Buckwheat Kasha With Mushrooms – Гречневая Каша с Грибами

Kasha is a backbone of Russian cuisine. Although kasha is porridge made from all kinds of grains, one of the most common kashas is grechnevaya kasha – buckwheat kasha. In fact, Russia is the #1 producer of buckwheat. There is an old Russian proverb that states “Каша – матушка наша, а хлебец ржаной – отец наш родной” – (Kasha is our mother, bread is our father).

Kasha is very filling and nutritious. During the long, harsh Russian winters, kasha was served in many different ways. This recipe is a very classic preparation. Russians ate a lot of salt pork and mushrooms to make up for the lack of fresh meat. Many dishes incorporated these two ingredients. Savory, flavorful and so delicious, this kasha will satisfy our modern tastebuds just as it did our ancestors.

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 1 oz dry mushrooms
• 3-4 strips of bacon, sliced into small portions (lardons)
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1½ cups buckwheat
• 2¾ cups boiling water
• Salt

Instructions

On a dry skillet over medium heat, roast the buckwheat until it's a golden brown color.
Re-hydrate the mushrooms by placing in a bowl and covering with hot water.Let it stand for about ten minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium pot, cook bacon over medium heat until golden brown and crispy. Transfer with a slotted spoon to drain on a paper towel.
Pour out all the bacon grease, except 1 Tablespoon and cook the onion, seasoning with salt, in the same pot, over medium heat 5-8 min, covered, until soft and beginning to brown.
Drain, rinse and chop the mushrooms.
Add the butter, mushrooms and buckwheat. Roast for 2-4 min, until the buckwheat is aromatic.
Pour in the boiling water, bring to a boil, season with salt, reduce the heat to low and cook for about 30 min, until the buckwheat has cooked through.
Add the bacon to the kasha when adding the water or stir it in when the kasha is cooked.
Add a slab of butter to the warm kasha when serving.

Source:

http://www.olgasflavorfactory.com/ontheside/side-dishes/buckwheat-kasha-with-mushrooms/

Potato Pancakes With Meat Filling – Картофельные Блины с Мясом / Драники

I confess. Potato pancakes are my weakness. No matter how many different types of food that I cook and love, potato pancakes still remain my favorite. My Mom would make these on Saturday mornings, and I can still picture her standing next to the stove, making batch after batch as we all sat around the kitchen table, smacking our lips as we forked down the golden and crispy potato cakes. Some of us had them with sour cream, others with just a bit of butter. I can never decide which I prefer, usually indulging in both. You can make the potato pancakes without the meat (you’ll have double the amount of pancakes), and that’s what I usually do, but adding meat will ensure a hearty meal with protein. (Besides, my husband likes to have meat with every meal, so I kind of have to if I make these if I’m serving them for dinner. He claims that if there is no meat, he will be hungry again in half and hour.) These are definitely worth any of the effort that goes into making these.

Serves: 14-16 pancakes

Ingredients

Potato Pancakes:

• 2½ lbs Yukon Gold potatoes (about 6 large)
• 1 egg
• 2 Tablespoons flour
• 2 Tablespoons sour cream
• 1 small onion or half of a large onion
• ¾ tsp salt
• ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Meat Filling:

• ½ lb ground pork, or any other ground meat that you like
• 1 very small onion
• ¼ tsp salt
• ⅛ tsp ground black pepper
• 2 Tablespoons water

Instructions

Grate the potatoes on the finest grater or puree in a food processor.
Using a sieve, drain grated potatoes separating the liquid from the starch. Discard the liquid.
Add the grated potatoes to the bowl with the starch.
Grate the onion on the finest grater also.
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl.
Meanwhile, mix the meat filling ingredients together and set aside.
Heat about 1 Tablespoon of oil in a non stick skillet over medium heat.
Using a large spoon, portion out four pancakes.
Shape 1-2 Tablespoons of meat filling into a patty and place on top of the pancake.
Cover the meat with more potato mixture.
Cook until golden on both sides.

