Extreme Cuisine

Super Delicious summer dishes.

The secret with the cabbage rolls is to carefuly prepare all the ingredients and to cook them at low temperature 
over a longer period of time.

Adding water when needed is important. I like them served with sour cream.

2 c Rice

3 c Water

2 t Salt

1 t Dill seed

1/2 t Marjoram

3/4 t Pepper

2 1/2 c Onion; Chopped

5 T Vegetable Oil

1/2 t Paprika

3 Garlic; Cloves, Minced

2 ea Eggs; Large, Slightly Beaten

1/4 c Bread Crumbs

1/2 c Parsley; Fresh, Minced

2 1/2 lb Cabbage

1 x Cheesecloth; About 6 ft.

2 1/2 c Tomatoes Chopped

1/2 c Vermouth; Dry

1/2 c Beef Broth

2 T Tomato Paste

1/2 t Sugar

In a large bowl cover rice with hot water and soak for 3 hours.
Drain.
In a 2-quart saucepan combine rice, 3 cups water, and 1 1/2 t salt.
Simmer covered for 40 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed.
Add the dill seed, marjoram, and 1/2 t pepper.
In a large skillet saute 1 1/2 cups chopped onion in 3 T hot vegetable oil until soft, about 6 to 8 minutes.
Add paprika and garlic, continue cooking and stirring for 2 minutes.
Stir in the rice mixture, eggs, bread crumbs, and parsley.
Adjust seasonings to taste.
In a large pot, blanch the cabbage cored-side-down in boiling salted water for 5 minutes or until it is softened.
Drain.
Remove 12 leaves and cut off one fourth of each leaf from the base. Arrange 1 leaf curved-side down on a square of dampened cheesecloth and place 3 T of rice mixture in the center.
Wrap the leaf around the filling and twist the corners of the cheesecloth to form the leaf into a roll.
Continue making rolls with remaining filling. Chop remaining cabbage to make 3 cups and, in a large frypan, saute with 1 cup chopped onions and 2 T vegetable oil until soft.
Add tomatoes, vermouth, broth, tomato paste, sugar, 1/2 t salt and 1/4 t pepper.
Simmer the mixture for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasonings.
Transfer cabbage-tomato sauce mixture to a large baking dish.
Arrange the cabbage rolls close together in one layer on the sauce.
Spoon some of the mixture over the rolls.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 3/4hours.
Baste rolls 4 to 5 times during cooking. Let the dish cool.
Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Remove cheesecloth.
Heat in preheated 370 degree oven for 30 minutes before serving.

Ukrainian Grated Potato Bake

A potato pudding that is tender and airy inside and crispy on the outside.
Serve with sour cream, sautéed onions, or lingonberry preserves.

1/4 pound sliced bacon, diced
2 large onions, finely chopped
3 pounds new potatoes, peeled
1 cup light cream or half-and-half
3 large egg yolks, slightly beaten
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 large egg whites
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

Sauté the bacon in a medium-size skillet over medium heat until it renders its fat.
Remove from the skillet and drain on paper towels.

Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the skillet.
Add the onions and sauté, stirring occasionally, over medium heat until deeply colored, about 15 minutes.
Remove from the heat and set aside.

Grate the potatoes coarsely by hand or in a food processor using a coarse grating blade.
Wash in several changes of water.
Squeeze the potatoes well in a clean linen or cotton kitchen towel to remove as much liquid as possible.
Rinse and squeeze again.

In a large bowl, thoroughly combine the potatoes, sautéed onions, bacon, cream, and egg yolks.
Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Beat the egg whites until stiff.
Gently fold into the potato mixture, using a rubber spatula.
Carefully transfer the mixture to a well-buttered round 10-inch baking dish or heavy oven proof skillet.
Dot the top with butter.

Bake until the top is browned and crispy and potatoes are tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Serves 6 to 8.

Pennsylvania Dutch Potato Salad

10 large potatoes, cooked and peeled
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup vinegar
3 eggs
2 tablespoons mustard

Be sure potatoes are cold before adding dressing.
Heat sugar, water, vinegar, eggs and mustard in a saucepan.

Mix about 3 tablespoons cornstarch in a little water.
Add some of the hot sauce to the cornstarch, then gradually add to the saucepan, stirring constantly.
Pour over cold potatoes and mix gently.
Refrigerate until serving time.

Russian Easter Bread (Kulich)

It is traditional to make the design XB meaning “Christ is risen” on top of each of these little towering loaves.

