Russian Salmon and Potato Salad

"This salmon salad is a very popular dish served at Russian gatherings and is usually the first one to disappear. It is easy to prepare and can be served at a picnic or as an appetizer."

Ingredients

• 2 eggs 
• 3 medium baking potatoes, peeled and cubed 
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 1 large onion, chopped 
• 1 (16 ounce) can salmon, drained 
• 1 cup mayonnaise, or as needed 
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, for garnish 

Directions

Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Cover and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, and peel.
While the eggs are cooking, place the potatoes in a saucepan with just enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until tender. Remove from heat, drain, and set aside.
Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions, and saute until lightly browned and translucent, about 10 minutes.
Flake salmon and spread it over the bottom of a glass baking dish or serving dish. Spread the sauteed onions over the salmon. Gently spread a little bit of the mayonnaise over the onion layer. Top with potatoes, and spread enough mayonnaise just to add moisture to the layer. Finally, slice the eggs, and cover the layer of potatoes. Spread mayonnaise over the eggs, and garnish with chopped parsley. If you wish, you can reserve some of the egg to chop and sprinkle over the top as well. Chill for 1 hour before serving.

Source:

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/60262/russian-salmon-and-potato-salad/?internalSource=staff%20pick&referringId=716&referringContentType=recipe%20hub

Knishes

"These small potato stuffed turnovers will have mouths watering before they're even out of the oven! My great grandmother brought this recipe all the way from Russia and it has been passed down 4 generations. The recipe is Jewish as was my great grandmother. She made them for Hanukkah, but being Christian we make them for Christmas dinner! Time consuming but SO worth it!"


Ingredients

• 5 pounds baking potatoes, peeled and cubed 
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil 
• 2 large onions, chopped 
• salt and pepper to taste 
• 2 eggs 
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil 
• 1 cup warm water 
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 5 cups all-purpose flour, or as needed 

Directions

Place potatoes into a pot with enough water to cover them. Bring to a boil, and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, or until tender. Drain and set aside if onions are not yet ready.
While the potatoes are boiling, heat 1/2 cup of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, and cook until soft and translucent. Mix the onions and their oil into the potatoes, and mash until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside while you make the dough.
In a large bowl, mix together eggs, 1/2 cup of oil, warm water and 1 teaspoon of salt. Gradually mix in flour until the dough is stiff enough to remove from the bowl and knead. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead for about 5 minutes. Let rest for a few minutes to relax the dough.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a cookie sheet.
Cut off a piece of dough about the size of an egg. Roll the dough out into a long narrow strip about 3 inches wide. Spread the potato mixture over the dough leaving a 1 inch strip along one of the long sides. Roll the dough around the filling towards the exposed strip, and gently press to seal. If you've done this step correctly, the dough will be shaped like a snake filled with potato filling. Repeat the process with remaining dough and filling.
Place the potato filled rolls onto the prepared cookie sheet, and cut into 1 inch pieces using a pizza cutter.
Bake for 30 to 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until nicely browned.

Source:

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/53645/knishes/?internalSource=rotd&referringId=716&referringContentType=recipe%20hub

Traditional Russian Pirozhki

"I'm Russian, and this recipe has been handed down from my grandma. They taste delicious, and are a great comfort food (or any other food)."

Ingredients

• 2 cups milk, warmed 
• 1 tablespoon white sugar 
• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast 
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted 
• 1 egg 
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 6 cups all-purpose flour 
• 1 tablespoon butter 
• 1/2 medium head cabbage, finely chopped 
• 6 hard-cooked eggs, chopped 
• salt and pepper to taste 

Directions


Place 1/2 cup milk in a cup or small bowl. Stir in sugar and sprinkle yeast over the top. Set aside until foamy, about 10 minutes. Pour the remaining milk into a large bowl.
Add the melted butter, egg, salt and 1 cup of flour to the large bowl with the milk. Stir in the yeast mixture. Mix in flour 1 cup at a time until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and doesn't stick to your hands. Cover the bowl loosely and set in a warm place to rise for about 1 hour. Dough should almost triple in size.
While you wait for the dough to rise, melt the remaining butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add cabbage and cook, stirring frequently, until cabbage has wilted. Mix in the eggs and season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally until cabbage is tender. Set this aside for the filling.
Place the risen dough onto a floured surface and gently form into a long snake about 2 inches wide. Cut into 1 inch pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Flatten the balls by hand until they are 4 to 5 inches across. Place a spoonful of the cabbage filling in the center and fold in half to enclose. Pinch the edges together to seal in the filling.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line one or two baking sheets with aluminum foil. Place the pirozhki onto the baking sheet, leaving room between them for them to grow.
Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.

Source:

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/140517/traditional-russian-pirozhki/?internalSource=staff%20pick&referringId=716&referringContentType=recipe%20hub

Vareniky

"Vareniky are like big ravioli with different fillings (meat, potato, berries, fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, etc.) This recipe for vareniky is stuffed with a potato and mushroom filling. Serve them with butter and chopped parsley, fried onions, pork cracklings, or sour cream and fresh dill."

