TRADITIONAL UKRAINIAN CUISINE....ENJOY..
HOLUPKIS (Cabbage Rolls)
Compiled 8/93 with Mom in Georgia's Real Kitchen!!
Ingredients:
1 lg. head cabbage (core, parboil & separate leaves)
2# ground beef
1 egg
1 c. Long grain rice (cook as directed, set aside)
1 large onion, 1/2 green pepper, 3 stalks celery with leaves, 1 large carrot (all chopped)
1 can tomato juice
Garlic salt (my addition)
Pepper
Saute' all chopped vegetables in melted margarine (or oleo as Mom said) until tender. (Mom also would saute' in bacon grease or salt pork if it was available because of the gooooooood flavor.) Mix ground beef, cooked rice, egg, and vegetables together with 1 tsp. Black pepper and 1 l/2 tsp. Garlic salt and combine everything until mixed well.
In the bottom of a 6 - 8 quart dutch oven, place a few cabbage leaves and cut off the veins from each cabbage leaf and place those on the bottom (waste not...want not)... Take each leaf and put 1 or 2 heaping tablespoons (depending on leaf size) of mixture and roll leaf up and tuck in the ends...Place side by side in pan and then layer as needed. Pour tomato juice over top. Place any remaining cabbage leaves on top to keep holupki from burning. Cover with lid and place in 350 degree oven for 1 and 1/2 hours..Lower heat to 300 degrees and bake an additional 2 - 3 hours. Make sure cabbage is tender. Cover and let sit in oven even an hour after it is turned off. The next day they are even better......Enjoy!!
PYROHIS (Varenyky)
(Potato,Onion and Cheese-filled Dumplings)
Filling ingredients:
10 to 12 medium potatoes (peeled and cubed)
1/2 pound grated medium or Colby cheddar cheese
4 medium onions ( chopped)
1# stick margarine
Garlic and salt and coarse black pepper
Dough ingredients:
5 - 7 cups all purpose flour
2 eggs
Salt
water (as needed)
Prepare potatoes as you would for mashed potatoes until tender and then drain and keep in the pot. At the same time the potatoes are cooking, saute' the onions in the entire pound of margarine. When the onions are done, using a slotted spoon, scoop out about 3/4 of the onions and put into the pot of potaotes. You will be saving almost all the margarine for the end of the recipe with a little bit of the onions. Also add the shredded cheddar cheese to the potatoes. Then using an electric mixer, mash the potato mixture until as smooth as possible. It will be lumpy somewhat with the onions in it. At that time, add garlic and salt and pepper to your own taste and mix until done. Set aside to cool while you work on the dough.
In a large bowl, put about 6 cups of flour in making a well in the middle. In the well, put in one tsp. Salt, both eggs ( already slightly beaten), and about one cup of water. Mix well with a strong wooden spoon and add water or flour as needed until the dough is formed. When it's almost ready it will no longer stick to the sides of the bowl. Place the dough on a well-floured surface and knead it until it is smooth and shiny. Use flour as needed, but not too stiff. Set aside and let the dough rest.
Fill a large 6 -8 quart pot with water, add a tsp. Of salt, and bring the water to rolling boil.
The process of the making the pyrohis is easy but it is a long one. Extra hands are always welcome in making this delicious meal.....
On one side of your table, place a clean sheet folded to fit your space and flour this very well. It will be the place you will set your pyrohis between the making and actual boiling of them. If your surface is not floured, they will stick and fall apart in the boiling process.
Cut off about 1/3 of the dough and rolls with a rolling pin until thin (not too thing). Cut circles with a round bisquit cutter or a glass. Keep hands floured so the dough doesn't stick and stretch out dough a little a a time until there is enough space to put the potato mixture in. With a teaspoon, fill the center of the dough with the potato mixture and fold the dough over and pinch the edges tight with floured fingers to form a crescent. Put the completed pyrohi on your well-floured sheet and continue the process until all your pyrohi are done. If the water is boiling too much, turn down until you are ready to boil them.