2 packages active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees F)
3/4 cup lukewarm milk (scalded, then cooled)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup cut-up mixed candied fruit
1/4 cup chopped blanched almonds
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
4 1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
Lemon Icing

Dissolve yeast in warm water in large bowl.
Stir in milk, sugar, salt, eggs, shortening, raisins, candied fruit, almonds, lemon peel and 3 cups of the flour.
Beat until smooth.
Stir in enough remaining flour to make dough easy and fast to handle.
Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.

Place in greased bowl; turn greased side up.
Cover; let rise in warm place until double, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.

Punch dough down; divide into halves.
Shape each half into round bun-shaped loaf.
Place in two well-greased 3-pound shortening cans.* Let rise until double, 40 to 50 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Place cans on low rack so that midpoint of each can is in center of oven.
Bake until tops are golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes.
If tops brown too quickly, cover loosely with aluminum foil.
Cool 10 minutes.

Remove from cans.
Spoon Lemon Icing over tops of warm bread, allowing some to drizzle down sides.
Trim with tiny decorating candies if desired.

* Two (46-ounce) juice cans can be substituted for the 3-pound shortening cans.

Lemon Icing
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon warm water
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Mix confectioners’ sugar, water and lemon juice until smooth. Icing should be of glaze consistency.
Add 1 to 2 teaspoons water if necessary.

Spinach and Yogurt Salad

You can make a meal of this by serving it with wedges of pita bread.

2 bunches spinach, well rinsed and stemmed
or 1 package pre-washed baby spinach
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3/4 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 teaspoon sugar
Salt and freshly-ground pepper

Steam the spinach until it is tender and bright green — about two minutes.
Drain, cool, and squeeze it to remove excess water.
Chop the spinach as finely as you can.

In a large bowl, combine it with the remaining ingredients.
Mix thoroughly.
Cover and refrigerate for one hour or more before serving.

Serves 4.

Russian Beet Soup (Borscht )

6 cups water
1/2 cup dried navy beans
1 pound beef boneless chuck, tip or
round, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 smoked pork hock
1 (10 1/2 ounce) can condensed beef broth
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
6 medium beets, cooked
2 medium onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 medium potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 cups shredded cabbage
2 teaspoons dill seed or 1 sprig dill weed
1 tablespoon pickling spice
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup dairy sour cream

Heat water and beans to boiling in Dutch oven; boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 1 hour.
Add beef, pork, beef broth, salt and pepper to beans.
Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer until beef is tender 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Shred beets or cut into 1/4-inch strips.

Remove pork from Dutch oven; cool slightly.
Remove pork from bone and trim fat; cut into bite-size pieces.
Add pork, beets, onions, garlic, potatoes and cabbage to beef mixture.
Tie dill seed and pickling spice in cheesecloth bag or place in tea ball; add to beef mixture.
Cover and simmer 2 hours.

Stir in vinegar; simmer 10 minutes.

Remove spice bag.

Serve with sour cream; sprinkle with minced dill weed, if desired.

Yields 6 servings.

Russian Black Bread

4 cups rye flour
2 cups whole bran cereal
2 envelopes dry yeast
2 tablespoons caraway seeds, crushed
2 teaspoons instant coffee
2 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 to 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
2 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup dark molasses
1 (1 ounce square) unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Lightly grease a large bowl and two 8-inch layer cake pans; set aside.

Combine first 8 ingredients in mixing bowl.

Combine 2 1/2 cups water, butter, vinegar, molasses and chocolate in 2-quart saucepan.
Place over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until chocolate is almost melted but mixture is still lukewarm.
Turn into mixing bowl and begin beating. Gradually add flour, 1/2 cup at a time, to make a soft dough and beat about 3 minutes.
Turn dough onto lightly floured board.
Cover with bowl and allow dough to rest 10 to 15 minutes.

Knead dough until smooth and elastic, about 10 to 15 minutes, adding additional flour as needed.
Place in greased bowl, turning to coat entire surface.
Cover with plastic wrap and hot, damp towel and leave in warm place until doubled in volume.

Punch dough down and turn onto lightly floured board.
Shape into 2 balls and place in prepared pans.
Cover with plastic wrap and leave in warm place until doubled.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Bake breads 40 minutes.

Combine water and cornstarch in saucepan and bring to boil over high heat; boil 1 minute.
Brush lightly over bread and return bread to oven for about 5 minutes, or until tops are glazed and loaves sound hollow when tapped.
Remove from pans and allow to cool on racks.