Ingredients

For the Dough: 

• 1 1/2 cups milk 
• 2 tablespoons sunflower seed oil 
• 1 egg yolk 
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 

For the Filling: 

• 3 1/2 ounces dried porcini mushrooms 
• 1/2 cup hot water 
• 1 pound potatoes, peeled 
• 2 onions, chopped 
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 
• salt and pepper to taste 

To Cook Vareniky: 

• 1 gallon water 
• 1 tablespoon salt 

Directions

To mix the dough, combine the milk, sunflower oil, egg yolk, flour, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl. You can use an electric mixer or knead the dough by hand until it forms a smooth, stiff dough. Shape the dough into a log, wrap it in plastic wrap, and set aside.
Soak the dried porcini in 1/2 cup hot water for 45 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the potatoes in boiling salted water to cover until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and allow to steam dry for a minute or two.
Chop the rehydrated mushrooms, reserving the soaking liquid. Mash the potatoes, adding the mushroom-soaking liquid to moisten.
Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the chopped onions; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chopped mushrooms.
Mix the mashed potatoes, onions, and mushrooms; season with salt and pepper to taste. Set the filling aside while you roll out the vareniky dough.
Cut the dough into discs about 3/8 inch thick and 2 inches wide (1 cm thick and 5 cm in diameter). Flatten or roll each disc on a lightly floured surface to make a thin circle. Drop the filling by tablespoonfuls into the center of each vareniky; fold the dough in half and pinch the edge to seal. Repeat until all of the dumplings are filled.
Bring the gallon of water and tablespoon of salt to a boil in a large pot. Add the vareniky to the boiling water and stir once, gently. Simmer until all of the dumplings have floated to the surface, about 10 to 15 minutes. Drain well before serving.

Source:

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/213129/vareniky/?internalSource=staff%20pick&referringId=716&referringContentType=recipe%20hub

Borscht with Meat

"I like to simmer the beef and bacon for up to 6 hours, then let sit overnight in the broth to cool. Skim the excess fat and cut the meats into bite-size pieces. Re-heat, adding the beets, cabbage, onions, leeks, and sausage. I don't think that the carrots are necessary or add anything to the recipe. I've added several varieties of sausage to give added flavors but the milder Polish sausages seem to go better with the soft and sweet flavors of the beets. Serve with fresh bread."

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds beets, boiled and grated 
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 
• 1 teaspoon white sugar 
• 1 pound lean beef chuck 
• 2 quarts water 
• 1/2 pound bacon 
• 1 tablespoon salt 
• 8 whole black peppercorns 
• 6 sprigs fresh parsley 
• 2 teaspoons dried marjoram 
• 2 teaspoons dill seed 
• 1 pound shredded cabbage 
• 2 leeks, sliced 
• 1 cup chopped onion 
• 1 carrot, grated 
• 2 pounds Polish sausage 
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill weed 

Directions

Combine 1/2 cup of the beets, the vinegar, and sugar in a small bowl; refrigerate, covered, overnight. Refrigerate remaining beets.
Place beef, water, bacon, salt, peppercorns, parsley sprigs, marjoram, and dill seeds (or basil leaves) in Dutch oven. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat, simmer, partially covered, over medium heat until beef is tender (about 2 hours).
Discard parsley sprigs. Add 3 cups beets, the cabbage, leeks, onions, carrot, and sausage; simmer, covered, over low heat 30 minutes.
To serve, remove beef, bacon, and sausage; cut into 2-inch pieces. Return meats and reserved beet mixture to Dutch oven. Sprinkle with snipped dill. Pass sour cream.


Source:

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/12945/borscht-with-meat/?internalSource=staff%20pick&referringId=716&referringContentType=recipe%20hub

Russian Beet Salad with Herring

"This salad is commonly known in Russia as a 'Herring under the Winter Coat Salad.' It is a must for every Russian holiday, however, you have to have a taste for herring and beets. Every Russian craves this salad, but my American hubby doesn't care for it. I use a clear bowl for this salad so that you could see all ingredients in it. "


Ingredients

• 3 whole russet potatoes 
• 2 large carrots, peeled 
• 2 beets, washed with tops and bottoms removed 
• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped 
• 1 (12 ounce) jar herring fillets, packed in oil 
• 6 tablespoons mayonnaise 
• salt and ground black pepper to taste 

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the potatoes, carrots, and beets in the boiling water until cooked but still firm, 15 to 20 minutes for the potatoes, 25 to 30 minutes for the carrots, and 40 minutes for the beets. Allow each to cool to the touch before further handling. Remove and discard the skins from the potatoes and beets. Shred the potatoes, carrots, and beets, keeping them separate.
Arrange about half the onion and half the herring fillets in a layer in the bottom of a bowl. Cover the layer with about half of the grated potatoes, then a layer of about half the carrot, and finally about half the beet. Spread about 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise over the salad; season with salt and pepper. Repeat the layers in the same order to finish building the salad. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator at least 1 hour. Serve cold.


Source:

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/213107/russian-beet-salad-with-herring/?internalSource=staff%20pick&referringId=716&referringContentType=recipe%20hub

Beef Stroganoff

"I have been making this recipe for over 20 years. This can be served over either rice or noodles. A little work but worth the effort."

Ingredients

• 2 pounds beef chuck roast 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 
• 4 ounces butter 
• 4 green onions, sliced (white parts only) 
• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour 
• 1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed beef broth 
• 1 teaspoon prepared mustard 
• 1 (6 ounce) can sliced mushrooms, drained 
• 1/3 cup sour cream 
• 1/3 cup white wine 
• salt to taste 
• ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Remove any fat and gristle from the roast and cut into strips 1/2 inch thick by 2 inches long. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of both salt and pepper.
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and brown the beef strips quickly, then push the beef strips off to one side. Add the onions and cook slowly for 3 to 5 minutes, then push to the side with the beef strips.
Stir the flour into the juices on the empty side of the pan. Pour in beef broth and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Lower the heat and stir in mustard. Cover and simmer for 1 hour or until the meat is tender.
Five minutes before serving, stir in the mushrooms, sour cream, and white wine. Heat briefly then salt and pepper to taste.

Tip

Aluminum foil can be used to keep food moist, cook it evenly, and make clean-up easier.

Source:

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/25202/beef-stroganoff-iii/?internalSource=recipe%20hub&referringId=716&referringContentType=recipe%20hub