Now the actual cooking starts. Put about a dozen of the pyrohi in the boiling water and stir once easily to loosen them. Now let them boil until they float to the top of the pot and let them boil for another minute or so. Remove them one at a time with a large slotted spoon and put them into a colander to drain. Use a large cake pan or a roaster pan and drizzle the bottom with the extra onion margarine. Place the drained pyrohi in the pan and cover them with a little margarine
mixture and shake the pan back and forth to keep the pyrohis from sticking to each other. Repeat the process until all the pyrohi are done. Kep the large pan or roaster in the oven only on warm and cover them with foil or lid to keep them from drying out.
Any extra dough?? Roll out thin on the floured surface and cut into strips, boil, drain and use for buttered noodles or holushki (Sauteed cabbage and noodles.)
I guarantee...if you take the time to make these babies....your family will LOVE them....and you will have tasted two of the best of the Ukrainian cuisine around!!!! MMM-MMM Dobreeeeee (Good).
UKRAINIAN BORSCHT (Beet Soup)
Now don't turn your nose up to this one yet!!! It's a wonderful Ukrainian recipe that my mother used to make.. I have made it too, but not for a while. I love the flavor of the tartness and also the creaminess that the sour cream adds.. Very unique..but dobreee (GOOD)!
Ingredients:
1 1/2 to 2 pounds beef, cut into small pieces
8 to 10 cups water
Beets, a bunch (usually 5 to 6), pared and cut into thin slices, quartered..,
Don't forget the chopped green leaves, too!
2 medium onions, chopped
3 large carrots, pared and chopped
16 oz. sour cream
Vinegar
Salt
Black ground coarse pepper
In a 6 to 8 quart stock pot, place the beef and add enough oil to coat the pan. Begin to brown the meat and continue to add a little water at a time so the meat doesn't burn or stick. This do for about 30 minutes and keep a close eye on it. Now add the water to this along with the about 2 teaspoons of salt and bring to a boil. Then turn down the heat to medium and cover and let simmer for another 30 minutes.
Add all the vegetables, stir and cover again and let cook for AT LEAST an hour. At this time, add the amount of black pepper you like and taste and see if more salt is needed. Cover, and let simmer for one more hour so all the flavors can come together.
REMEMBER.. the key to soup making .. is cooking slllllllllooooooooooowwwww and lllllllllloooonnnnngggg.
Now the finishing touches before serving. Take the sour cream and add slowly to the soup, stirring and mixing it up so there are no clumps. Let it melt into the broth. Then, a nice, quick dash of vinegar and stir. Taste it and see if more salt and/or vinegar is needed or desired.
I guarantee you've never tasted anything quite like this. Serve with warm French bread or some crusty or chewy. Mom would've had dark rye with carraway seeds with it. Yummy!!!
MUSHROOM SAUCE (Ukrainian style)
My mother called this sauce or gravy..'zapryshka' I think!
My mother would always make this yummy gravy/sauce and put them over pyrohis or mashed potatoes. I know you'll really like it..
Ingredients:
1 pound fresh mushrooms, rinsed and sliced
2 medium onions, chopped
1 stick margarine
All purpose flour
Water
Garlic Salt
Ground coarse black pepper
Melt the margarine in a frying pan and add the onions and mushrooms to saute'. Remove onions and mushrooms with slotted spoon and allow the margarine to darken a bit (nice and brown ...don't burn!). Add to this about three to four heaping tablespoons of flour and with a fork begin mixing and stirring it...getting the floured mixture a beautiful, rich brown color. To this, slowly pour in the water with one hand and keep stirring with a whisk to keep the lumps from forming until you have a nice medium thick sauce. Turn down the heat and add the sauteed onions and mushrooms. Also add garlic salt and black pepper to taste and stir occasionally to blend the vegetables and sauce together. Lower the temperature to warm and cover until needed. You may need to add more water and stir before serving. This is a wonderful addition to any meal. But DO try this over pyrohis too. I guarantee you'll love the flavor!
