Masha cooks

This is my grandma’s signature dish since the zucchini she harvests are very large. They grow along the fence on a compost pile at her dacha. The plant itself defines its own universe with huge yellow flowers that attract the butterflies and bees, small frogs hiding in the shade of the giant leaves. I can find them in Seattle only at the farmers’ market by the end of summer. This dish is a big crowd pleaser: zucchini rounds stuffed with pork and beef, grated onions and zucchini for extra juiciness, with bright red tomatoes and sour cream on top. Don’t forget a good loaf of bread for dipping!

Makes 6-8 portions

Cooking time: 20 minutes + 30 for baking

Ingredients:

1 large zucchini

2 onions

1-1.5 lbs. meatloaf mixture (equal parts of pork and beef)

4 Roma tomatoes, diced

2 small zucchini, grated (or a cup of cooked rice)

1 cup sour cream

½ grated cheese (optional)

small bunch of parsley and dill (optional)

1 cup of water

Salt

Pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Bring to boil a large pot of water filled to 6 inches height. While the water is heating prepare the large zucchini: wash, slice about 2-inch height and scrape the inside seeds out. When the water stars boiling add 1 tbs. of salt and cook zucchini pieces 3-4 at a time for 2-3 minutes. When they ready take them out of the pot and set in a deep baking dish.

Make the stuffing: combine ground meats, grated onion and grated small zucchini. Add salt, pepper and herbs to taste.

Stuff the zucchini, sprinkle diced tomatoes on top and spread 2-3 Tbs. of sour cream on each zucchini piece.

Eggplant was an exotic vegetable for me growing in mild summers of Lithuania but this didn’t stop my mom from trying. She sacrificed the place for full-proof cucumbers in the green house and planted a few  sprouts of an eggplant. They grew so well that we ended up giving them away! I personally was fascinated by the color: deep as a moonless summer sky.

This salad combines fresh and baked vegetables. Baking helps to reduce the amount of oil the vegetable absorbs during sautéing. Fresh juicy  tomatoes bring a little sour notes, baked garlic  add a smoky flavor and add herbs add some zesty aroma! Perfect for picnics or a side dish for a dinner table.

Makes 4 servings

Cooking time: 10 minutes + 30 minutes baking

Ingredients:

2 medium size eggplants

2 red bell peppers

2-3 tomatoes

1 head of garlic

3 spears of green onions

2 tbsp. olive oil

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 320°F. Wash the vegetables. Poke holes in eggplants and peppers before baking to allow steam to escape. Cut off the top of the garlic glove, poor a table spoon of olive oil on top, sprinkle some salt and wrap in foil. Place on the baking wrack and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the green top of the eggplant becomes soft. 

When the vegetables are ready place them in a paper bag while hot to sweat for 15 minutes. This will help  with the peeling.

Meanwhile, hull the stems from your tomatoes and slice a shallow "X" in the top and bottom. Submerge in a hot water for 45-60 seconds.  Watch for their skins to start to wrinkle and split, then scoop them out with a slotted spoon and transfer them to the ice water bath. Once cooled, transfer the tomatoes to a cutting board and dice. 

This is a no-bake recipe that anyone can make for their loved ones, especially with the St. Valentine Day just around the corner. The idea comes from the deficit times of my childhood, when wafers and shortbread cookies were the only sweets available in the grocery store. My mom and her creative friends came up with this idea to entertain their kids and spouses. And this is how my love for cooking has begun.

Cooking time: 15 minutes + 1 hour for cooling

Makes 10 “strawberries”

Ingredients:

0.5 lb. vanilla wafers

0.5 lb. shortbread cookies

3 Tbs. sour cream

1 baked beet, juiced

0.5 cup sugar

0.5 cup dry poppy seeds (optional)

1 Tbs. of  rum or liquor (for adult version)

Directions

Break wafers and cookies into the medium size pieces to fit into the blender. Pulse a few times till the crumbs are uniform. Transfer mixture to the bowl and add the sour cream. Add rum or your favorite liquor for an adult version. 

Take 1 table spoon of mixture, warm it up in your hands like you would a play-dough and shape it into a strawberry or just make a ball.

Arrange 3 bowls: one with the beet juice, one with the sugar and last with the poppy seeds. Then dip into the beet juice to get that nice bright color and drench into sugar and poppy seeds mixtures.

Place on a flat surface or a cooling rack the dry. Refrigerate for an hour before serving. Decorate with mint leaves.

