Russian Peasant Foods

Bliny (pancakes) are an indispensable part of Russia’s culinary tradition. They’re eaten in huge quantities during Maslenitsa, the week before the Lent, when it was also a pagan tradition to eat them to celebrate the arrival of spring. During the rest of the year, bliny are never far away, and any restaurant serving Russian food has at least a few varieties on the menu. Bliny are typically served as an entree, although they are put together with just about everything. The most popular accompaniments are varenie (chunky, sweet fruit preserve) or honey, for sweet bliny, and for savory tastes: sour cream, caviar or herring.

Borshch and shchi. The stoves in traditional village farmhouses used to be so big, people actually slept on them. This slow heat was ideal for simmering dishes like soups – which may explain why soup is the cornerstone of almost every Russian meal. Meat was a rare treat for your average Russian peasant; so most traditional soups are vegetable-based, including shchi (cabbage) and borsch (beetroot). To add some richness, Russians like to dollop a spoonful of sour cream into their soups. 

Summer Borsht Serves 4      40 min plus chilling
Vegetarian

1 lb Raw Beet root
2 pts Water
1 tsp Sugar
Juice of 1/2 Lemon
4 tbsp Soured Cream, to garnish
2 Spring Onions, to garnish

1. Peel the beetroot and cut into thin strips. Place in a saucepan with the water, bring to the boil then simmer for 30 minutes or until the beetroot is tender. 

2. Add the salt, sugar and lemon juice to create a sweet/sour flavor. Chill before serving.

3. To serve - transfer to individual soup plates/bowls, place a spoonful of soured cream in the centre

Gourmet porridge - The simplest of all dishes is perhaps kasha (porridge). This is not just your average oatmeal. Russians make kasha from oats, wheat, rice, barley and rye flakes, and they eat it for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It is commonly served with varenie or honey, but kasha with fresh melted butter is also delicious. Traditionally, kasha was also served with meat, mushrooms and other savoury additions.

Pickling traditions, which have been somewhat lost in the West, are alive and well in Russia. Russians don’t just pickle mushrooms; they’ll salt and soak anything they think will last the winter through, including tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and garlic, even watermelons! In the days before Russia imported bananas from Guatemala, fresh fruit and vegetables weren’t available for the greater part of the year. Pickling is the economic way to keep food for the long winters. Still, even today, most homes have at least a few giant pickle jars stashed away somewhere. You can sample a variety of pickles at St. Petersburg’s fresh-food markets, just follow your nose.

Pelmeny – Russian ravioli - a tastier version of Italian ravioli – are little dumplings, usually stuffed with meat or fish. They make a great winter snack and are the staple diet of your average Russian bachelor. Pelmeny-making is a big job, and they’re usually made in bulk, then frozen and stored. After a few minutes in boiling water, they come back to life, after which, they’re served with fresh sour cream, bouillon or vinegar - which is surprisingly nice. In the Far East - where they probably originated - pelmeny are served Chinese-style, with soy sauce. 

Zakuski - Cold Table
- Originally borrowed from Scandinavia during the reign of Peter I, it has been incorporated into the national cuisine as the classic first course. It includes little open sandwiches hor d’ oeuvres, pickles and smoked salmon – the jewel of the zakuski table is caviar, of course! Swallow them down with iced vodka.

Kasha is not only the Russian name of any grain or cereal e.g. buckwheat, semolina, millet, it also refers to a cooked dish which resembles a porridge or mush. Although Kasha has been a staple food of peasants for hundreds of years it is also a dish for special occasions especially feasts which celebrate the completion of the harvest, weddings and even funerals: all are incomplete without kasha. It can be sweet or savory,  served at breakfast, as a side dish or even as a meal in itself. It can be plain or cooked with other ingredients: raw egg can be stirred into it,  onions, mushrooms,  stock - in fact, almost anything can be and has been added to kasha at some time or another. In leaner times if there wasn't enough meat to go round,   it would be chopped finely and mixed into the kasha so that a small piece of meat would go a long way. All in all, a very versatile dish.

Below are some examples of Kasha but do experiment and add whatever you have to hand.