MOM'S SMUCHNA KAPUSTA(Tasty Saurkraut)
Ingredients:
32 oz. bag of saurkraut
1/2 # bacon
2 med. onions, chopped
2 or 3 tbsp. flour
Black pepper
Garlic salt
Put saurkraut into a large pot. Add water to cover the saurkraut and cook at medium to medium high for 1 to 1 and 1/2 hours.
While the saurkraut is cooking, saute' in a large frying pan the bacon until crisp. Drain off some of the fat and break up the bacon into small pieces and set aside. Add chopped onions and saute' until a nice and browned (not burnt). Add about 2 or 3 tablespoons flour into frying pan and let it coat the onions. Add the bacon pieces and begin cooking at a medium heat and keep stirring as the mixture begins to brown well.
Dip out hot liquid from the saurkraut and put into the onion mixture. With a fork or whisk...keep moving and stirring the mixture as it begins to thicken..if it thickens too much......add a little liquid at a time until it has a nice gravy consistency..... When the saurkraut is completely cooked...drain out all the rest of the liquid. Add the bacon, onion mixture to the saurkraut in the pot and stir to mix...Add black pepper to taste. See if the mixture is salty enough...if not, add some garlic salt to it for flavor. Taste again and see. Turn heat down to warm and cover and ENJOY....Smuchna like Mama used to make!!!
HOLUSHKI (Noodles With Cabbage)
Usually made with leftover pyrohi dough..
Ingredients:
8 to 16 oz. wide noodles
1 small head cabbage
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 stick margarine
Cook noodles (don't overcook) and set aside to cool in colander. Cut up cabbage into edible size pieces. In a large frying pan, add margarine, onions, and cut up cabbage on medium heat. Cover and let cook and steam until the cabbage is getting limp. Add a little water if there is not enough liquid coming from the cabbage..you don't want this to stick and scorch.
When the cabbage is limp, add the cooked, cooled noodles to it and toss lightly to mix. Add to this garlic salt and pepper to taste that suits you.
This is a wonderful side dish and very filling. I hope you enjoy it....
TRADITIONAL EASTER PASKA (My Grama Markiw's)
1 tsp. Sugar
8 - 12 eggs (beaten)
1 c. Lukewarm water
1/3 c. Sugar
3 pkgs. Dry yeast
1/2 c. Melted maragarine
3 c. Scalded milk (lukewarm)
1 Tbsp. Salt
5 c. Flour
9 to 10 c. Flour
Dissolve sugar in lukewarm water and sprinkle yeast over it. Let stand 10 minutes. Combine softened yeast with lukewarm milk and 5 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Cover and let rise in
warm places until light and bubbly.
Add beaten eggs, sugar, melted margarine and salt and mix thoroughly. Stir in enough flour to make neither too soft nor too stiff. Knead until it doesn't stick to hand. Turn on floured board and knead until smooth and satiny. Place in greased bowl, cover and let rise in warm place until double (until 2 hrs.) Punch down and let rise again. Makes 4 or 5 small round paskas. Let rise in pans until almost double. (Don't over raise) Brush with beaten egg with a little water. Bake 400 degrees - 15 minutes. Then lower to 350 degrees for about 40 minutes or until nicely brown.
Decorate tops with cross or braids.. Note: I use a few drops yellow food coloring to make it look nice.
NUT ROLLS AKA KOLACHI(my mom's)
5 c. Flour
1/2 c. Margarine
1/2 c. Crisco
1/2 c. Sugar
1/2 tsp. Vanilla
1/2 tsp. Salt
3 eggs
1 pkg. Dry yeast
1 c. Warm evaporated milk
Cut in flour, sugar, salt, margarine, and shortening as for pie crust. Dissolve yeast in warm milk. Beat eggs and mix with milk and yeast. Add vanilla. Add to flour mixture and knead as bread dough.
Cover
bowl and let rise 1 hour. Cut in 6 portions. Roll out on lightly floured board, spread filling
lightly and roll. Put on greased cookie sheet, prick with fork and brush with milk and sprinkle sugar. Bake 350 degrees - 40 minutes.
Filling:
1# chopped walnuts
1 c. Sugar (half brown, half white)
1/2 stick melted margarine
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Vanilla
Add milk to make it spread easily.
