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Category: Family Recipes

Russian cutletts

It’s not meatballs, not burgers, not meatloaf. These crispy and fluffy meat pillows are called cutletts in Russian.

The ingredients, the proportions and even directions vary wildly, I don’t think I ever made 2 identical batches. You can mix and match the meats – beef, pork, lamb, veal, chicken, turkey. The best result is usually with the combination of beef and pork, or beef and lamb, even a sausage without casing can be added to juice up beef. To make them fluffy you can add breadcrumbs or stale bread soaked in milk or water, number of eggs can be different. Adding fried onion instead of raw is always better. Different herbs, spices, condiments you put inside may turn your cutletts to different directions – make them Italian, Spanish, Moroccan, or Asian oriented, it’s your choice.

For the best result you can grind your ingredients yourself using meat grinder, not blender, it doesn’t have to be pureed. But using ground meat is absolutely fine, the rest of the ingredients can be finely chopped or ground with a box grinder.

Ingredients:

  • Ground beef (plus pork or lamb) 1 + 1 lbs
  • Onion 1 medium or half of a big onion (can be red or white)
  • 3 Eggs
  • Breadcrumbs or bread soaked in milk – 2-3 tbsp
  • Very important secret ingredient I learned from my aunt – small piece of a tart apple (granny smith), can be replace with the small piece of cabbage, or zucchini. You will not feel it there, but it makes the cutlets juicy.
  • Salt 1 tsp, be careful with the salt if you put any sauce inside.
  • Pepper 1/2 tsp

Directions (with ground meats):

  • In a big bowl
  • Grind or finely chop onion
  • Grind a piece of apple
  • Put ground meats
  • Add eggs, breadcrumbs,
  • Add a dash of Worcestershire sauce and/or a tablespoon of any barbeque sauce or a teaspoon of any condiment you like
  • About a teaspoon of salt, half a teaspoon of pepper, fresh thyme
  • Mix everything to combine with your hand
  • Shape your cutlets (these amounts made 8-9 cutlets)
  • Heat a pan with some neutral oil
  • Fry the cutlets on both sides on a medium high heat in batches about 3-4 minutes per side
  • Put all cutlets back to the pan, sprinkle with lots of chopped parsley/cilantro/dill or other herbs
  • Finish in the 325 F oven or cover with a lid and turn the heat to very low for 15-20 minutes
  • Serve warm or hot with any side of your choice – mashed potatoes, pasta, rice, green salad.

Birds Milk Cake

Ingredients (all should be in a room temperature):

  • 5 eggs
  • 1/2 + 1 cup of sugar
  • 12 tbsp of butter
  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
  • 1tbsp of gelatin
  • 1/2 cup of water
  • 2 oz of dark chocolate

Directions:

Separate whites and yolks of 5 eggs

For the batter:

  • Beat yolks with 1/2 cup of sugar in a stand mixer or hand mixer.
  • Add 8 tbsp of room temperature butter
  • Sift 3/4 cup of flours with 1/2 tsp of soda.
  • Add flour + soda to the yolk and butter, mix the batter,
  • Place into 8 ” foil form greased with vegetable oil,
  • Put into a preheated to 375 degrees Fahrenheit oven for 25-30 min.
  • Let the crust cool.

For the topping:

  • Mix 1 tbsp gelatin with 1/2 cup of water, heat it till gelatin dissolves.
  • Place 5 whites into the bowl of the electrical mixer, add 1/2 tsp cream of tartar and start beating on high speed for about 2 minutes.
  • Add 1 cup (or a little less) of sugar, keep beating for another minute.
  • Add gelatin mixture slowly and beat till firm glossy peaks.
  • Assemble the cake: Decorate the crust with berries, slices of mandarins.
  • Place the whites mixture on top, shape the cake.
  • Put in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
  • Make the chocolate glaze by melting 2 tbsp of butter with 2 oz of dark chocolate on low heat.
  • Gently spoon the glaze over the cake, decorate with mint and berries and put it back in the fridge.

Serve cold.

