wrap and let steam for about 10 minutes, or until couscous is tender. Toss with a fork and add lemon juice and zest, fresh mint, tomato pulp and salt and pepper to taste.Spoon couscous mixture into hollowed out tomatoes and serve.