lunaticsinge.com - Russian Cuisine Celebration Dishes

Roasted Pork Belly in Pan Gravy - (Makes 6 servings)

Pork Belly Ingredients:

1/4 cup Russian mustard

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup kosher salt

2 lbs. pork belly, skin removed

Gravy Ingredients:

1 cup fat, divided ( use rendered pork belly fat and butter)

1 onion, sliced into thin half-moons

Kosher salt

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 quart meat broth

1/3 cup white wine

1 cup European-style sour cream

Sea buckthorn relish

Potato pancake, for serving

1. Mix the mustard, sugar, and salt together to form a paste, and rub it all over the pork belly. Place the meat in a covered dish or plastic bag, and refrigerate for 18 to 24 hours.

2. The next day, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F, and place pork belly in a roasting pan or casserole dish.

3. Roast the pork belly, uncovered, for 45 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 250 degrees F for another 90 minutes, or until the meat is totally tender. When done, remove the pan from the oven and let it cool slightly, then transfer to another container, and pour the fat that has rendered into a measuring cup. If you don't have 1 cup of fat, add butter to make up the difference.

4. Se the belly aside, and make the gravy: Pour 1/4 cup of the fat into a large, heavy pot, and heat it over medium-high heat. Add the onion, season with salt, and sauté until caramelized to a uniform golden brown, about 30 minutes, reducing the heat to low and stirring more frequently as it cooks, to ensure it colors evenly. When the onion has caramelized, transfer it to a small dish and set aside.

5. Add the remaining 3/4 cup fat to the pot, let it melt, and then whisk in the flour. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the roux darkens to a light golden-brown / caramel color, about 10 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high, and whisk in the broth and wine, letting it boil and continually thicken as you. When the liquid has all been whisked in, stir in the reserved caramelized onions. Taste and add salt, and then simmer for 30 to 60 minutes, to let the flavors develop. Gravy can be made up to 3 days in advance.

6. To serve: preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cut the belly across the grain into 1/4 inch slabs. Lay in a single layer on a foil lined tray, and place in the oven until heated through, about 5 minutes per side.

7. Heat the gravy and stir in the European-style sour cream. Season with salt as needed. Pour the gravy into a deep sided serving dish with the slices of belly on top. Garnish with relish and a potato pancake on the side.

Crayfish Boil - (Makes 6 to 8 servings)

Ingredients:

6 cups kosher salt

1/4 cup ground coriander

1/4 cup smoked paprika

1/4 cup onion powder

1/4 cup mustard powder

1/4 cup dried dill

2 tablespoons ground black pepper

4 dried bay leaves

8 lbs. small, young potatoes, scrubbed, but not peeled

4 heads garlic, scrubbed and halved through the equator

8 dill flower stalks, flowers to be used as garnish

6 gallons water

20 lbs. live crayfish

8 lemons, quartered, divided

2 (12 oz.) bottles of beer, plus more for serving

1. Place the salt, coriander, paprika, onion powder, mustard powder, dried dill, pepper, and bay leaves into a seafood boil pot, and give a stir to combine. Add the strainer insert, then add the potatoes, garlic, and dill stalks. Cover with water, and bring to a boil.

2. While waiting for the pot to boil, clean the crayfish: Place the crayfish in a large vessel, and fill it with cold water. Use tongs to move the crayfish around, removing any dirt and debris. Strain off the water, Examine the crayfish and repeat if needed to ensure they are clean. Discard any dead crayfish.

3. When the pot comes to a boil, reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Let simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are almost cooked through. Add the crayfish, bring the pot back up to a boil (3 to 5 minutes), and immediately turn off the heat. Add 4 of the quartered lemons, and all the beer. Cover the pot with a lid and let it sit in the residual heat for 20 minutes.

4. To serve, pull out the strainer basket and pour onto newspapers. Squeeze the 4 remaining lemons over the crayfish and potatoes, and garnish with the dill flowers. Serve with lots of beer.

Chicken Kiev - (Makes 4 servings)

Marinade Ingredients:

1 quart kefir (Russian yogurt)

1/2 sweet onion, coarsely chopped

1 bunch dill, coarsely chopped

2 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt

Finishing Ingredients:

4 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts, tenderloins removed

1 stick (1/2 cup) salted butter

1/4 cup dill, minced

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 large eggs, whisked with pinch of kosher salt

1 cup fine unseasoned breadcrumbs

Vegetable oil, for frying

Kosher salt

1. The day before, mix together all the marinade ingredients in a covered container. Pound out the chicken breasts to flatten them to 1/4 inch thickness. Carefully place the cutlets in the marinade, coat them well, and refrigerate overnight.