Самый простой и вкусный рецепт торта Птичье Молоко

Ингредиенты:

  • 5 яиц
  • 1/2 + 1 ст. сахара
  • 100 + 50 гр. сливочного масла
  • 1/2 ч.ложки соды 3/4 ст муки
  • 1 ст. ложка желатина
  • 1/2 стакана воды
  • 50 гр тёмного шоколада

  • Отделите белки от желтков
  • Взбейте желтки с половиной стaкана cахара в стационарном миксере или ручным миксером.
  • Добавьте 100 грамм мягкого сливочного масла
  • Просейте муку с содой , смешайте с желтками.
  • Мягкое тесто положите в смазанную растительным маслом форму и поместите в разогретую до 180 духовку на 25-30 минут
  • Корж остудите.
  • Растворите 1 ст ложку желатина в 1/2 стакана воды на медленном огне.
  • Взбейте белки с лимонной кислотой 2 минуты
  • Добавьте сахар, продолжайте взбивать еще минуту.
  • Постепенно добавьте желатин, продолжая взбивать до получения густой, блестящей массы.
  • Выложите белковую массу на корж украшеный ягодами, и/или дольками мандарина.
  • Торт поставьте в холодильник на 30 минут.
  • Растопите 50 граммов масла + 50 грамм тёмного шоколада на медленном огне.
  • Залейте торт шоколадной глазурью. Украсьте мятой и свежими ягодами.

Подавать холодным.

Pumpkin cookies – soft, delicious, super easy to make.

And good for you! They are nice to have for breakfast with coffee, and they can be a light Thanksgiving dessert.

All done in one big bowl, just make sure it’s big enough. The recipe is for 32-34 cookies, depending on the size you make them.

Ingredients:

  • Unsalted Butter (room temperature) – 1 stick (1/2 cup)
  • Margarine (room temperature) – 1 stick (1/2 cup) or replace it with another stick of butter
  • Granulated sugar – 1/2 cup
  • Brown sugar – 1/2 cup
  • 1 egg
  • All-purpose flour – 2 cups
  • Quick or old fashion oats – 2 cups
  • Baking soda – 2 tsp
  • Ground cinnamon – 2 tsp
  • 1/2 tsp of salt
  • Solid pack Pumpkin – 1 can (16 oz)
  • Pecans, walnuts, cranberries (optional)
  • I try to add several pieces of roasted butternut squash or pumpkin, it’s roasted with salt and sage, but adds a lot to the flavor – 1/2 cup.

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 350 °F
  • Cream butter & margarine using hand mixer or a whisker
  • Gradually add sugar, continue creaming
  • Add an egg, salt, soda, vanilla, cinnamon, beat all together
  • Gradually add flour and oats, alternating with the pumpkin, mixing well to combine
  • Add your garnish of choice (pecans, walnuts, cranberries, raisins)
  • Spoon the dough onto the baking sheet covered with parchment paper
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes till golden and still a little soft to the touch
  • Sprinkle with confection sugar

Enjoy!

Blended Ratatoulle (икра)

Just cook your ratatouille the way you usually do (or as I suggest below) and after it’s cooked and chilled (at least a little) – put it all in a blender and puree. It creates a very delicious, creamy, and versatile vegetable dip, which you can spice to your liking and serve warm right away, room temperature or cold, and can be a sauce or a side for any fish, chicken or meat. I can eat it with a spoon, but if you put that spoon on a slice of good rye bread – it’s hard to stop.

  • Start with roasting onions (and you don’t have to chop them too fine as it will all be blended) on medium high heat.
  • When onions turn golden – add eggplant as they cook the longest
  • Once eggplant gets some golden crust – add chopped zucchini
  • When zucchini softens add garlic and chili pepper (optional)
  • Add chopped tomatoes, you can also add tomato paste, herbs of your choice (thyme, oregano, parsley)
  • Mix everything, check for seasoning, cover the lid, reduce the heat and let it cook for about 15 min till all the vegetables are fully cooked
  • The vegetable size and proportions are very flexible, you can also saute every vegetable separately
  • You can add salt and pepper to every vegetable as you add it or season the whole pot when all the ingredients are in
  • Turn the heat off, let it cool (at least slightly), place in a blender or food processor and puree. Check the dip for seasoning and adjust if needed.

Fish covered with carrots sofrito

Very easy way to transform somewhat plain boring white fish like cod or haddock into delicious colorful dish with a spice level adjustable to your taste. Served cold or room temperature, you can take it to work for lunch, serve at brunch buffet or as a dinner appetizer

Ingredients:

  • White fish (cod, haddock, flounder) – 2 lbs
  • Shallot (or small onion) – 1
  • Carrots – 1-1.5 lbs
  • Tomato sauce – 2 tbsp (you can use fresh a couple of tomatoes, ketchup, some spicy sauce you have or like, and or tomato paste)

Directions:

