Lavash crackers

Lavash crackers are such an easy snack to make - all you need is a thin lavash bread and some toppings. Grated cheese is a popular choice, but various "sprinklers" work as well. I used a mix of seeds - and as you can see from the photo, also with tiny pieces of sun-dried tomatoes. I've stopped using the latter, as they burn easily and don't stick have as easily.

Lavash crackers
(Lavašikrõpsud)
Serves a small crowd

thin lavash
mayonnaise
sea salt flakes
white sesame seeds
nigella seeds
paprika powder

Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on the lavash, sprinkle with seeds, salt flakes and paprika powder. Using your kitchen scissors, cut the lavash into bite-sized pieces.
Place on a large baking sheet and bake in a pre-heated 200 C/400 F oven until the lavash pieces are crisp and golden on edges. Keep an eye on the crackers, as they can burn easily!

Meatloaf-beetloaf

Time for another beetroot recipe, don't you think?

Here's a nifty way to make your everyday meatloaf slightly more interesting, colourful and flavourful - by adding some grated cooked beetroot. The resulting "beetloaf" doesn't just have an amazing colour, but it's also lovely and moist. I like to serve this with a cold tartar-style sauce, and some mashed potatoes.

Meatloaf with beets
(Peedi-hakklihavorm)
Serves six to eight

500 g mince (I used a mixture of 70% beef and 30% pork)
400 g cooked beetroot, grated
2 finely chopped onions
100 ml (6-7 Tbsp) dried breadcrumbs
1 large egg
some freshly grated nutmeg
salt and black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, mixing until you've got a uniform mince mixture.
Take a large loaf pan and brush it with melted butter or oil. Transfer the mince mixture into the loaf tin, smooth the top.
Bake in a pre-heated 200 C / 400 F oven until it's cooked through and lovely golden on top.

Kurzeme stroganoff (Latvian pork stroganoff recipe)

Latvians, our southern neighbours, celebrate the 92nd anniversary of an independent Latvian Republic today. I thought it's a great opportunity to blog about one of the best-know Latvian dishes (at least here in Estonia) - a pork stroganoff that gets its name from historical Courland region. While boeuf stroganoff is a dark beef stew, then Kurzeme stroganoff is pale (colour-wise, not taste-wise) and just as delicious, if not as sophisticated.

Excellent autumn and winter dish that's best served with fried or mashed potatoes.

Kurzeme stroganoff
(Kurzeme strooganov)
Serves 4 to 5

400-500 g pork, cut into this strips (stir-fry pieces are excellent)
1 large onion, chopped
50 g smoked bacon, cut into small pieces
1 pickled cucumber
1 Tbsp plain flour
a cup or a-cup-and-a-half of hot beef stock
100 g sour cream or creme fraiche
salt and black pepper

fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

On a hot pan, fry the bacon until golden, then add the onion and pork and fry until the meat changes colour (remember, Kurzeme stroganoff is a light sauce, so there's no need to achieve a perfect Maillard reaction here and brown the meat all over).
Stir in the flour, cook for a minute or two, then add the hot stock. Simmer on moderate heat until the meat is cooked (the cooking time depends on the cut you use - pork loin cooks very quickly, obviously).
Cut the cucumber into thin strips, add to the sauce along with the sour cream. Simmer for another minute or two, then season to taste and serve.