Extreme Cuisine

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.

Romovaya Baba (Rum Cake With Currants and Raisins)

Serves 10 to 12

2 packages active dry yeast
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 cup lukewarm milk (110 to 115 degrees F)
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
8 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 pound plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup dried currants (2 ounces)
1/4 cup sultana raisins (1 ounce)

In a small, shallow bowl, sprinkle the yeast and 1/2 teaspoon of sugar over 1/2 cup of lukewarm milk.
Let the mixture stand for 2 or 3 minutes, then stir to dissolve the yeast completely.
Set the bowl aside in a warm, draft-free place, such as an unlighted oven, for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the mixture doubled in volume.

In a deep mixing bowl, combine the remaining sugar with salt and flour.
Make a well in the center and pour in the yeast mixture.
Add the remaining milk, drop in the eggs and, with a large spoon stir the flour into the liquid ingredients.
Continue to stir until fairly stiff dough is formed.
Knead the dough by pulling it with your hands - as though are pulling taffy - for about 10 minutes, or until it is smooth and elastic.

Drape the bowl loosely with a kitchen towel and set it aside in the warm, draft-free place for 1 hour, or until the dough doubles in bulk.
Then punch it down and knead in 3/4 pound of the softened butter, a tablespoon or so at a time.
Knead in the currants and sultana raisins.

With a pastry brush, coat the inside of a 12-cup mold with the remaining 2 tablespoons of softened butter.
Pat the dough into the mold it should come about halfway up the sides.
Cover the mold loosely with a kitchen towel and set aside in a warm, draft-free place for about 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in volume and has risen almost to the top of the pan.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Bake the cake in the center of the oven for 10 minutes, then lower the heat to 350 degrees F and bake another 35 minutes.
Remove from the oven, drape a kitchen towel loosely over the top of the mold and let it rest for 5 minutes.
Run a knife around the inside of the mold and turn the cake out into a serving dish.
Then carefully turn the cake over on the plate.

Syrup
2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup dark rum

Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and, stirring constantly, bring to a boil over high heat.
Cook briskly for 5 minutes, undisturbed, until the mixture forms a syrup thick enough to coat a spoon lightly.
Pour the syrup into a bowl, then stir in the rum.

Icing (optional)
2 cups confectioners&acirc€™ sugar
1/4 cup cold water
3 teaspoons fresh, strained lemon juice

With a wooden spoon, mix together the sugar, water and lemon juice.
Slowly spoon the warm syrup over the warm cake.
With a large spoon, baste the cake every 10 minutes or so with the syrup collecting around the cake.
When all the syrup has been absorbed, you may ice the top of the cake with the white icing just before serving, if desired.

Russian Chicken Pie (Kurnik)

Pastry
2 cups water
1 cup uncooked regular rice
2 teaspoons instant chicken bouillon
2 large onions, thinly sliced
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 cup half-and-half
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 cup chicken broth
3 cups diced cooked chicken
2 tablespoons minced parsley
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon pepper
4 hardboiled eggs, peeled and
finely chopped
1 tablespoon minced dill weed
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon water

Prepare Pastry; wrap in plastic wrap.
Heat water, rice and bouillon to boiling, stirring once or twice; reduce heat.
Cover and simmer 14 minutes without lifting cover or stirring.

Remove from heat.
Fluff rice lightly with fork; cover and let steam 5 to 10 minutes.

Cook and stir onions and mushrooms in butter in skillet over medium heat until onions are light brown.
Mix half and half and cornstarch stir into onion mixture.
Stir in chicken broth.
Heat to boiling, stirring constantly; boil and stir 1 minute.
Stir in chicken, parsley, lemon juice, salt, nutmeg and pepper.
Mix chopped eggs and dill weed.

Spread one-third of the rice mixture in bottom of ungreased 12 x 7-inch baking dish.
Layer with half of the chicken mixture and half of the egg mixture.
Repeat the layers; top with remaining rice mixture.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Unwrap Pastry; place on well-floured cloth-covered board.
Roll into a 13 x 8-inch rectangle with floured stockinet-covered rolling pin.
Cut a 1-inch circle in center of pastry.
Place Pastry over top of dish turn edges under and flute.
Mix egg yolk and water; brush over pastry.
Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes.
Yields 8 servings.

Pastry
1/4 cup firm butter or margarine
1/4 cup shortening
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 to 4 tablespoons cold water

Cut butter and shortening into flour and salt until particles are the size of small peas.
Sprinkle in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans side of bowl.
Gather pastry into ball shape into flattened rectangle.

Noodle and Cheese Casserole
(Lazanki s Tvorogom i Smetanoi — Russia)
(Lokshyna, Zapechena z Syrom — Ukraine)

12 ounces fresh lasagna noodles
1 pound farmer cheese
1 cup dairy sour cream
4 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1 tablespoon butter or margarine

Cut lasagna noodles into diamond shapes, about 1 inch wide.
Cook noodles in 3 quarts boiling water until tender, about 3 minutes; drain.