You can use poppy seed, apricot or any filling.
?YAYECHNYK? (Custard for Easter Mom made)
1 quart whole milk
1 dozen eggs
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. Vanilla
2 tsp. Cinnamon
Beat the eggs separately until mixed well. Heat milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon and mix well on stove. Keep stirring until the mixture starts to bubble and boil and curdle. (Be careful it does not scald and stick to bottom..turn down heat if it begins to). When it starts to separate, the curdled part will become thicker and the rest will be very watery. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
Use cheesecloth, or dishtowel, some cloth that is very porous and liquid can come through.. Put this on top of your strainer or colander and fit into bottom..Carefully pour custard mixture into the cloth and strainer and allow to sit until almost all visible liquid has gone through... When the mixture is completely cooled, gather the cloth together and twist and squeeze out ALL excess liquid..repeat until there is practically nothing coming out. Keep twisted and very tight and put it on a plate with a very heavy weight on top to keep it flat and formed into a ball shaped. If there is still a lot of liquid, squeeze again.. Place on plate again with weight and put into refrigerator until cold and formed.
Carefully untwist and remove the 'yayechnyk' and turn over onto a clean plate and slice and serve cold. Always was served on Easter day. Christos Voskres!!! (Christ is Risen in Ukrainian)
DOBREEEEE!!!! (Good)
BEETS AND HORSERADISH
A very traditional side dish to any Easter meal is the beets and horseradish. It's a type of relish and can be eaten plain... or on a fresh ham sandwich with paska for an Easter night treat. It's nice and zippy, but delicious. This is how I make it.
Ingredients:
1 15 oz. can small whole beets, drained
(side note.. save the beet juice to make colorful pickled eggs.)
1 5 oz. jar of Prepared Horseradish
(found in your dairy section usually on the top shelf)
The Prepared Horseradish already has vinegar and salt added, but you may want a litte more. It's really up to you.
Either grate the drained beets by hand on a grater into a medium sized bowl or gently pulse the beets in a food processor. Add the prepared horseradish to this and mix well. Taste and see if this is the flavor you like. If you want it a little more tart or salty, you may add a little more vinegar or salt. I, myself, think that this is sufficient. Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours. I think the longer it sits, the better it tastes.
ANN'S (My mom) FAMOUS CHEESE CAKE
Ingredients:
2# Cottage Cheese
1 small can crushed pineapple (drained)
2 eggs
1 can evaporated milk
2 Tbsp. flour
1/2 c. sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 # margarine
3/4 box graham crackers
Roll graham crackers fine and mix with melted margarine. Press all but 1/2 cup mixture into a 9 x 13 pan.
Put cottage cheese into a food processor to smooth out and mix in remaining ingredients. It will be a little thin looking. Pour into the pan on top of crumb base and sprinkle remaining crumb mixture on top.
Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until set.. (put in a knife to see if it comes out clean).
I guarantee that this will be a cake you will enjoy and make over and over again.
GRANDMA MARKIW'S POPPY SEED CAKE
Ingredients:
3/4 c. poppy seed (soak overnight)
3/4 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 c. butter
1 1/4 c. sugar
2 c. flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
4 egg whites
Pour boiling water over poppy seed and drain over a fine sieve. Cover with the milk and soak overnight.
Cream the butter; add sugar gradually and beat until light. Sitr in the vanilla and poppy seed. Beat well. Add the flour gradually to the first mixture, stirring until well blended. Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold into batter. Spoon into a buttered cake pan.
Bake in a moderate over at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until done when tested. Remove from pan and place on a cake rack to cool. Ice with a favorite chocolate icing.
GRANDMA MARKIW'S CRUELLERS
Ingredients:
4 c. flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbsp. melted margarine
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. milk
Mix together all dry ingredients. Mix sugar, eggs, vanilla and melted margarine. Add to the dry ingredients, alternating with milk, making a soft dough. Do not knead. Roll out a little at a time and pinch off and deep fry. Drain with paper towel and roll in powdered sugar.
These recipes are found in my book listed below and are copyrighted. They made be used for personal use but not for duplication in any other publications.
|
