Ingredients:
- 2 cups uncooked rice
- 1/4 lb (100 g) raisins
- 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Nuts (cashew or other) to taste
- Salt
Directions:
- Wash the rice and soak it in boiled hot water for 10-15 minutes.
- Put the rice in a saucepan with boiling salted water and cook until ready.
- Drain the cooked rice in a colander.
- Put the drained rice back into the saucepan.
- Pour the melted butter on the top of the rice.
- Cover well and simmer on very low heat 20-25 minutes.
- Wash and soak the raisins in hot water.
- Fry the plumped raisins in hot butter on a separate skillet.
- When serving, put a small piece of butter on each plate, cover it with rice, and put the fried raisins on top (you can add nuts to taste).
A healthy and scrumptious comfort food!
Ingredients:
- 1/2 lb meat (beef, pork, or chicken); or smoked bacon or brisket
- 1/2 cup uncooked yellow split peas
- 5-6 medium potatoes
- 1 small onion
- 1 carrot
- 1/2 sweet pepper
- 1-2 dry bay leaves
- Olive (or other vegetable) oil
- Salt, pepper to taste
Directions:
- Wash and soak the peas in hot boiled water for 30 minutes.
- Put the meat in a 3-quart (3-liter) saucepan, fill it with cold water (about 3/4 full), and bring to a boil.
- Skim the scum continuously with a slotted spoon while it is starting to boil and continue until it comes to a full boil.
- Add salt, pepper, bay leaves, and reduce the heat so the meat boils gently until done.
- Take out the meat.
- Add soaked peas and bring to a boil again, skimming the scum.
- Peel and cut the potatoes and add to the saucepan.
- Bring to boil again and cook until the peas and potatoes are almost ready.
- Peel and grate the carrot, chop the onion and sweet pepper and sauté in hot olive (or other vegetable) oil in a skillet on medium heat about 5 minute or until you can smell the vegetables.
- Put the mixture into the saucepan.
- Simmer gently about 5 minutes.
- Serve with a dollop of sour cream. Also, you can sprinkle each bowl with freshly chopped dill and add croutons. ENJOY!!!
Pilaf (also called pilau, pilav, pulao) is a very popular rice dish with a great variety of cooking methods!
Ingredients:
- 1 lb (400 g) mutton, lamb or beef
- 2-3 cups uncooked rice
- 1/2-3/4 lb (200-300 g) carrots
- 1/2 lb (200 g) onions
- 1/2 lb (200 g) beef fat or vegetable oil
- Salt, pepper, spices to taste
Directions:
- Cut the meat into small pieces and fry in a skillet (it’s better to use cast-iron pan) in very hot fat or oil.
- Julienne the onions and carrots and add to the meat.
- Fry several minutes until the onions are tender and then add 3.5-4 cups of water, salt, pepper, and bring to a boil.
- Wash and drain the rice 3-4 times. Add to the meat and mix evenly.
- When the water boils away, poke several "holes" in the rice mixture so the bottom of the skillet is exposed (use the handle of a wooden spoon).
- To avoid burning, pour in 1-2 tablespoons water into each "hole."
- Cover the skillet and cook on low heat 25-30 minutes (until the meat is ready).
- When serving, plate the rice in the shape of a hill, place the meat on the top, and sprinkle with julienned fresh onion. ENJOY!
Ingredients:
- 1.1 lb (500 g) uncooked potatoes
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 package active dry yeast
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 egg (optional)
- Vegetable oil
- Salt to taste
Directions:
- Peel the potatoes and grate them (use them right away to avoid darkening).
- Put the potatoes in a large bowl and add the yeast previously dissolved in 1/4 cup warm water.
- Add salt, flour, egg (optional).
- Mix well and put the batter in a warm place to rise.
- Use a large tablespoon to put the batter on a very hot skillet in vegetable oil. Cook on both sides several minutes until golden-brown.
- Serve hot with sour cream or butter. ENJOY!!!
Also called "Nalesniki".
Ingredients:
- 2 eggs
- 2-3 tablespoons sugar
- 1-2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 liter (1/2 quart) milk
- 1.5-2 cups all-purpose flour
- Vegetable oil
- 1 table spoon butter
Filling:
- 4-5 apples
- Sugar to taste
Directions:
- Whisk the eggs well with sugar; add salt, vanilla, and milk.
- Gradually add flour, melted butter and mix well. The batter must be thin.
- Heat the skillet, brush it with oil, and pour the batter with a ladle. (Pour a thin layer of batter onto the skillet).
- When the bottom of the crepe is golden-brown, carefully flip it.
- Put 2-3 teaspoons of apple filling and 1-2 teaspoons sugar on each crêpe (crepe) (close to the edge); roll it, tuck in the ends, and finish rolling.
- Fry just one side (where the edge is after the final roll, so the frying will seal it) on low heat until golden-brown. ENJOY!
Filling:
- Peel and core the apples, take out the seeds.
- Grate the apples coarsely.
Ingredients:
- 2.5 lb (1 kg) potatoes
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion (optional)
- Grounded bread crumbs
- Vegetable oil
- Salt, pepper to taste
Directions:
- Peel the potatoes and cook until knife tender.
- Drain the water from the potatoes and dry them.
- While hot, mash the potatoes; add butter, raw eggs (whole or just the yolks), salt, and pepper.
- You can add a finely chopped sauteed onion (optional).
- Mix the mashed potato mixture.
- Take 1 tablespoon of the mixture and form an oval cutlet; roll in some flour or grounded bread crumbs.
- Fry in vegetable oil on both sides until golden-brown.
- Serve with a mushroom sauce. ENJOY!!
Ingredients:
- 2 eggs
- 2-3 tablespoons sugar
- 1-2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 liter (1/2 quart) milk
- 1.5-2 cups all-purpose flour
- Vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
Filling:
- 1 lb cooked lean ground beef
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 medium onion
- Dill (optional)
- Vegetable oil
- Salt, pepper to taste
Directions:
- Whisk the eggs well with sugar; add salt, vanilla, and milk.
- Gradually add flour, melted butter, and mix well. The batter must be thin.
- Heat a nonstick skillet, brush it with oil, and pour the batter with a ladle. (Pour a thin layer of batter onto the skillet).
- When the bottom of the crepe is golden-brown, carefully flip it.
- Put 2-3 teaspoons of filling on each crêpe (close to the edge); roll it, tuck in the ends, and finish rolling (like a burrito). Fry on both sides until golden-brown. ENJOY!!
Filling:
- Cut the meat very finely or grate it.
- Chop the onion very finely and sauté in a skillet in hot oil until golden-brown.
- Add the meat to the onion and sauté an additional 3-4 minutes.
- Boil, peel, and chop the eggs.
- Mix everything in a large bowl; add salt, pepper, chopped dill, and 2 tablespoons melted butter.