In Russia it is so cold that even food (pickled herrings) wears a fur coat (shuba). And it is not a luxury: it is a necessity. This dish is also known as Herring under Fur Coat Salad. It consists of finely chopped layers of carrots, potatoes, beets, onions and herrings with a layer of mayo in between. It might sounds bizarre till you take the first bite. Also, the dish looks beautiful when sliced. I have to admit, I have never made this dish myself since deboning the fish is very messy and requires a lot of patience. Likely, I found some pickled herring fillets in my grocery store. I used the leftovers to make canapes as an appetizer.

Cooking time: 1 hour + time for chilling Servings: 6

Ingredients:

3 medium size potatoes

4 medium carrots

half chopped onion

2 medium beets

1 cup of mayo

1 hard-boiled egg

half chopped red or yellow onion

0.5 lb. pickled herring fillets in oil

dill for garnish

Directions

Steam or boil the vegetables in their skins: carrots for 20 minutes,  potatoes and beets for 30-40 minutes. Remove the vegetables when they are fork tender but not too soft. Cool completely in some cold water for 5-7 minutes. It will also help with peeling.

Grate the carrots and beets. Dice into small pieces the potatoes and the herrings fillets. Prepare the onions by chopping them finely and soak in a cold water for 10 minutes to soften the taste.

Find a flat serving plate or a glass 9x9 inch baking dish. I did individual portions so I layered directly into serving plates. 

Start with the layer of herrings, then goes the drained onions. Spread  ¼ cup of mayo on top. Place diced potatoes and another ¼ cup of mayo. Finish with carrots. For the last layer I mix the beets with the leftover mayo separately and spread the mixture op top to cover the top and edges, forming a dome-like shape. Refrigerate for a couple hours or overnight.

If making Shuba seems daunting try this recipe. It won’t take much time and you will have your pickle cravings fixed, at least I do. Besides, it is a health dish since herrings are full of good omega fats and 3 times cheaper than salmon. The vibrant flavors and bright colors elevate my mood and remind me of good times with my grandpa who have always treated me with all kinds of pickled food.

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

4 slices of rye bread or pumpernickel

5 0z. pickled herrings in oil

1 ripe avocado

1 large baked beet

Half of small red onion

1 Lemon

3 Tbs. plain yogurts

1 tbs. horseradish sauce

Ground black pepper

Directions

Peel and mash avocado in a small bowl. Sprinkle with a juice of half lemon. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Peel the beet and slice thinly in half-moons. Peel the onion and slice thinly as well. Dice the fish into small pieces.

It is a traditional appetizer during winter holidays in my family. My grandma would get up early and head to the meat market to pick fresh pig feet, beef tails and chuck eye steak. The reason for such bizarre mixture is natural gelatin that occurs in carcass parts. It helps the dish to set without any additional gelatin. It takes up to 5 hours of slow simmer with bay leaves, peppercorns and onions. As a result, you get very tender meat and flavorful broth. In a shallow dish I layer finely chopped meat, fresh onion and garlic. Then pour the broth on top and let it cool overnight. In my family, we like to eat it with spicy mustard and horseradish sauce. Each bite is a mix of various textures: soft jelly, tender meat and crunchy garlic and onion.

Cook time: 6 hours 30 mins Servings: 8-10

Ingredients:

2 lbs. pig feet

1.5 lbs. beef bones

2.5 lbs. boneless beef chuck eye steak

4 medium onions

1 tsp. black peppercorns

4 bay leaves

1 tsp. salt

4 garlic gloves

Directions

Wash the meat and bones in a cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Take a large pot and place tightly pig feet, beef bones and meat. Add peeled and halves 3 onions, bay leaves and peppercorns. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 5 hours.

Remove the meat and bones and let them cool. Strain the liquid though a few layers of cheese clothes or paper towels to get a clean broth.

Peel the garlic and last onion. Chop finely and set aside.

Once the meat has cooled mesh it with the fork and place a 1-inch layer in a few shallow dishes or 2-inch layer if using small glasses for individual servings. Sprinkle with minced garlic and onion on top. Slowly pour the broth to cover the meat and a little extra on top. I like the two to one ratio: two parts of meat to one part of broth. Let it cool at the room temperature and refrigerate overnight.

Once it is set, serve it with hot mustard or horseradish sauce.

If you are afraid that the dish might not set properly you can add 1 packet of gelatin (1.5 oz./3 grams) per 4 cups of broth. Bring the liquid to a boil so the gelatin dissolve properly.