Kasha with Mushrooms  Serves 4  40mins
Vegetarian 

6 oz Toasted Buckwheat
1 Egg, lightly beaten
5 tbsp Butter
1 large Onion, very finely chopped
1 Garlic Clove, crushed
16 fl. oz. Fresh Vegetable Stock
Salt and Black Pepper
8 oz Mushrooms, chopped
3 tbsp freshly chopped Parsley
2 tbsp Sour Cream

1. Place the buckwheat and egg in a small mixing bowl and mix well.
2. Heat a frying pan until hot then add the buckwheat mixture and cook over a medium heat, stirring, for about 3 minutes, until the grains separate and the mixture is dry. Remove from the heat and set aside.
3. Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large saucepan then add the onion and garlic and sauté until softened.
4. Add the buckwheat mixture and stock to the pan, season with salt and pepper, cover, and simmer over a low heat for 15 minutes or until the kasha is tender and the liquid has been absorbed.
5. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a small frying pan, add the mushrooms and sauté until the mushrooms are tender and all the liquid has evaporated.
6. Once the kasha is tender, stir in the cooked mushrooms, parsley, and sour cream. Serve hot.

Russian Black Bread Makes 1 large Loaf     100 min plus proving 
Vegetarian  

4 fl. oz. lukewarm Water
8 fl. oz. Lukewarm Buttermilk
2 tbsp Molasses
2 tbsp Honey
1 pkt Active Dry Yeast
1 lb 6oz Whole Wheat Flour
+5 oz Rye Flour
1 tbsp Caraway Seed, crushed
1/2 tsp Fennel Seed, crushed
2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
Extra oil for greasing

1. Place the water, buttermilk, molasses, honey, and yeast in a large mixing bowl and stir well until the yeast dissolves. Set aside to stand for 5 minutes.
2. Add about 7oz of the flour to the yeast mixture or just enough to form a thick batter. Stir well and leave to stand for about 20 minutes.
3. Stir the batter down, then add the remaining ingredients and mix to form a thick dough.
4. Turn the dough onto a floured work surface and knead for 5-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
5. Lightly oil a mixing bowl, place the dough in the bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to rise for 40 minutes.
6.  Lightly oil a 2-quart  loaf pan and preheat oven to 180C, 350F, Gas Mark 4.  Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface, form into a large loaf and press into the oiled tin. Leave to rise for 20 minutes.

7. Bake the loaf  for about 50 minutes or until it sounds hollow when tapped and comes easily out of the tin.

Peasant Black Bread 

Method :This dark bread will rise beautifully in 2 1/2 hours with the Russian starter and form a tantalizing moist loaf.

CULTURE PREPARATION

1. Remove the Russian culture from the refrigerator

2. Add 1/2 cup of white flour and 1/2 cup warm water to the culture jar and mix briefly to form a thick batter. The total mixture will be about 2 1/4 cups. It need not be lump free.

3. Proof at 85 deg. F. for about 3 hours until actively fermenting (as shown by bubbles on the surface).

THE FIRST PROOF

1. Mix all of the active culture with 3 cups of white flour and 2 cups of warm water in a 4 quart mixing bowl. It need not be lump free.

2. Proof at 85 deg. F. for 6 hours.

3. Return 1 cup of culture to the culture jar. Add 1/3 cup of warm water.

Stir briefly and proof at 85 deg. F. for one hour. Then refrigerate immediately.

Note: The first proof given here provides enough culture for two of the following recipes.

THE SECOND PROOF
2 cups culture from the first proof
2 tablespoons dark molasses
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup rye flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups white flour

1. Warm the milk
2. Add molasses, oil, sugar, salt, and coriander to the warm milk and mix briefly.

3. Add the rye flour and mix well. Add the whole wheat flour and mix well.

Add the white flour until too stiff to mix by hand. Then turn onto a floured board and knead in the remaining flour until satiny.

4. Form an oval loaf by flattening a ball to a 1 1/2 inch thick oval and folding once in half. Pinch the seam together.

5. Place on a greased baking sheet, seam side down and proof at 85 deg F. for 2 or 3 hours or until about double in bulk.

6. Bake at 350 deg. F. for about 40 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Letnie Schi (Russian Green Soup)  Serves 4   50 mins
Vegetarian

24 fl.oz. Water
8 oz Spinach
2 Medium Onions, chopped
1 Carrot, chopped
1 Stick of Celery, chopped
2 Medium Potatoes, peeled and chopped
Salt and Pepper
8 oz Fresh Sorrel or Watercress, chopped
1 TB freshly chopped Dill
4 fl.oz. Double Cream

To Serve:
Slices of Hard boiled Egg
Sour Cream

1. Place the water in a large saucepan, bring to the boil then add the onion, carrot, celery, spinach, potatoes, salt and pepper and cook for 15 minutes.
2. Add the sorrel or watercress, mix well then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. 3. Remove from the heat and stir the cream and fresh dill.
4. Serve garnished with slices of egg and a teaspoon of sour cream.