An Eastern European Menu

The CIA World Factbook considers Eastern Europe as the easternmost part, including the southeast portion, of the continent of Europe. Parts of the former USSR were nations now considered to be in Eastern Europe (see map to the right). In addition, the westernmost portion of Russia is considered by some to be "European Russia" as opposed to "Eastern" or "Asian Russia."

What is pertinent to this Hub is that we can see patterns of similar World Cuisines and recipes extend form Slovenia all the way to Ukraine and parts of Russia. Decorated, intricately patterned Easter Eggs are one of those trends that can be traced, each country a bit different in its egg art form, until we reach Russia and solid red eggs died with the skins of red onions.

You may find variations of the recipes below all across the region, and I hope you enjoy them all.

Makes 14 – 18 servings
INGREDIENTS

DRESSING:

• 1 Cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 Cup white wine vinegar or just white viengar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tsp grated lemon peel
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp prepared mustard
• 1/2 tsp salt

OTHER:

• 4 Cups cooked long grain rice, 2 Cups cooked wild rice, and 2 Cups cooked Buckwheat
• 2 Cups peeled and seeded diced cucumbers
• 2/3 Cup sliced scallions
• 1/4 Cup minced parsley
• 1 Tbsp basil
• 1/2 tsp pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

• In a pickle jar with a lid, pour all of the first seven ingredients and shake to mix.
• In a large serving bowl, place all of the cooked granes and mix together well.
• Pour the dressing over the grains, toss, cove, and chill overnight.
• The bext day, put in the cucumbers, scallions, parsley, basil, and pepper, and toss.
• Chill an additional 2 hours and serve.

INGREDIENTS

• One frying chicken, quartered
• 1 Large rib of celery,chopped coarse
• 1 Carrot, chopped coarse
• 1 Tbsp chopped parsley
• 2 oz of anykind of mushrooms, chopped coarse
• 2 Tbsp softened Butter and 2 Tbsp All-purpose flour for a roux
• 1/2 Cup dry white wine
• 2 Egg yolks, beaten (save whites for another dish)
• Salt and pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

• In a large soup pot, place the chicken, celery, carrot, parsley, and mushrooms.
• Add salt and pepper, cover, and simmer for sixty miunutes.
• In a small pan, mix together the butter and flour and cook together to form a roux to a medium golden color. Don't let it set over the heat too long or it will darken quickly and burn ebfore you know it. 
• Remove the chicken from the soup pot and sit it on a heated platter; thicken the pan juices with the roux.
• Add the wine and bring the sauce to a simmer and then immediately remove the pan from the heat
• To the beaten egg yolks add 1/2 cup of the pan sauce you have made, stirring all the time to prvent curdling into lumps.
• Fold the sauce you now have in yoru hand into the sauce in the pot, and put the chicken back in.
• Atse and reseason with salt and pepper, then turn the burner down to low and heat the dish through slowly, being careful still not to curdle the eggs. Don’t let simmering bubbles begin to form.
• Remove from heat and serve wit the grain salad from the recipe above.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped coarse
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 Tbsp milk
• 5 oz grated cheddar cheese
• One recipe & ingredients for dinner rolls (or purchase a box of roll mix)
• Vegetable oil
• Kosher or sea salt for dough top

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Boil potatoes in salted water until tender, remove form heat and drain well. Set aside.
• Saute chopped onion in butter until tender.
• Place the boiled potatoes into large bowl and mash; add onions, salt, pepper, cheese, and milk, blending well. Mix together the ingredients of the dinner roll recipe and spit the dough ball in half.
• Roll out one half of the roll dough into a rough square or circle and carefully place it on a baking sheet.
• Mound up the potato mixture onto the first dough and leave 2" around empty all the edges.
• Roll out the other half of the roll dough to a shape similar to the first and carefully set it on top of the potatoes.
• Seal the top and bottom dough edges around the potatoes by crimping all around.
• Cut 3 hot air vent slits in the top dough.
• Brush the top dough thinly with vegetable oil and sprinkle with the salt.
• Bake 20-25 minutes until golden brown, but start checking at 15 minutes to prevent burning.
• Serve with the Chicken Quarters and Lemon Three-Grain Salad above.

Makes 6 or 7 Cups

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Tbsp lard or butter
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Hungarian paprika
• 1 Clove garlic - peeled and chopped
• 1 Cup seeded, chopped Anaheim-type peppers
• 1 Cup chopped onion
• 1/2 Cup chopped fresh tomatoes
• 1 tsp chicken boullion
• 6 Cups beef stock
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 Cup sour cream
• 1/4 Cup all purpose flour

INSTRUCTIONS

• Heat a Dutch Oven on the stove top over medium high heat and add the lard and paprika to the pot.
• Cook for 30 seconds and add garlic, green pepper, onion, and tomatoes.
• Simmer 5-10 minutes until vegetables are tender-crisp.
• Pour in the chicken bouillion and beef stock and add salt and pepper to taste.
• Cook, simmering uncovered for 25 - 30 minutes.
• In a large cooking pot on the counter, combine sour cream and flour and whisk quickly to dissolve all lumps.
• Add a cup of pan gravy whisk quickly to bring up the temperature of the sour cream.
• Remove the pot from the stove top and pour the contents into the sour cream mixture pot and beat vigorously.
• Place the new pot on the heat and simmer, stirring, for 15 minutes and serve.

Having made this gravy several times, I can say that it is good will the meal provided on this menu and also with a variety of other foods.

Marshmallow PeepCakes

This is not Eastern European, and not an exotic girl peep show, but it was sent to me in an email recipe chain. Please enjoy.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Box of white cake mix
• White frosting (pre-made)
• Shredded coconut
• Green food coloring - and maybe others
• Marshmallow Peeps – any and all colors nd characters, Original Peeps® being standard
• Jelly beans – Peeps even have their own
  

INSTRUCTIONS

• Bake cupcakes according to the cupcake recipe found on the back or side of the cake mix box.
• Color shredded coconut by placing it into a covered container and adding a few drops of green food coloring. Shake vigorously and the coconut is now green grass. For psyhedelic grass, use another color.
• Frost the PeepCakes.
• On the center top of each PeepCake, place a Peep and some jelly beans to look like eggs.
• ALTERNATIVE – Make a regular cake instead of cupcakes and place Peeps and BunnyPeeps, TulipPeeps, and even Ghost and CatPeeps with jelly beans scattered around.

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