Source:

http://www.olgasflavorfactory.com/appetizers/potato-pancakes-with-meat-filling/

Belarussian Potato Babka – Белорусская Картофельная Бабка

I love recipes that feature my Belarussian roots. I can still remember watching my grandmothers make potato babka and climbing up on the chair behind the kitchen table to enjoy this potato goodness. I have come to find out that my husband, also with strong Belarussian roots, grew up eating this too. My uncle Leonid reminded me of this great recipe and I decided to make it. It turned out even better than I remembered and I wondered why I hadn’t made it sooner. It’s very similar in taste to Potato Pancakes, but cooked in a different way. The potatoes are creamy on the inside and crunchy on the outside. Using raw grated potatoes makes the texture so unique. Enjoy with a bit of sour cream and some fresh minced herbs.

Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients: 

• 2 lbs yukon gold potatoes
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper
• 2 Tbsp sour cream
• 2-4 strips of bacon, cut into lardons (small pieces)
• 1 onion, minced

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Cook the bacon on medium heat until crispy and golden. Drain on a paper towel. Drain most of the bacon grease off, leaving about 1 1/2 Tablespoons and cook the onion, seasoned with salt, until tender and slightly golden. Meanwhile, peel and grate the potatoes on the finest grating surface of a box grater, or use a food processor. If you’re using a food processor, be careful not to over process the potatoes, it should still have some texture to it, and not be slushy. Drain most of the liquid from the potatoes by setting it in a strainer. You don’t have to press all the juices out of it, just lightly drain. Add egg, sour cream, salt, pepper and the onions and bacon. Butter 4 (4 oz) ramekins and fill each with the potato mixture. You can also use a 1 quart baking dish. Bake for 20-30 minutes. If the potatoes are cooked through but not golden on top, you can lightly butter the top of the potatoes and broil for 2-4 minutes. Serve with sour cream and freshly minced herbs, such as green onions and dill.

Other variations: You can grate a small onion on the finest surface of a box grater instead of sauteeing/caramelizing it. You can also brown some minced pork meat, or even beef or chicken(don’t use breast though). Layer half of the potato mixture, without the bacon and using grated onion, into the baking dish, spread the browned meat and top with the remaining potato mixture. Bake. You can also use browned sausage meat or goulash as the filling. If using this as the main course, not as a side dish, double the recipe.

Source:

http://www.olgasflavorfactory.com/main-course/belarussian-potato-babka/

Peppers With Potato Stuffing (Фаршированный Перец с Картошкой)

Peppers are colorful and pretty and are the perfect vessel to hold other food. It becomes a tasty plate for this food. I love all kinds of vegetables and its such a gift to enjoy the great abundance of them when they are in season. These stuffed peppers are a combination of gargen bounty. How gorgeous are these?

I think it’s a shame to bury all this healthy goodness and make it heavy and calorie-laden when it’s not necessary. I was determined to make these peppers full of flavor, feel luscious and creamy but at the same time keep as much nutritious value as possible. I definitely didn’t want limp peppers, watery potatoes with an overall bland taste. So, with a few magic touches and pulling a few tricks from up my sleeve, I think I reached that balance.

To prevent the peppers and potatoes from becoming watery and soggy, I precooked them, so they are still crisp and bright, but mostly cooked through, before I finished baking them in the oven. Since both peppers and potatoes exude a lot of liquid while they are cooking, that got rid of this problem.  Parboiling the peppers took out their crunch but kept their beautiful color with just the perfect texture. When I precooked the potatoes, instead of using cream, globs of cheese and butter, I used only enough butter to cook the onions and garlic and simmered the potatoes in part chicken broth and part milk. This also gave so much flavor to the potatoes. Using Yukon Gold potatoes helped to keep a crisper testure, since russetts have too much starch and would fall apart much quicker.  I got just enough starch from the cooking potatoes to create a luscious, creamy texture. To boost the flavor of the potato stuffing, I then added fresh chives, parsley, sun dried tomatoes and just a touch or Parmesan cheese, which has so much flavor, but much less calories when compared to most other cheeses. I again restrained myself from pouring on tons of cheese on top of all this goodness, sprinkling a modest amount. I was able to get away with using only 1/2 a cup of cheese for 8 servings!  I think it tastes better this way anyway.

