Favorite Russian Holiday Recipes

I learned to make all of these recipes between the ages of 13 and 17 and I still love every one of them. My Russian teacher was from the Ukraine and described many dishes to us. She taught us some of her favorite recipes and sponsored a banquet in which we all brought our favorites from the list. It was a very good time and I saw and tasted many foods I had never seen before, including caviar. To my taste buds, black caviar reminded me of aluminum foil! - But, red caviar is delicious to me today. None of the recipes below contain caviar, but they are all delicious. Enjoy!

SALAT

[Potato-Vegetable Salad]

4-6 Servings

• 1 Large potato
• 1 Large carrot
• 2 hard-boiled eggs
• 1 Large cucumber
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 2 - 3 cloves of garlic
• 8 oz. frozen peas
• 8 oz. canned black olives, small and pitted, or sliced in the can.
• 2/3 cup beef stew meat [chicken for special occasions]
• 3 Tablespoons of mayonnaise
• Salt to taste
• White or black pepper to taste

• Boil the potato and carrot in the skins, remove from heat when fork-tender and cool and peel.
• Cut potato, carrot, cucumber, eggs, beef, and onion into small cubes.
• Chop garlic fine or make a paste on your cutting board with the side of your chef knife blade by smacking it.
• Mix vegetables and all else together.
• Add peas and olives. Stir together with the mayonnaise.

MEAT PANCAKES

Pancakes

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/4 teaspoon of sugar
• 1/4 oz. yeast
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 1 Large egg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm milk and 1/4 teaspoon of sugar. Let sit till bubbles appear (about 15 minutes).
• Add warm milk to make 1 cup and mix in 3/4 cup of flour (half of it).
• Wrap the dough in a floured kitchen towel, replace in bowl and put in a warm place, uncovered, and let rise to three times its size..
• After the dough is risen, add remaining milk and flour, salt, egg, and butter.
• Wrap sough in a towel again and let rise 1-3 hours until doubled.
• Preheat a frying pan at medium-high heat and then brush the pan with oil.
• Make the first pancake and place on a warm platter, brush the upper side with butter and cover with a lid.
• Repeat until batter dough is gone.

Meat Filling

• 3-4 skinless/boneless chicken breasts [for holidays - delicious!] or 1/2 lbs beef
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed
• 1/4 teaspoon curry powder
• Salt to taste

• Bake or roast chicken or beef.
• Dice the meat.
• Chop onion fine and saute in peanut oil.
• Add chopped meat and spices to the pan and keep warm on low setting .

Serving - Place a pancake on a plate, place 2 Tablespoons or small scoop filling on the pancake and fold it over. Top with sour cream and dill weed.

KOLACHI

[I adore the yellow dough and the sweet fillings of this one]

Serves 12

• 4 cups flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup warm water
• 2 packages dry yeast

• Cream sugar, shortening, salt, and eggs.

• Dissolve yeast in water and add to creamed mixture.
• Add 1 1/2 cups of flour to yeast mixture.
• Beat on low speed with electric mixer.
• Stir in remaining flour completely until smooth and a ball is formed. Dough will be yellow because of the eggs.
• Let rise in warm place for 1 -2 hours until double.
• Stir dough well and turn out onto floured board and roll into a rectangle. Place filling at one and roll to other end, not too tight. Place on greased baking sheet and let rise 30 minutes, then brush top with sugar water solution.
• Bake at 375 degrees (350 if using a glass baking dish) for 30 minutes or until brown .
• Brush with melted butter and dust lightly with confectioners' sugar.

Raisin Nut Filling

• Chop 2 1./2 pounds shelled walnuts
• 1 lb raisins, regular or golden
• Use a large bowl and mix nuts and raisins with your hands:
• Add 16oz jar of honey and 2 cups sugar and mix with a mixing spoon

Prune/Apricot Filling

Use 1 cup of prunes and 3/4 cup dried apricots - add water to cover and simmer for 30 minutes til tender. Drain water; chop fruit, add 1/4 tsp. allspice; 1/2 cup sugar; 1 tbsp. lemon juice; 1 tbsp. lemon zest. Mix well.

BOILED PIROGYI

[These are a lot like dim sum sausage pockets]

• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp water

• Mix flour and salt.
• Combine egg yolks and water, mix with a fork and stir into dry ingredients.
• With oiled hands, knead dough until elastic.
• Let dough rest 45 minutes.
• Roll dough out into a thin sheet,.
• Cut out rounds with a drinking glass or a cookie cutter.
• In center of each round place a teaspoon of filling.

Filling

• 1 lb ground chuck
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 Tbsp cold water
• 1 teaspoon butter
• Salt and pepper to taste

• Combine ingredients and mix with clean hands.
• Place filling in center of each dough cutout, fold over and pinch edges together.
• Place half-moons on cookie sheet and cover with a towel while making more until filling is gone.
• Drop into boiling salted water and simmer for 6-7 minutes until they float to the top.
• Remove with slotted spoon and serve with sour cream and butter.