Lukanka
Flat, dark-red lukanka from Panagyurishte and Smilyan hangs in every Bulgarian delicatessen, sliced paper-thin for a meze plate with white cheese, tomato and cucumber. The traditional sausage is pork and beef with cumin, black pepper and salt, pressed flat and dry-cured for weeks in cold mountain air, which needs curing salts and controlled humidity and temperature to be safe, so it is not for a home kitchen. This home version keeps the flavour and flat shape but is fully cooked: the mix rests overnight in the fridge, is poached in pork casings to 71 °C, then pressed and chilled so it slices cold. Bought dry-cured lukanka is raw cured meat: not for pregnant women, young children or anyone with a weakened immune system. The usual slip is letting the meat warm up, which smears the fat, so keep everything fridge-cold. Chef's tip: fry a teaspoon of the mix and taste it for salt and cumin before you stuff.