This vegetarian dish is a classic meal during the winter holiday season: it has variety of root and pickled vegetables. Most people make this salad with home-made pickled cabbage but I use Britt’s Pickles sauerkraut that works great. Despite the unusual combination the salad tastes more like sweet and sour and has a bright purple color thanks to beets.  It works great as an appetizer or a side dish for a hearty meal. You can make it ahead of time and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Ingredients:

5 small potatoes

3 medium beets

2 medium carrots

2 pickles

½ cup sauerkraut

¼ red onion

A few springs of chopped dill

2 Tbs. capers

1.5 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 Tbs. apple vinegar

2-3  Tbs. olive oil

Directions

Steam or boil vegetables in their skins: carrots for 20 minutes,  potatoes and beets for 30-40 minutes.

Once vegetables are done, cool them in some cold water for 5-7 minutes. It will also help with peeling.

Meanwhile, marinate finely chopped onion in vinegar. Make the dressing by whisking olive oil and mustard together. Salt and pepper to taste.

Fresh cranberries start popping in the grocery stores as the holidays are approaching. Usually they are used in the salads and sauces. But I like them to use in baking for their bright color and tart flavor. On a chilly Sunday evening I am making crisp cranberry squares. The recipe is simple and fun since you grate the frozen dough to make a curly topping.

Cooking time 30 minutes + 1 hour for refrigerating

Ingredients:

3 cup flour

7 oz. soften butter

2 eggs

2/3 cup sugar

2 Tbs. sour cream

½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

1 cup cranberry jam

Directions

Beat the eggs with sugar using a whisk. Add melted butter, baking powder into the sour cream, salt and flour gradually. Mix thoroughly. Divide the dough into two equal parts and wrap in a plastic wrap. Place both in a freezer: one part for 20 minutes, other for 40 minutes more. To insure even freezing, flatten the second part.

Roll out the first dough piece on a floured surface about 1/8-inch thick. Using a roller pin transfer to the buttered 10 by 15-inch baking sheet. Use your hands to fill the corners. Spread the jam on top with a spoon.

Take the second piece of dough from the freezer and grate it. If the dough starts to melt place it in a freezer for 5 minutes. Sprinkle the grated dough on top evenly.

Bake for 40 minutes till the top gets lightly brown at 375°F. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Holiday desserts are my favorite thing to make. The whole baking process is just magical: sweet smell of baked dough, flour on the floor and fluffy frosting that you just eat with your finger. This Cranberry layer cake makes a great centerpiece at the holiday dessert table. Lightweight sponge cake layered with two kinds of frosting: cranberry jam and dulce de leche. Perfect balance of sweet and tart flavors on a thin cloud like cake.

Cooking time: 2.5 hours Makes 10 servings

Ingredients:

Cake:

4 cups all-purpose baking flour

1 cup sour cream

8 oz. soften butter

1 cup sugar

4 eggs (separated)

1 tsp. baking soda

Frosting and cranberry topping:

8 oz. unsalted butter soften

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 cup cranberry jam (store-bought or see the recipe bellow)

Directions

For cake

Using mixer, combine egg yolks with a cup of sugar in a large bowl. Incorporate soften butter and sour cream. In a separate bowl sift the flour and soda. Gradually add dry ingredients to the large bowl. The dough should come our soft but not sticky. Divide into 5 equal pieces. Form a ball out of each piece, wrap in a plastic wrap and place in a fridge at least for an hour.

When ready to bake, position racks in top and bottom third of the oven; preheat to 400°F. Prepare a large lid that fits into a cake serving plate and use it to trim the upcoming cake layers. After that, take 2 baking sheets and spray them with cooking oil. Take the dough out of the fridge one by one and roll out a circle in a  size a little bigger than the lid you chose. Bake each layer 20-25 minutes till it gets golden. You can bake in a batch of two. Trim the baked pieces while they are still warm using sharp knife and the lid.

For frosting and glaze

While the last batch of layers still baking, prepare the frosting and the glaze. For the frosting, mix lightly soften butter and a whole can of sweetened condensed milk. Do not overmix or the butter starts separate into fat and water. For the glaze, use store-bought cranberry jam or make your own (See below). In a separete bowl beat the egg whites till soft picks start forming.

Assembling

Place 1st cake layer on a serving plate. Spread less than a half beaten egg whites and 3 tablespoons of jam over top. Place 2nd cake layer. Spoon half of the frosting over and spread evenly. Repeat steps one and two with the next two layers. The last layer just cover with jam.

Crumble the cut offs and decorate the sides of the cake. You can use fresh berries to decorate the top as well.

Let it cool for a 3-4 hours in the fridge so the layers absorb the frosting and glaze. Bring it to the room temperature before serving.