Healthy food should taste so good, you feel great eating it but it tastes so delicious, you don’t even realize it’s healthy:). Yep, with some moderation, a few little  smart substitutions, and a little kitchen know-how, you’ve got a healthy meal that isn’t disappointing, but absolutely satisfying.

Ingredients:

• 4 medium bell peppers
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 Tablespoon butter or olive oil
• 8 medium potatoes (6 1/2 – 7 cups when chopped)
• 2-4 thyme springs
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 2 Tablespoons sun dried tomatoes packed in oil, minced
• 1-2 Tablespoons chives and parsley, minced, each
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup mozzarella
• salt, pepper, Montreal chicken seasoning

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place a large pot of water to boil. While you’re waiting for the water, prep the ingredients. Cut the peppers in half. Take out the seeds and the ribs. You can use a small paring knife or even a spoon to scoop everything out.
Season the water generously with salt and when it boils, add the peppers and cook for 3-5 minutes, just until the peppers start to soften. Take out of the water and place on a towel to drain. Peel the potatoes and finely chop into about 1/4 inch pieces. If your peppers are on the larger size, you’ll need about 7 cups of potatoes, it the peppers are medium, 6-6 1/2 cups will be enough. In a large nonstick skillet, melt the butter over medium high heat, add the onion, and cook for about 5 minutes, until the onions are tender and beginning to golden. You can use oil instead of butter, but I like the taste of butter better. Add the garlic, and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the potatoes, thyme, season with salt, pepper and Montreal chicken seasoning. Add the chicken broth and milk. The liquid should barely cover the potatoes. You only need enough to simmer the potatoes.
If, while you’re cooking the potatoes, you think there isn’t enough liquid, as in, the potatoes are burning:), you can always add a little bit more milk or broth.
Cover the potatoes and simmer for 15-20 minutes. The potatoes should be softened, but still firm, you don’t want them to become mashed potatoes.
Dry the tomatoes on a paper towel and mince. For this recipe, you only want the clean taste of tomatoes, not the oil and herbs that they were packed in. Mince the herbs and grate the parmesan cheese. Mix it all with the potatoes. Place the peppers in a 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Fill the peppers with the potato stuffing. Top with the mozarella cheese. You can use any cheese that you like, Monterey jack, Swiss, Cheddar, Provolone, etc. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-35 minutes.

Source:

http://www.olgasflavorfactory.com/ontheside/side-dishes/peppers-with-potato-stuffing/

Potato Pampushki With Cheese Filling – Картофельные Пампушки с Творожной Начинкой

Reviving leftovers is a skill and an art worthy of attention. I don’t know about you, but most dishes, with some exceptions of course, are not very exciting to eat the next day.  It is such an accomplishment when you can bring something to the dinner table that nobody could ever guess was a re-created leftover and looks elegant and tastes amazing.

Pampushki are starchy little morsels usually served with soup, such as Borsch. Most of the time, pampushki are yeast rolls, often drizzled with butter and garlic. I’ll share a recipe with you another time.

These pampushki are made with potatoes. There are so many different variations of potato cakes. The unique touch about these pampushki is that they are made with a combination of mashed potatoes and shredded raw potatoes. They are creamy, but at the same time have some crunch to them from the raw potato. Golden and crisp on the outside, they contain a smooth, cheesy filling, made from farmer’s cheese, parmesan and chives. You can use just about any filling that you like, caramelized onions and bacon, meat, mushrooms, roasted veggies, smoked salmon, etc.