  • Place your fish into a casserole dish, sprinkle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper ( you can also sprinkle some lemon juice)
  • Bake in 375 °F oven for about 30 min till fully cooked.
  • Finely chop shallot (or onion), grind carrots (with manual grinder or in a food processor)
  • Add 3 tbsp light olive oil or some other neutral oil into a heavy pan
  • Start roasting shallot on a medium heat till it is translucent, then add shredded carrots. You might need to add some oil
  • Roast your vegetables till golden color, the add your tomatoes or tomato sauce/paste, season with salt, pepper, add some red pepper flakes if you want to make it spicy.
  • Reduce the heat to low, add 1 or 2 bay leaves, cover your pan with a lid and simmer till your sofrito is fully cooked and soft.
  • Split cooked fish into small pieces with a fork.
  • Load the sofrito on top of the fish, better to do it while it’s still hot or at least warm so that the taste of vegetables penetrates the fish
  • Sprinkle with good olive oil.
  • Let it cool down on counter top and put in the fridge for several hours. Sofrito will “marinate” the fish, adding it a color and spice
  • Serve cold.

Buckwheat

Buy roasted, but not too dark, I usually buy 2 cups packages that are sold in a Russian store, but you can find it in every health store now.

Ingredients:

  • Roasted buckwheat – 2 cups
  • Olive oil – 1 tbsp (optional)
  • Boiling water – 3 cups
  • Salt – 1 tbsp

Instructions:

  • Rinse and drain the grains
  • Place the grain into a heavy pan on a medium high
  • Add salt and olive oil (if you choose it)
  • Roast (dry) the grain, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes
  • Add boiling water, reduce the heat to very low, cover with a lid and let it sit for about 20-25 minutes.
  • Turn the heat off and let it rest for 5 -10 minutes.

The grain will absorb all the water and will be fully cooked.

If you want to add roasted vegetables you can do it by starting with roasting the vegetables, then adding the grains, roasting it all together, then pouring boiling water.

Or you can have the kasha ready and mix it with your choice of vegetables, source or gravy.

The best tuna salad

Ingredients:

  • Canned tuna – 1 can
  • Celery 2-3 stalks
  • Pickled cucumbers – 2- 3 (can be substituted with capers or olives)
  • Sweet pepper – 3-4 small ones
  • Green onions – 3

Optional:

  • Corn (canned or grilled)
  • Hard boiled eggs – 2
  • Cooked white rice 2 tbsp
  • Parsley

Dressing:

  • Extra virgin Olive oil – 1/4 cut
  • Lemon juice – 1tbsp
  • Grained dijon mustard – 1 tsp

Directions:

  • Mash tuna with a folk
  • Finely chop all the ingredients
  • Add dressing
  • Mix to combine

Serve cold or room temperature

Roasted Mushrooms and Egg Salad

This salad is a meal in itself – very rich, creamy and satisfying. Easy to pack, delicious to eat.

Ingredients:

  • Yellow onion – 1 medium
  • Shitake mushrooms – 8 ounces
  • Hard boiled eggs – 2
  • Manchego cheese 3/4 cup

Dressing:

You can use regular Mayonnaise or whisk together:

  • Olive oil – 3 tbsp
  • Mustard – 1 tsp o

Directions:

  • Slice onion thinly
  • Fry the onion in the light olive oil on medium heat for about 5-7 min or until golden brown, remove to a bowl
  • In the same skillet fry mushrooms till golden brown, add to the bowl with the fried onions
  • Using hand grinder grind hard boiled eggs and the cheese, add to fried mushrooms and onions.
  • Add your dressing, season with salt and pepper, mix to combine.

Olivier salad

Ingredients:

  • Chicken breasts 2 pieces
  • Boiled (or baked) potatoes – 4 medium size
  • Boiled (or baked) carrots – 4 small or medium
  • Hard boiled eggs – 3 large
  • Pickles – 5 medium size (the recipe is here, these are the best! )
  • Canned sweet peas (1 can) or frozen (3/4 of a cup) peas (blanched and cooled), adds more color to the salad
  • Some variations may include small apple and/or onion
  • Salt 1 tsp
  • Pepper 1/2 tsp

Dressing:

  • Mayonnaise 3 tbsp
  • Olive oil 3 tbsp
  • Mustard 1 tsp

Directions:

  • Finely(!) chop all the ingredients, it has to be really small cubes 1/4 inch, not exactly pea size, but close. It is important to have all the ingredients the same size, that’s part of what makes it so smooth. And probably the reason people did it on some occasions – chopping requires some time. But you can watch a movie or listen to a book chopping.
  • If you use canned peas – remove the water.
  • Season with salt and pepper, adjust to the taste
  • Add the dressing so that each little cube is lightly coated.
  • Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed

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