Quick Cranberry Jam

1 cup sugar

1 cup fresh cranberries

splash of water

I prefer to make my own beef stock for most of my soups. It doesn't take much work but totally worth waiting.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour 40 minutes

Ingredients:

1 lb. beef marrow or knuckle bones

1 lb. of stew meat (chuck or flank)

1 carrot

1 onion

2 celery stocks

Small bunch of herbs like parsley, dill, cilantro and oregano

Directions

Borshch is the most famous soup from Slavic cuisine and its vibrant color makes it stand out for sure. It takes some time to peel the vegetables and grate the beets and YES your fingers will get stained. There are many variations of this soup but one thing always remains: the beets. In my recipe I use chard or beet leaves instead of cabbage, green beans and apple vinegar - my secret ingredient to intensify the color. Make it vegetarian of use beef stock: you won’t sacrifice the taste. Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes 

Ingredients:

2 medium carrots

1 onion

2 Tbs. tomato paste

2 bay leaves

2-3 yellow potatoes

8 oz. green beans

2 garlic gloves

1 large beet

1 bunch of chard

2 Tbs. apple vinegar

4-6 black peppercorns

2 quarts beef stock or water

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground black pepper

Sour cream and dill for serving

Directions:

First, I make my beef stock. You can make a vegetarian soup instead or take a short cut and cook beef chuck, cut into bite-sizes, for 40 minutes in a 3-quart simmering water. 

Start with peeling the carrots, onion and beets. Grate carrots and beets in a separate bowls.

In a medium size pan transfer the beets and a splash of water. Bring it to boil and let it simmer for 8-10 minutes. Add 2 apple vinegar at the end.

While the beets are cooking sauté carrots and onion until soft, about 4 minutes. Add tomato paste and stir.

Bring you stock to boiling. Add peeled and sliced potatoes and chard. Let it simmer 10 minutes. Add green beans cut into 2-inch pieces. Let it simmer another 5 minutes. Add sautéed beets, carrot-onion mixture, bay leaves and peppercorns. Let the flavors incorporate for another 10 minutes. Press 2 garlic gloves at the very end.

As any peasant soup it taste better the next day. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a dash of dill. I personally enjoy this soup with a rye garlic toast.

The recipe for rassolnik varies from family to family and region to region. Some include barley and potatoes and is so thick, a spoon can stand up in it. Others are made with prime cuts of meat instead of kidneys.  What is common is the belief that rassolnik is a hangover cure because rassol (brine liquid) helps the body to hold water and counteract the dehydration produced by over-imbibing, which causes hangovers. Keep it in mind since the holiday season is coming.

To speed up the process I use 10-minute barley from Trader Joe’s. It saves time from soaking and cooking the grain. When choosing the pickle, use the one that has no vinegar in brine. It has to be salty and crunchy. I use Britt’s Pickles from my local PCC Natural Markets store.

Cooking time: 40 minutes

Serves 6-8 people

Ingredients:

2 oz. dry porchini mushrooms (optional)

1 onion

2 medium carrots

2 celery stocks

2 medium size potatoes

1 cup regular or 10-minute Trader Joe’s barley

2 Tbs. butter

1 pickled cucumber

0.5 cup pickle liquid (rassol)

2 qt. beef stock (store bought or homemade) 

Salt and pepper to taste

Bay leaf

Sour cream and parsley for serving

Directions

If you use regular barley, cover it in with 2 quarts of water in a medium size sauce pan and bring to boil. Remove from the heat, wrap in a towel and let it stand overnight.

Soak the mushrooms in 2 cups of cold water in a small sauce pan. Bring it to a boil and let it stand for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables by peeling and dicing onion and carrots. I use purple and orange carrots since they are in season.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot and saute carrots and onions a little bit over medium heat. Add diced pickle and drained mushrooms, thinly sliced. Cook for 5 more minutes.

Incorporate the mushroom liquids, beef stock, rassol and bring to boil. Throw a bay leaf and a few peppercorns. Add potatoes with barley and simmer 10-15 minutes until the potatoes are ready.

The trees are still bursting with bright colors here in Northwest and I savor every sunny day with a walk in the neighborhood parks. There is nothing better than a cup of hot soup after that. Growing up, we have had soup for lunch all the time. ”If you don’t eat soup your stomach will ache” my mom used to say.  Soup is still part of my weekly cooking routine. I will start my soup series with a tradition cabbage soup: shchi. It is usually made with sauerkraut during fall and winter and fresh greens like sorrel and green cabbage during summer time. In my soup I use homemade porchini stock that ads smoky flavor and celery root instead of potatoes for a touch of sweetness.

