Claire
Master Chef
The reason some of us are joking about the spelling of potica is because it doesn't sound like that at all. PO-TEETS-SA. I haven't made it in years, but since others have posted recipes, I won't. I've only made the walnut version (the stuffing made from ground walnuts, butter, and if I remember right, brown sugar) but the poppy seed version is also done. THe main thing is that the pastry is a yeast bread dough, and stretching it is a chore.
For the cucumber and shrimp salad I do not have a recipe. I slice the cukes very thinly, then make a vinegar-y dressing. As opposed to your normal vinegrette of 2/3 oil, 1/3 vinegar, I do the opposite. I use regular vegetable oil, because I'm going to do this in advance, and olive will coagulate in the fridge, and too many are allergic to peanut. Oh, several (not a lot) sliced mushrooms. A pinch or two of dill. Then at the last minute I take some shrimp (when I was a kid we lived in places where Mom used small, canned shrimp. Here I can buy very good quality frozen, cooked shrimp ready to go) and toss them in at the last minute. Each guest gets 3 or 4 shrimp depending upon size. This is so simple to do, and for some reason it impresses people. Haha.
For the cucumber and shrimp salad I do not have a recipe. I slice the cukes very thinly, then make a vinegar-y dressing. As opposed to your normal vinegrette of 2/3 oil, 1/3 vinegar, I do the opposite. I use regular vegetable oil, because I'm going to do this in advance, and olive will coagulate in the fridge, and too many are allergic to peanut. Oh, several (not a lot) sliced mushrooms. A pinch or two of dill. Then at the last minute I take some shrimp (when I was a kid we lived in places where Mom used small, canned shrimp. Here I can buy very good quality frozen, cooked shrimp ready to go) and toss them in at the last minute. Each guest gets 3 or 4 shrimp depending upon size. This is so simple to do, and for some reason it impresses people. Haha.
