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:

Ingredients:
12 tablespoons or 1 1/2 sticks of very cold unsalted butter
1 3/4 cups of unbleached white flour
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1 egg yolk
1 cup of sour cream
Filling:
Heaping 1/2 cup of shelled walnuts
1 cup of sugar1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
2 egg whites
1 egg yolk, beaten


Instrutions:
With pastry blender or in a food processor, cut the butter into the flour and baking soda until it resembles coarse meal. Mix in the egg yolk and sour cream to make a soft dough. Wrap in was paper and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and lightly flour a 10-inch saucepan.
To make the filling, finely grind the walnuts: stir in the sugar and vanilla. Beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry and fold into the nut mixture.
Divide the chilled dough into 3 parts. Roll out one of the parts and transfer it to the pan. Spread with half of the filling, leaving a 1-inch border. Roll out the second part and carefully place it on top of the filling. Cover the remaining filling. Roll out the last part and place it on top. Tuck the edges under slightly to seal. Flatten the pastry to conform the sides of the pan. With a sharp knife, score the top of the pie lightly into diamonds.
Brush the tops of the pieces with beaten egg yolk and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until browned. Cut into diamonds to serve.
Note: Unlike its close cousin baklava, it is made with baking soda and sour cream dough rather than phyllo.

This is a dish that is a long string of nuts that have been dipped repeatedly in a concentrated fresh grape juice to form a confection.

Ingredients:
40 walnuts halves or whole hazelnuts
1 1/2 quarts of white grape juice
3/4 cup of sugar
1 cup of flourConfectioners' sugar

Instructions:
Thread a needle with a 30-inch length of heavy-duty thread. Knot the ends together. With the flat side of the nuts facing up, thread 20 walnut halves onto the thread, then thread the remaining walnut halves flat side down.
Cut the thread from the needle and knot the ends. Then push half of the walnuts to that end of the thread, leaving about 6 inches of thread in between the 2 portions of nuts. Pick up the thread from the top. You will have 2 separate strands of walnut halves hanging flat side up.
In a large skillet combine the grape juice and sugar. Heat to just below the boiling point. Place four in a bowl and very gradually stir in the heated juice, whisking constantly so that no lumps form. When about half of the juice has been added to the flour, pour the remaining flour mixture into the skillet and bring to a boil, stirring. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has thickened slightly.
Meanwhile, find a board about 4 inches wide and suspend it between two chairs. Place newspaper on the floor underneath to catch the drips.
Pick up the walnuts by the middle of the thread and slowly dip them into the juice mixture, using a spoon to coat the topsides, if necessary. Slowly pull them up from the juice and carefully drape the thread over the prepared board so that the walnut strands hang down over the newspaper.
Allow the nuts to dry for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the coating is slightly tacky. Then return the nuts to the juice, which has been kept warm, and repeat the dipping process. Allow to dry again for 20 minutes or so. The drier the coating, the better the next layer will adhere.
Repeat the dipping process, 8 to 10 times, or until the nuts are completely coated. Leave to dry for 3 to 4 days, until the strands are no longer sticky to the touch. When dry, pull out the strings and dust it with confectioner's sugar.
To serve, cut the delicacy into rounds.

Ingredients:

Ingredients:
Makes about 2 dozen pieces of candy
3 1/ 2 cups of shelled walnuts
1 cup of honey

Instructions:
Toast walnuts lightly at 350°F for 10 minutes, then chop them coarsely.



In a deep saucepan bring the honey to a boil. Stir in the nuts and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring periodically, until the mixture is thick. Be careful not to let it burn.
Pour the mixture out onto a moistened wooden board or oiled marble slab. With a spatula, spread it 1/2 inch thick. When cool, cut into 2-inch diamonds.

THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST!!!