Cooking time: 25 min + 1.5 hours for stock Servings: 6

Ingredients:

For the beef stock (if making one, otherwise use a store bought) 

1 lb. beef marrow or knuckle bones

1 lb. of stew meat (chuck or flank)

1 carrot

1 onion

2 celery stocks

Small bunch of herbs like parsley, dill, cilantro and oregano

For the soup

20 grams dry porcini

2 small carrots

1 medium onion

1 cup of Britt’s Pickes sauerkraut

1 cup of rassol ( sauerkraut brining liquid) 

1 celeriac or 3 medium potatoes

1 bay leaf

A few black peppercorns

2 gloves of garlic

Directions

If you making your own beef stock place everything but the stew meat in a large stock pot. Add cold water, bring the liquid up to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 45-50 minutes then add the stew meat. Cook for another 40 minutes. Remove from the heat and strain the liquid discarding the bones and vegetables but keep the stew meat chunks. Slice them thingy and add to the soup at the very end.

If not, soak the mushrooms in about a cup of cold water and heat it gently till it about to boil. Remove from the heat and Let it stand for 20 minutes.

Prepare the vegetables by dicing the onion, carrots and celeriac. Take a 6-quart pot and sauté the carrots and onion in a vegetable oil for 5 minutes till the onions get translucent. Add the sauerkraut and let it soften for another 5 minutes or so. 

Drain the mushrooms and thinly slice them. Keep the mushroom stock .After that, pour all the liquids: mushroom stock, beef broth and rassol. Bring the pot to the boil and let it simmer 10-15 minutes until the celeriac gets soften. 

Press the garlic gloves and throw a bay leaf with peppercorns in the pot. Add reserve meat if you were making your own stock. Simmer 5 more minutes.

As any peasant  dish the soup tastes better the next day. Serve it with sour cream, rustic bread and fresh parsley.

When I was little, every fall my grandparents would go mushroom hunting. Wearing rubber boots and itchy sweater while spending time in the chilly damn forest didn’t seem like fun to me. Also, I was never as lucky as my grandpa who would always find great mushrooms like porcini. Now I go mushroom hunting to my local store where I get chanterelles during the autumn season. Here is my favorite recipe: chanterelles in a sour cream sauce with boiled potatoes.

Serves 3 

Cooking time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

1 lb. chanterelles

1 yellow onion

3 Tbs. sour cream 

1 Tbs. butter

1 lb. red potatoes

2 Tbs. chopped dill

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Soak the mushrooms in a water and let the sand and dust settle. Clean gently with paper towel or fingers. Let them drain in a colander. Dice the mushrooms into small even pieces.

Cook the mushrooms and onions together on medium heat stirring occasionally. The water, released by mushrooms will slowly within 20-25 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

As soon as the water almost gone reduce the heat to low and incorporate the sour cream. Let it cook under the lid 10 more minutes.

Stuffed peppers is one of the dishes that my grandma cooks for a big crowd and it is always a hit. It is easy and versatile one pot dinner. There is no rice in the stuffing but grated zucchini and onions  that keep the meat juicy. Also, sour cream and extra  vegetables make create a flavorful  sauce that is great for dipping. You can improvise with the seasoning or keep it very simple.

Makes 6-8 servings

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

6-8 bell peppers

2 onions (1 diced, 1 sliced)

8 oz. ground beef

8 oz. ground pork

2 zucchini (1 grated, 1 chopped)

2 carrots, sliced

1 Granny Smith apple, cored and diced

2 Roma tomatoes

1 cup sour cream

1/8 Sunflower oil

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Prepare the stuffing mixture by combining beef, pork, one chopped onion, grated zucchini, salt and pepper to taste.

Clean the peppers by cutting the tops off. Remove and discard the stem and seeds. Sprinkle insides of peppers lightly with salt. Stuff them with this mixture leaving a little space on top.

Put the oil in a 8 qt. stockpot or a Dutch oven. Layer on top sliced in semi-circle onion and  sliced carrots Place the peppers on top. Add 1 table spoon of sour cream onto each pepper and sprinkle with chopped tomatoes. Add a second layer of peppers on top if you have more. Fill the space between the peppers with reserved apples, chopped zucchini and add the rest of the sour cream (the more the better!)

Place the pot on the hot stove. When the oil get heated and the smell start going reduce to low heat and let it cook for 40-50 minutes. The peppers will get soft,  vegetable and sour cream will turn into a nice creamy sauce. Let it stand for 10 minutes. Serve the peppers on the individual plates with a sauce on top and white bread for dipping.