Slovenian Cucumber Gravy for Intuition, Emotional Processing, & Wealth | Sara's Kitchen Witchcraft
- Sara Raztresen
- Mar 25
- 4 min read
Another Balkan recipe for all your Lenten needs.
I'm all in, alright?
This Lent, we're making weird shit, AKA all the Balkan recipes of my childhood and my mom's childhood, to get through not only Lent, but the disaster that could potentially be the food situation one day. Today? Who knows. All I know is that my mom's (second) favorite thing to say is there'll be a day where you'll be lucky to have slop.
So here's another slop for those days you're feeling lucky!
And honestly, it's delicious. Before I knew absolutely anything about balanced nutrition, this was the goods: a big bowl of mashed potatoes with this savory, hearty cucumber gravy on top. Now that I do know more about nutrition, I popped some chicken sausage on that plate and called it perfectly balanced. However, no matter what, this is one of those foods that brings not only some nostalgia, but some great budget work, because the main thing you need to grab are just some cucumbers and potatoes. Everything else, you likely already have (onion, garlic, flour, maybe milk and butter or however you like to make your mash).
Magically, too, we're looking at a few key components: cucumber, potato, onion, garlic, and wheat (from the flour). All these things are great on their own, but all together, they make for a fantastic blend to get your comfort food jam on.
Magic in Slovenian Cucumber Gravy
One of the most iconic associations with cucumber is, naturally, water; the things are pretty much just water wrapped in a crunchy green film. With its connection to the moon, too, and its common appearance in stereotypical images of a spa day (you know the ones, with the face mask and the slices of cucumber on the eyelids), it's also a fantastic item to draw on for all things comfort, peace, healing, and relaxation. It's definitely a powerhouse for emotional regulation and processing in magic, as well as intuition—especially when paired with the grounded, stable, healing vibes of the potato (also associated with the moon, but also with earth instead of water).
With planetary influences like the Moon, but also Mars and Venus (thanks to the rest of our focus items), you got not only a great foundation to settle your mind and emotions, but also some balance between all things beautiful, fair, just, and ambitious. Combine that with earth, water, and fire, and you also have the energies that'll help you stand your ground, heal yourself, and spark that inner fire that'll help you keep pushing after you let all the hard feelings out.
Slovenian Cucumber Gravy
Prep time: 20-30min
Cook time: 60min
Makes 3-4 servings
Ingredients:
3 large cucumbers
4 medium to large potatoes
1 onion
4 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup flour
3/4 stick of butter
1/4 cup of milk
1/4 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
1/2 Tbsp black pepper
Water (as needed)
1/2 Tbsp Vegeta (or Mrs. Dash all purpose seasoning)
(Optional) 2 packs of chicken sausage
Directions:
Slice cucumbers thin, then set in a collander and salt well. Optional: splash some vinegar on them as well. Mix so salt covers them all and let sit for 20-30min.
Chop potatoes and boil until soft.
Dice onion and fry in a little olive oil or butter until translucent.
Mince garlic, then add to pan.
Add 1/4 stick of butter to onions, and when melted, slowly add in flower until all is incorporated.
Crush the rest of the water out of the cucumbers, then add to the pan. Add a little water at a time to the roux and vegetables until you have a loose gravy.
Add vegeta and pepper, stir, and let cook for 20min, stirring occasionally and adding more water if it gets too thick.
Add milk and the rest of the butter to your potatoes and mash, salting as necessary.
Add yogurt or sour cream to the gravy, mix well, and remove from the heat.
Serve by making a bed of mashed potatoes and smothering in cucumber gravy.
(Optional) if using chicken sausage, slice into medallions and fry until browned, then serve on top of the mashed potatoes and gravy.
I know it sounds a little insane, and a little light on the spices, but trust me when I tell you that... this is actually really good. Simple, hearty, comforting, and a great way to use up cucumbers or potatoes you have laying around, this meal is perfect for Lent or just for those nights you don't want to mess with a more complicated meal. Try it out!♥
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Sara Raztresen is a Slovene-American writer, screenwriter, and Christian witch. Her fantasy works draw heavily on the wisdom she gathers from her own personal and spiritual experience, and her spiritual practice borrows much of the whimsy and wonder that modern society has relegated to fairy-and-folktale. Her goal is to help people regain their spiritual footing and discover God through a new (yet old) lens of mysticism.
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