2. At least 1 1/2 hours (and up to 7 hours) before cooking the cutlets, take the stick of butter and cut it in half widthwise, then cut each half lengthwise to create 4 planks. Roll each plank in the minced dill. Set up your Kiev assembly station: Pour the flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs each into their own shallow bowl, and set aside.

3. Take the chicken from the refrigerator, and remove the cutlets from the marinade, shaking off any excess. On a plate or cutting board, lay out a piece of chicken. Place the dill coated butter in the middle, and then fold the cutlet around it, like a burrito. Fold the bottom closest to you around the butter, then fold the sides in, then roll everything up. Make sure the butter is totally encased in the chicken.

4. Place the chicken in the flour and coat on all sides, then dip it in the egg and coat well, then finally in the breadcrumbs, patting them down so they adhere. Repeat with the remaining cutlets and then place them in the refrigerator, uncovered for at least 1 hour and up to 6 hours, allowing the egg to dry out and seal the parcel.

5. When ready to cook, pour 2-inches of oil into a pan, and heat over medium heat. When the oil is hot, cook the cutlets 5 to 6 minutes per side, until golden brown. When done, remove from the hot oil, and place on a rack to rest for 1 minute. Sprinkle with salt and serve while hot and buttery. If desired, serve with French fries and buttered peas.

Pumpkin Stuffed with Lamb Pilaf - (Makes 4 servings)

Ingredients:

4 small, round squashed with flat bottoms

1 lb. lamb shoulder, fat cap & silver skin removed, cut into 1/2 inch chunks

1 1/3 cups long grain white rice

1 large apple, peeled, cored, & cut into 1/4 inch dice

1/4 cup dried unsweetened sour cherries

1/4 cup golden raisins

1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 handful mint leaves, cut into thin ribbons

1 1/3 to 2 cups garlic broth or stock of your choice

1/2 stick (1/4 cup unsalted butter. divided into 4 tablespoon-sized pieces

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

2. Wash and dry the squash. Carve out the tops, and set them aside. Scoop out and discard any seeds and stringy pulp. Adjust the cut on the bottom if needed so the squash will sit upright.

3. In a large bowl, mix together the lamb, rice, apple, dried fruit, salt, spices, pepper, and mint. Place the squashes in a casserole dish and stuff each with 1/4 of the filling mixture. Pour 1/3 cup broth in each squash to moisten the mixture, then top each with 1 tablespoon of butter.

4. Cover each squash with its reserved top and bake for 3 hours, uncovered, or until the rice is done, and the squash has darkened and softened. Check halfway through and add more broth if needed.

5. To serve, remove the squash caps and sprinkle on the reserved mint. If serving whole replace the caps. If serving smaller portions, discard the caps and cut each squash in half to reveal the filling.

Roasted Veal Chop with Caviar Beurre Blanc - (Makes 2 servings)

Veal Ingredients:

2 ( 2-inch thick) veal chops

Kosher salt

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/4 stick (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted, for basting

Caviar Sauce Ingredients:

1/4 cup dry white wine

3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces

Kosher salt

1/2 oz. black caviar

1. Pat the chops dry and season generously with salt, and rub it in. Let them sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

2. When the chops are ready, heat a large cast-iron pan over high heat and add the oil. When the pan is very hot, place the chops in the pan. Drop the heat to medium-high, and let the chops cook for 3 minutes on each side. When the chops have finished coking on the second side, transfer the pan to the preheated oven, and roast, basting with the butter, about 10 minutes for medium rare, longer if you prefer a more well-done chop. Transfer the chops to a cooling rack to rest.

3. While the chops rest, make the sauce: Pour the wine into a small sauté pan and simmer over high heat until it's reduced to just 1 tablespoon. Drop the heat to low, and begin whisking in the butter, one piece at a time, Make sure the mixture does not boil, which may cause it to break. Continue to all the butter is incorporated into the sauce. Whisk in a pinch of salt. Remove from the heat and add the caviar, gently folding the eggs into the sauce.

4. Plate the chops, and spoon half the sauce over the top of each veal chop. Serve immediately.