lunaticsinge.com - Russian Cuisine Cold & Hot Appetizers

Tomato & Cucumber Salad - (Makes 6 cups)

Salad Ingredients:

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

1 large English cucumber, peeled, quartered & sliced into 1/2 inch pieces (1 1/2 cups)

1 bunch radishes, quartered & sliced into 1/4 inch slices (1 cup)

1/2 cup pickled onions, drained & minced

1/2 cup scallions, cut into 1/4 inch slices

1/2 cup loosely packed dill, chopped

Ground black pepper

Kosher salt

Dressing Ingredients:

1/2 cup European-style sour cream

2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons refined sunflower or olive oil

1 tablespoon minced parsley

1 tablespoon minced dill

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1. Mix all of the salad ingredients together in a mixing bowl.

2. In a food processor, pulse together all of the dressing ingredients (or you can whisk together in a bowl if you mince the herbs very finely first).

3. Pour the dressing over the salad, toss, and season with additional salt and pepper as needed to taste. Serve immediately.

Eggplant Rolls - (Makes 18 rolls)

Ingredients:

2 eggplants, preferably on the skinny side

1/4 cup olive oil, divided, plus more for pan frying

1/2 bunch cilantro, large stems removed

Juice of 1/2 to 1 lemon

1 garlic clove, chopped or pressed

1 cup walnuts

Kosher salt

Pomegranate seeds

1. Trim off the eggplant caps and bottoms, and slice top-to-bottom into 1/4 inch thick planks. Set aside. Take the peel-covered end slices, and any center cuts that are too seedy to form nice slices, and roughly chop them.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a heavy skillet or griddle over medium heat, and sauté the chopped eggplant trimmings until cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes.

3. Transfer the trimmings to a food processor, along with the 3 remaining tablespoons oil, cilantro, lemon juice, garlic, and walnuts. Process until it comes together in a rough paste - the nuts should still be identifiable, but with no large chunks remaining. Add salt and additional lemon juice as needed to taste. Set aside.

4. In the same skillet or griddle, cook the eggplant slices until fully softened and golden, a few minutes per side. When cooked, remove from the skillet, and season with a sprinkling of salt. Repeat wit the remaining eggplant slices.

5. When all of the eggplant has been cooked, assemble the rolls. Place 1 tablespoon of filling at the large end of the cooked eggplant slice, and roll the strip up around it to form a snug little roll. Repeat with the remaining eggplant slices and filling.

6. Before serving, squeeze a additional lemon juice over the top, and garnish with pomegranate seeds and cilantro sprigs.

Barley Salad with Pears, Mushrooms, Hazelnuts, & Sorrel - (Makes 1 1/2 quarts)

Ingredients:

5 1/2 cups water, divided

Kosher salt

2 cups pearl barley

Dressing Ingredients:

1 small bunch sorrel, ( or spinach with lemon juice)

1 bunch fresh dill

1 clove garlic, peeled

1/2 cups hazelnuts, toasted

3/4 cup olive oil, plus more for sautéing

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning

Ingredients to Finish:

6 king oyster mushrooms, cut into 1/2 inch dice (can substitute with shiitake caps)

3/4 cup diced pears, cut into 1/3 inch dice

1/3 cup toasted hazelnuts, chopped

Sorrel leaves

A few sprigs of dill

1. Salt 5 cups of water, bring to a boil, and add the barley. Reduce the heat until it's just high enough to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook until the liquid is absorbed and the barley is tender, about 30 minutes.

2. While the barley is cooking, remove any tough sorrel and dill stems, ad give the herbs a rough chop. Transfer to a food processor, along with the garlic, and process for a minute, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add the hazelnuts, pulse a few times until ground, then slowly drizzle in the oil while the motor is running to create a smooth emulsion. Add the vinegar and salt. Set aside.

3. Next, heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat, and add the mushroom and 1/2 cup water. Braise until the water cooks away, about 10 minutes, then increase he heat to high and add a glug of oil to coat the bottom of the pan, and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms color to a nice golden brown. Season with salt. Set aside.

4. When the barley has cooked, and while it is still warm (but not hot), toss it with the dressing. Stir in the mushrooms. Right before serving, add the diced pears and hazelnuts. Garnish with herbs and serve.

Creamy Mushroom Gratin - (Makes 8 servings)

Ingredients:

2 1/2 lbs. mixed mushrooms

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups mushroom broth, store bought is fine

Kosher salt

3/4 cup smetana (European-style sour cream)

2 tablespoons prepared harissa (optional)

1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika

1/2 lb. grated Monterey Jack cheese

1. Fill a large bowl with water and thoroughly clean the mushrooms. Spread them out on clean dish towels to dry. Remove any stems or tough ends, and cut the mushrooms into bite-sized pieces.

2. Heat a large pot over medium heat, and add the mushrooms. Once the liquid comes out, let the mushrooms braise, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat as needed to help keep everything cooking gently. The mushrooms are done when they are full tender, and most of the liquid has been cooked off, about 30 minutes.

3. While the mushrooms are cooking down, tart the gravy: heat the butter in a medium saucepan over a medium-low heat. As soon as it melts, add the flour, and whisk well to incorporate and remove any lumps.

4. Keep stirring the roux until it cooks to a golden peanut color and any grittiness disappears, about 10 minutes. When the roux has reached this stage, slowly whisk in the mushroom broth, increase the heat to bring to a boil, and then reduce the until it's just high enough to maintain a gentle simmer. The mixture will be thick, Simmer for 10 minutes, whisking periodically, then season with salt to taste. When the gravy is done, whisk in the smetana and paprika. Stir this spiced gravy into the mushrooms, and adjust the seasoning to taste.

5. To serve, transfer the mushrooms to an over-proof skillet or casserole dish. Top the mushrooms with the cheese, switch your oven to broil and adjust the rack so it's just below the broiler. Broil for a few minutes, until the mixture is bubbling and the cheese is starting to turn brown. Serve, hot, on it' own or with some crusty bread and a salad.