Mix cheese, sour cream, egg yolks, salt and pepper in large bowl; gently stir in cooked noodles.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Grease 2-quart shallow casserole with 2 tablespoons butter; sprinkle with bread crumbs.
Pour noodle mixture into casserole dot with 1 tablespoon butter.
Bake uncovered until hot, 25 to 30 minutes.

Yields 6 servings.

Pelmeni (Russian Dumplings)

This is a traditional Russian dish that is made in many Kazakstani homes.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Garlic, to taste

To make the dough, combine the flour, eggs, water and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Knead mixture.
Let rest for 30 minutes.

Mix the ground beef, ground pork, onions, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper and garlic together.
Roll the dough into a thin layer and cut into small circles.
Place a small amount of meat in the center of each circle of dough.
Fold the edges of the dough over the meat to form a ravioli-shaped dumpling.
Boil the Pelmeni in salted water for seven minutes, or until they float to the surface.
Serve them in soup plates with sour cream or in broth.

Russian Apricot Pudding (Kissel)

2 cups water
1 cup dried apricot halves
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
Dash of salt

Heat water and apricots to boiling; reduce heat.
Cover and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes.
Place apricots and 1/2 cup cooking liquid in blender container; cover and purée until uniform consistency.
Press purÃ&copye through sieve.

Mix sugar, cornstarch and salt in saucepan; gradually stir in apricot pur&Atilde&copye and remaining cooking liquid.
Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly.
Boil and stir 1 minute.
Pour into dessert dishes.

Serve with half-and-half or sweetened whipped cream if desired. Yields 4 servings.

Khrustyky (Ukranian)

Source: Taste of Home - December/January 2002 - Field Editor Carol Funk

2 eggs
3 egg yolks
1 tablespoon whipping cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
Oil for deep-fat frying
Confectioners’ sugar

In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs, egg yolks, cream and vanilla extract.
Beat in sugar.

Combine flour and salt stir into the egg mixture just until smooth (dough will be soft).
Divided into four portions.

On a well-floured surface, roll out one portion to 1/8-inch thickness.
Cut into 1 1/2-inch strips; cut strips diagonally into three pieces.
Cut a 1 1/2-inch slit lengthwise into the center of each piece; pull one end of strip through slit to make a loop. Cover shaped pieces while rolling out and cutting the remaining dough.

In an electric skillet or deep-fat fryer, heat 2-3 inches of oil to 375 degrees F.
Fry pastries, a few at a time, until golden brown, turning once.
Drain on paper towels.
Dust with confectioners’ sugar while warm.

Yield: 1 1/2 dozen pastries

Prianiki with Honey and Spices

The prianik is the oldest of the Russian sweetmeats. Traditionally it is a small cake made with honey and spices (prianosti).
Prianiki can also be made with different flavors and resemble a slightly floury meringue.
If hot honey or syrup is used in the making, the dough should be left for an hour or two in the refrigerator before baking.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
10 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons honey
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon olive oil

Mix together oil and honey.
Beat eggs and sugar until white and fluffy.

Sift flour with baking powder and stir in the spices.
Gradually mix the spiced flour into the eggs and sugar and then add the honey.
The dough should be stiff but not dry.
Cool for 1 hour in the refrigerator.

Roll into small balls in the palms of your hands and place, well separated, on a greased baking sheet.
Bake in a preheated fairly hot oven for 20 minutes.
Spiced Prianiki are usually glazed while still hot by dipping into a syrup made with 8 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons water, into which is folded a stiffly beaten egg white.
Cool on a wire grill.

Shredded Cabbage Soup (S’chee)

2 medium onions, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons bacon fat, butter or margarine
2 (10 1/2 ounce) cans) condensed beef broth
2 broth cans water
1 small head green cabbage, coarsely shredded (5 cup)
2 medium carrots, sliced
2 medium potatoes, cubed
1 stalk celery, with leaves, sliced
2 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly-ground pepper
Dairy sour cream
Dill weed or parsley

Cook and stir onions in bacon fat in Dutch oven until tender. Add beef broth, water, cabbage, carrots, potatoes and celery.
Heat to boiling; reduce heat.
Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.

Stir in tomatoes, salt and pepper.
Simmer uncovered about 10 minutes.

Top each serving with sour cream.
Garnish with dill weed.

Makes 12 (3/4 cup) servings.

Chicken with Spicy Walnut Sauce (Satsivi — Russia)

The tart walnut sauce (Satsivi) is a traditional element of meat, fish or poultry dishes from the Georgian Republic.
Be careful that the juice does not spatter onto clothing, as it will stain.

6 large chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
3/4 cup unsweetened pomegranate juice
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Remove bones and skin from chicken breast halves.
Heat oil in skillet until hot.
Cook chicken over medium heat until brown on both sides, about 10 minutes.
Remove chicken.

Cook and stir onion in oil until tender.
Stir in remaining ingredients.
Add chicken.
Heat to boiling; reduce heat.
Cover and simmer until chicken is done, about 10 minutes.

Remove chicken to warm platter with slotted spoon; keep warm. Heat walnut mixture to boiling; reduce heat.
Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 5 minutes.
Spoon sauce over chicken.

Yields 6 servings.