Ancient Church

Serbian dzhuvech (rice pilaf)

Coarsely chopped onion (3-4 onions per pound of rice)
Coarsely chopped or pressed garlic (at least 3 cloves; there is no such thing as too much garlic in this recipe)
dried bay leaf (2 per pound of rice)
coarsely chopped green and red bell peppers ( at least 2 large peppers per pound of rice)
coarsely chopped tomatoes (at least 2 per pound of rice)
rice (any kind is fine, but pre-cooked is the safest)
fresh coarsely chopped parsley, dill, basil and oregano (if you like it) (if using dried herbs, 2 tsps of each)
salt and pepper to taste
boiling water

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. Use a large skillet and coat the bottom liberally with olive oil and heat. Saute the onions and garlic with salt and the bay leaves until the onions are yellow, soft and clear. Add the peppers, stir and saute until they’re well coated with oil and starting to get soft. Cover and cook on a low flame until the peppers are soft. If necessary, add more oil or a little water. Put the rice in a large bowl, add the chopped tomatoes and herbs, a bit more salt and pepper. Stir in the sauted onions, garlic and peppers. Mix well and taste a little; it should taste slightly salty. Coat the bottom of a baking dish with a little olive oil and empty the rice mixture into it. Add boiling water just so it shows through the top of the rice and set the dish into the hot oven. When the water starts boiling lower the flame to 300-350 and cook until the rice is soft. If necessary, add a bit more water. If it starts browning on top cover with aluminum foil.

Lesna oven potatoes

Several large potatoes, cut into fourths length-wise (make enough to fill a baking pan)
Coarsely chopped onion (at least 1 for every 3 potatoes)
Coarsely chopped or pressed garlic ( at least 1 clove per 3 potatoes)
Coarsely grated carrot (1 per 5 potatoes)
Sweet bell pepper, chopped into long strips (1 per 5 potatoes)
Fresh or dried bay leaf, parsley, dill, basil, chives, sweet paprika, and if you like it, curry, but be careful not to overdo it) (use about a tsp each for every 6-7 potatoes)
Salt and pepper to taste
Boiling water
Optional: orange juice (1 tbsp per 5 potatoes) and soja sauce (1 tsp per 5 potatoes)
Olive or sunflower oil

Preheat oven to 450. Heat the oil in a skillet and saute the onions and garlic with the salt and pepper. As the onions soften and brown, add the carrot, bell peppers and herbs and spices, and the orange juice and soja sauce if you’re using them. Cover and cook on a low flame until the vegetables are soft. It should taste slightly salty. Coat the bottom of a baking dish with oil and put in the potatoes. Pour the sauted onion mixture over them and add boiling water just to cover the potatoes. Put in the oven. When the water starts boiling turn down to 350. Cook until the potatoes are done (This takes a while, depending on the type of potato) and most of the liquid is absorbed. If it begins browning too much on top, cover with aluminum foil.

Traditional monastery soup

1- Stock
A meatless soup needs a good stock. For roughly a quart of stock, start with 1 quart and 1 cup of water, peel and drop in an onion, 3 cloves of garlic, a small carrot, and wash a small stalk of celery. Add the rough green parts of 2 leeks. Add any fresh or dried herbs you have on hand, or at least the stalks if you’re using the leaves for salad or in the soup ( such as from parsley or basil). 1/4 cup of dried mushrooms is a good addition. Bay leaf is a must, and whole pepper corns, a few cloves and caraway seeds are good in stock. Add a tbsp of salt. Cover this pot and bring to a boil and then simmer for at least a 1/2 hour. If you don’t have the time to do this, buy good quality vegetable or mushroom bouillon cubes.

2- Base
Chopped onion
Chopped or pressed garlic
Chopped carrot
Sliced leek (the white and light green parts)
Chopped celery (stalk and root)
Diced potato
Optional: chopped zucchini, string beans, pumpkin (we often have a lot of these from the garden and
have to use them wherever possible)
oil- we use olive oil or sunflower seed oil. Sometimes we add a little sesame oil (it gives a meaty sort of flavor) or butter.

Coat the bottom of your soup pot with the oil and heat. Lower the heat. Saute the onion and garlic until soft and golden. Add a pinch of salt. Add the leeks, carrots, celery, and any optional vegetables and stir. Add ¼ cup of water. When the vegetables begin to bubble add the diced potatoes and then the soup stock or boiling water and bouillon cubes. Lower the flame, cover and cook until the potatoes are almost done. Make sure you taste it at this point for salt and other seasonings.

At this point you can go several ways:

Shchi (cabbage soup) Once the potatoes are almost done add some fresh shredded (like for coleslaw) or chopped cabbage, about ¼ of a head for a quart of soup. Keep the soup boiling. Separately grate a little carrot, and fry that with 2 tsps of tomato paste, and add to the soup. Serve with sour cream.

Sour shchi- Use sauerkraut instead of fresh cabbage. Saute it separately before adding to the soup. If using the canned kind, rinse it well.

Mushroom soup: Separately, besides the stock, soak another ¼ cup of dried mushrooms in a cup of boiling water. Cover tightly and let stand for at least 15 minutes. Add this liquid to your soup base and stock. Separately chop up the dried mushrooms as well as some fresh mushrooms and saute them in a little oil. Add to the soup once the potatoes are cooked.

Cauliflower or broccoli: chop and add once the potatoes are done, and boil for no more than an additional 5 minutes.

Bean or lentil: add left over, canned or pre-cooked beans or lentils. Add some tomato paste (this is optional)

Vegetarian chicken noodle: Add a can of well drained tuna, a tsp of soja sauce, and some fried grated carrot. Then add some sort of pasta (1/4 cup per quart of water) and boil until the pasta is cooked.


It is possible to add cooked pearl barley, noodles, or rice to these soups, especially if they seem thin. Some freshly chopped herbs are always a nice touch, and most of them are good with a tbsp of sour cream added to your plate.

Tuna burgers

Canned tuna fish, either water packed, or in oil (figure on 2-3 burgers per small can) well drained
Finely chopped onion (1/2 a small onion per can)
Fresh chopped or dried parsley (about 1 tbsp per can)
Instant oatmeal (or substitute left over cooked rice or millet) (about 1/3 a cup of oatmeal per can, or roughly 1 part rice to 2 parts tuna)
eggs –1 per small can of tuna
mayonnaise — 2 tbsp per can
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all of the above and mix into a homogenous mush. Form into burgers, roll them lightly in a little flour, and fry on both sides until lightly browned. They’re especially good with a slice of tomato and a piece of cheese melted on top.