Serves: 16 pampushki

Ingredients

• 2½ cups mashed potatoes
• 1½ lbs of potatoes, about 4 medium-sized (preferably Yukon Gold)
• salt, pepper
• ½ cup farmer's cheese or ricotta
• ⅛ cup parmesan cheese, grated
• chives, minced
• 2-4 Tablespoons heavy cream
• oil, for pan frying

Instructions

Peel potatoes and grate on a box grater. Squeeze out all moisture by placing the potatoes in a cheesecloth or kitchen towel and squeeze out all excess moisture.
Combine the grated potatoes with the mashed potatoes. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper. You can also add caramelized onions to the potato mixture for added flavor. Set aside.
In another bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients for the cheese filling.
Take about a ¼ cup of potato mixture and form into a patty. Place about a 1½ teaspoon of the cheese filling and place into the center of the patty. Fold the potato mixture over the cheese filling, shaping it into an oval shape.
In a nonstick skillet, heat about 2 Tablespoons of oil and add the pampushki. Cook the potato pampushki on medium heat, about 5-7 minutes per side, until golden brown.
Drain the potato pampushki on paper towels. The potato pampuski are delicious with Borsch:). You can even make them half as small and serve as cute little appetizers.

Source:

http://www.olgasflavorfactory.com/appetizers/potato-pampushki-with-cheese-filling/

Russian Mushroom Barley Soup (Грибной Суп с Перловкой)

In the crisp, sunny autumn days, the forests of Russiaare full of people perusing the wooded floor for mushrooms. Mushroom foraging is almost a sport for Slavic people. For centuries, mushrooms have been a really substantial part of the diet, during the long winter months. Since the winter is so long and the warm weather doesn’t last very long, the meat supply was pretty scarce and had to be supplemented by mushrooms, which are hearty, savory and a perfect substitute.

When we still lived in Belarus, we would get together in groups and make our way to the forest with pails. Usually right after a few rainy days, the mushrooms were especially plentiful. We rustled though the leaves and pine needles, adding one mushroom after another to our pails, breathing in the pine-scented fresh air. I loved the comraderie of these expeditions – talking, laughing, and exchanging stories. We would come back home satisfied, rosy-cheeked and hungry. We would put a large pot of potatoes to cook and serve it up with bacon and onions. The star of the meal would be mushrooms, of course. Simply sautéed with the bacon and onions, or with sour cream, mushrooms are so scrumptious.

We would marinate and dry the mushrooms to enjoy throughout the cold, winter months. Mushroom soup was a favorite. I make it with all kinds of mushrooms, basically, whatever happens to be available.

Chanterelles are my favorite. In Russian, they are called lisichki, little foxes, or chanterelles in English. I love the texture, they are meaty, hearty and extremely delicious. In a light broth and with chunks of potatoes, creamy barley, onions and garnished with a bit of crispy bacon and fresh herbs, this soup is elegant and at the same time reminds me of those days in Grandma’s kitchen, where I ate it after a day in the forest.

*We always had an expert who knew exactly which mushrooms were good and which ones to steer clear of. Don’t pick mushrooms if you don’t have the needed knowledge. Some mushrooms are poisonous, so your best bet is to buy them in the grocery store.

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• ¼ cup barley, pearled
• 8 cups water
• 2-3 potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 3-4 strips bacon
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 8 oz mushrooms, chanterelles (or any other)
• salt, pepper
• fresh herbs (dill, chives, etc), minced

Instructions

Rinse the barley. Place the water and barley into a medium pot. Season with salt, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes.
Add the potatoes and continue cooking at a simmer until the potatoes are tender.
Meanwhile, cut the bacon into small pieces, lardons. Cook on medium heat in a skillet until crisp. Drain on a paper towel.
Pour out all but about 1 Tablespoon of the bacon grease. You can pour it all out and add about 1 Tablespoon of butter to the skillet. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and cook on high heat. The mushrooms will exude a lot of liquid, keep cooking on high heat until all the liquid evaporates and the mushrooms are golden.
Add the onions, season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking on medium heat until the onions are tender and just beginning to turn golden.
Add to the soup and continue cooking until the potatoes are tender. Garnish with the bacon and fresh dill and chives. Serve with sour cream.

