Local dishes
Ukrainian Borsch
It is a bit time-consuming (at least 2 hours). If you are short on time, halve this by 1 hour by using canned beets with their juice. I used fresh beets from the supermarket.
I love the deep ruby red color of this borsch ! It is so healthy and nutritious; with beans (protein), beets (iron), carrots (carotene), potatoes (vit C, potassium, vit B6), cabbage (vit K, vit C, fiber, etc...). I hope you enjoy this recipe.
Ingredients for classic Ukrainian Borsch:
2 large or 3 medium red beets, wash well.
2 large or 3 medium potatoes, cut into bite-sized chunks.
500 grams of meat (beef, pork, or chicken).
4 tablespoons cooking oil.
1 medium red onion, finely chopped.
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped.
2 grated carrots
1/2 red cabbage, thinly sliced
1 can red kidney beans with their liquid.
2 bay leaves
10 cups water
6 cups meat ( beef, pork or chicken) stock
5 tablespoons ketchup
4 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon fresh black pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped dill.
How to make Borsch soup:
- Fill a large pot with 10 cups of water. Add 2–3 beets. Cover the pot with a lid and cook for about 1 hour (some beets take longer, some shorter. It depends on how old the beets are). As soon as you can easily pierce the beets with a butter knife, remove the beets from the water and let them cool. Save the water for the soup.
- Cut 3 potatoes into small cubes and put them in the same pan as the beets; cook them for 15-20 minutes.
- Put the carrots, finely chopped red onion, and garlic cloves in the casserole dish along with 4 tablespoons of cooking oil, and sauté the vegetables until tender (7-10 minutes). Stir in the ketchup when they are almost done cooking.
- Meanwhile: slice the half cabbage (I use a mandoline slicer) and add it to the pan with the potatoes when they are half cooked.
- Next, peel the beets, cut them into strips, and put them back in the pan with the potatoes and red cabbage (I use my mandoline slicer). When peeling beets, use a plastic bag over your hands, unless you want red fingers.
- Use diced beef, pork, or chicken. Beef with some fat is the tastiest. Lightly boil the meat in water and reserve the broth. Add this meat and let the mixture simmer along.
- Add 6 cups of meat (beef, pork or chicken) broth, lemon juice, pepper, bay leaves, and a can of kidney beans (with their liquid) to the pan.
- Add the carrots, onion, and garlic to the pan along with the chopped dill.
- Cook for another 5-10 minutes, until the cabbage is done. Season to taste with salt and pepper. I usually don't add anything, unless I use a low-sodium broth.
Serve the soup with a tablespoon of sour cream or mayonnaise.
Ukrainian Blueberry Dumplings (Varenyky)
Total
time to make: 55 mins
Preparation: 45 mins, Cooking: 10 mins
Amount to make: 24 Ukrainian varenyky
This
recipe for Ukrainian dumplings, known as varenyky, are filled with fresh, ripe
blueberries.
Ukrainian filled dumplings that are boiled are known as varenyky. When the
dough is made with yeast and the filled dumplings are baked, they are known as
pyrohy.
For Ukrainians, a savory curd cheese filling is the national favorite, but others abound. A good varenyky should have a thin, tender dough. Some cooks claim cool water is the trick. But, really, it's all about years of practice.
The filling used here is blueberry, but any of the fillings for naleśniki, pierogi, and uszka can be used.
What You'll Need
For
the Dough:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 large room-temperature egg or 2 large room-temperature egg yolks
1/2 cup water (or more, as necessary)
For the Blueberry Filling:
2 cups washed and stemmed blueberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons kirsch, brandy or lemon juice (optional)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
For the Sauce:
1 tablespoon cornstarch
How to Make It:
Make the Dough
In
a large bowl, mix together flour and salt. Add egg(s) and enough water to make
a medium-soft dough.
Knead in a stand mixer or by hand until smooth. But don't overwork the dough
because it will become tough.
Halve the dough and cover with plastic wrap and let rest for at least 10
minutes.
Prepare the Filling
In a medium saucepan, combine blueberries, sugar, optional liquor or lemon juice and cinnamon and cook over low heat until blueberries come to a boil.
Reduce heat, simmer 2 minutes and remove from heat. Set aside.
Rolling and Filling the Dough
On
a lightly floured surface, roll one dough half 1/8-inch thick. Using a 3-inch
round or a glass, cut dough. Remove scraps.
Place a circle in the palm of your hand and, using a slotted spoon, place 3 or
4 blueberries on each round (leaving the sauce in the pan).
Fold the dough over to form a half-circle and press the edges together until
well sealed and there is no air trapped in the dumpling, and the edges are free
of filling. (See How to Make Pierogi.)
Alternatively, the dough can be cut into 2 1/2-inch squares, filled and folded
into triangles.
Place filled dumpling on a lightly floured surface and cover with a tea towel
to prevent drying. Reroll scraps and continue with remaining dough.
Cook the Varenyky
Drop
6 varenyky at a time into boiling, salted water. Stir gently to separate and
prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Boil rapidly for 3 to 4
minutes. Cooking time will depend on the size of the varenyky and thickness of
the dough.
Varenyky are done when well puffed. Remove from water with a slotted spoon or
skimmer and drain well in a colander.
Place in a shallow dish and coat generously with melted butter, tossing to
prevent sticking. Cover and keep hot until all the varenyky are boiled.
Serve the Dumplings and Make the Sauce
Dust cooked varenyky with
confectioners' sugar and serve with a dollop of sour cream (smetana).
Make the blueberry sauce by adding cornstarch to the blueberry liquid left in
the saucepan and heat over low until slightly thickened. Drizzle over cooked
varenyky or pass in a small pitcher at the table.
Vareniki
Type:
Mains
Servings: 3 people
Ready in: 30 min.
Calories: High
Lazy
vareniki is a traditional Ukrainian dish. They are called lazy, while they
demand less cooking time and efforts than traditional ones.
It is nothing else, but boiled dough mixed with stuffing – mostly curd. Lazy
vareniki can be also made with potatoes, meat or mushrooms.
Depending on stuffing they may be salty or sweet. Both are served with sour
cream, though. In addition, sweet vareniki are sprinkled with icing sugar or
poured over with syrup. It is healthy, fast, and tasty breakfast.
Ingredients:
Cottage
cheese (Tvorog) 250 g
Egg 1 piece
Dairy butter 50 gr.
Flour 4 tablespoons
Sugar 2 tablespoons
Salt to taste
Sour cream 200 gr.
Stages of cooking:
- Combine the sugar, salt and eggs.
- Add the cottage cheese, and stir well.
- Add the flour.
- Put the dough on the flat working surface powdered with flour.
- Knead the dough and make a roll.
- Cut the roll into small pieces.
- Put these pieces in the boiling water, and cook until they come to the surface (2-3 mins).
Serve the vareniki on the
plate dressed with butter and sour cream.