Source:

http://www.olgasflavorfactory.com/soups/russian-mushroom-barley-soup/

Pelmeni – Пельмени

Pelmeni are a staple in Russian cuisine. Almost every country has a dumpling filled with meat in its repertoire – pierogi, ravioli, tortellini, wontons, etc. The dumplings with meat filling are tiny morsels that are a perfect mouthful. We usually make a HUGE batch and store them in the freezer to have on hand for a quick dinner option. In Russia, one of the most famous types of pelmeni are the Siberian pelmeni. It is said that the women would make large amounts of pelmeni and take them outside in the winter, where they would freeze quickly and be stored for many warm dinners in the cozy izba (cabin). Usually, they are boiled in water, but they can also be sauteed in a small amout of butter or oil. Traditionally, the dough is made from water, flour, egg and salt and the filling is ground meat, salt, pepper and onions. Although I love this version and it’s the one I grew up eating and making with my Mama, I am offering another version that you may like to try.

The dough is an absolute dream to work with. I don’t even use any extra flour to roll it out, it doesn’t stick to my hands and is soft and pliable. The texture of the pelmeni is very tender too. For the filling, I borrowed a technique from the Chinese potstickers by adding very finely shredded napa cabbage. This cabbage is much softer than the regular cabbage, which ensures that it will cook through and since it tastes much more mild, the cabbage doesn’t overwhelm the flavor of the meat filling. The addition of the cabbage makes the filling extremely soft and juicy, not balled up into a hard, dense knob in the center of the dough. This recipe will give you 150-200 pelmeni. You can easily halve it and make less. With a little butter and sour cream, this is the ultimate comfort food for many Russians.

Serves: 150-200 pelmeni

Ingredients

Dough:

2 cups of water
2 sticks of butter
1 tsp of salt
2 eggs
6 cups of flour

Meat Filling:

2½ lbs of ground meat, I prefer pork
2 onions, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1½ Tablespoons butter
1 head napa cabbage, finely chopped (about 4 cups)
2½ teaspoons salt
2 teaspoon pepper
6 Tablespoons of water

Instructions

Pelmeni Dough:

In a medium pot, bring the water and butter to a boil.
Add the salt and two cups of flour all at once.
Mix vigorously with a wooden spoon.
Take off the heat, cool slightly and add the eggs.
Add the remaining four cups of flour.
Mix until combined.
Cover, and set aside, letting the dough rest for about 20 minutes.

Meat Filling:

Melt butter in a skillet. Add the onions and cook for about 5-7 min, until tender and starting to turn slightly golden.
Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
Add to the ground meat.
Add the cabbage. It should be cut very finely.
Add the salt, pepper and water and mix to combine.

Assembling the Pelmeni:

Roll out the dough into a thin sheet.
Cut out 3 inch circles, using a biscuit cutter or a cup.
Place 1 heaping Tablespoon of meat in the center. Fold it in half.
Pinch the edges together, making sure not to have any air remain.
Take hold of the corners and pinch them together.

Freezer Storage:

Sprinkle flour on a wooden board and arrange pelmeni in a single layer on top of the flour.
Place in the freezer for 20-30 min, until the pelmeni are hard.
Transfer the pelmeni in a ziptop bag and store in the freezer.

To cook:

Add 1 bay leaf, 3-5 peppercorns to a pot of water. Season with salt and bring to a boil.
Add the pelmeni, (no need to thaw) and cook just until the pelmeni float to the top, about 5 min. Make sure not to overcook them.
Serve with butter, sour cream, vinegar, fresh herbs, etc.

Source:

http://www.olgasflavorfactory.com/appetizers/pelmeni/