FREE PHOTO OF DELIVERY WITH ORDERS OVER $49! FREE BOTTLE OF CHAMPAGNE WITH ORDERS OVER $99!

Russian Recipes

Russian Cuisine

Russia is mainly a northern country with a long and cold winter. For this reason the Russian diet consists of food items which provide the maximum amount of energy and warmth in order to help people survive during the winter time. So, the essential components of Russian cuisine are those, which provide more carbohydrates and fat rather than proteins.

Here are the top five components of a Russian meal:

Potatoes (boiled, fried, baked, potato chops, potato pancakes, potato soup, mashed potato)
Bread (bread, toasts, bread-crumbs)
Eggs (boiled, fried)
Meat (pork and beef – chops, steaks)
Butter (usually added in all meals and spread on bread)

Also popular are: cabbage, milk, sour cream, curds, mushrooms, lard, cucumbers, tomatoes, apples, berries, honey, sugar, salt, garlic and onions.
Russian Recipes
Below you will find recipes for some of the most popular and delicious Russian dishes which you can make at home!

Russian Salad -- Salata Rossiki

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cup, boiled and finely cut Potatoes
1/2 cup, dry and boiled Beans
1/2 cup Green Beans
1 cup fresh or canned green peas Peas
1 cup boiled and cut Beets
1/2 cup boiled and cut Carrots
1 tablespoon cubed Pickles
1 tablespoon Capers
Parsley
2 -4 hard-boiled Eggs
2 -3 cups Mayonnaise
Olives

DIRECTIONS

Boil each kind of vegetable separately, drain, let cool and wash very well, using much water (especially for the beet roots). Cut all in small pieces (preferably in cubes) including the eggs, pickles, etc. Keep some beets, carrots, egg slices, pickles and capers for garnishing. Put the ingredients in a bowl, salt and pepper them. Add half of the mayonaise. Place all in a salad bowl or on a platter, giving it a mound-like shape and spread it carefully with the remaining mayonaise. Decorate the surface of the mayonaise with finely cut beets, pickles, parsley, carrots and olives.

Beetroot soup -- Borsch

Borsch is of soup, but it is 'Borsch', no one calls it soup in Russia. History says that Borsch was and is one of the most popular dishes in Russia. It appeared at the end of the 18th and 19th centuries. The main ingredients are red beets and broths made from meat or fish, mushrooms, or smoked sausages. Plus, people used to and do use cabbage, onions, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, spinach, and sorrel. The sour taste it can have is because of the vinegar. Our ancestry ate borsch with pancakes, different porridges, and pies. Poor people made borsch without any meat, only with vegetables.
INGREDIENTS

400g beef
2 average red beets
200g cabbage
4 little potatoes
1 carrot
2 tomatoes
1 tsp. vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste
parsley
dill
spring onions

Preparing meat broth-
Put beef into a large saucepan and cover with 3 liters cold water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Remove the grease froth from the broth surface with a spoon. Add one onion. Cook at low heat for 1-2 hours.

Simmering Red Beets-
Melt 1 Tbls. margarine in a saucepan. Cut red beets into thin sticks and add them into the cooking pot. Add tomato paste or sliced tomatoes. Simmer at low heat for 1 hour. If there is not enough liquid, add some broth. Add vinegar.

Pan-frying Vegetables-
Melt 1 Tbls. margarine in a frying pan. Add chopped onions and carrots that are cut into thin sticks. Cover and saute for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Heat broth to boiling. Add chopped cabbage and potatoes that are cut into bars. Cook for 5 minutes. Add saute and cook another 10 minutes. Add simmered red beets. Cook another 5 minutes. Add salt and black pepper. If you like garlic, you can add about 5g grated garlic. It is supposed to be in borsch. I don't like it and never add it here. Borsch is served with sour cream.

Russian Cabbage Soup -- Schi

This is a thick, hearty, stew-like soup that is traditionally served with boiled potatoes. It's great to put on the stove or in the crockpot in the late morning, do a big project in the meantime, and serve for supper.
INGREDIENTS

1
head cabbage, cut into small wedges
1 (24
ounce) jar saukerkraut, drained and rinsed
6
slices bacon, cut into 2-inch pieces
1
can chopped tomatoes (DO NOT drain) or 2-3 chopped fresh tomatoes (DO NOT drain)
1
cup uncooked barley

6-8 servings
4 hours 30 minutes preparation time

DIRECTIONS

In a medium-to-large stewpot or crockpot, layer the above ingredients in the following order: Bacon, 1/4 of the cabbage, 1/4 of the sauerkraut, 1/4 of the tomatoes, 1/4 of the barley.
Layer the remaining cabbage, sauerkraut, tomatoes and barley in the same amounts and order.
If there appears to be insufficient tomato juice, add about 1 cup water.
Salt and pepper if desired.
Cover, cook on high for about 20 minutes, then reduce heat to simmer and cook for an additional 3-5 hours, checking occasionally to make sure your heat is low enough that the soup does not burn.

Beef Stroganoff

This wonderfully flavored dish is another favorite among the fine dining crowd. It is truly fit for company. However, the meal does demand timing because the Stroganoff is cooked on the stove top and the very last minutes will require the chefs full attention. It goes well with Garlic Bread, Tomatoes Provincial, (the recipe you will find on this site), and a nice pile of pasta, buttered fettucini is a natural.

To Begin Beef Stroganoff: Put 2 Tbl. Caraway seeds in a ¼ cup of boiling water, set aside. In a heavy pan brown quickly in hot oil 2 lbs good beefsteak, cubed or sliced into 1/4"X1/2" x 3" strips.

Add:
I onion, chopped
I garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp. chervil
1/2 lb. sliced mushrooms
Sauté until onions are transparent.

Add and mix well:
2+ Tbl. Hungarian paprika
2 Tbl. tomato paste
Add, stirring constantly:
2 bouillon cubes dissolved in 3 cups boiling water.
Simmer, covered, until meat is very tender, and little liquid remains.

Add:
2 Tbl. chopped parsley
Liquid from caraway seeds
salt and pepper to taste Stir in I cup sour cream, reheat to simmer.
Serve on dinner plates over Fettuccini.

CHEFS NOTE: To prevent curdling, have sour cream at room temperature. Mix a little of the hot broth into the sour cream, then stir sour cream into the bulk of the meat mixture. Reheat gently, but do not bring to boiling point or the sauce will curdle.

Chicken Kiev

Chicken Kiev is a dish consisting of a boneless chicken breast wrapped around a piece of herbed/seasoned butter, breaded and deep fried. Here's a recipe for the real deal. Say 'da' and enjoy!" Original recipe yield: 6 servings.

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon lemon juice
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups dried bread crumbs
3 eggs, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons water
2 quarts vegetable oil for frying
DIRECTIONS:
In a small bowl, combine the butter/margarine, parsley, chives and lemon juice. Blend all together and refrigerate.
Place chicken breasts between 2 pieces of wax paper and pound well to flatten. Remove paper and season breasts with salt and pepper to taste.
Remove seasoned butter from refrigerator and divide it into 6 portions. Place one portion in the center of each chicken breast. Fold the short ends of the breasts into the center, then fold in the sides. Secure each breast with a wooden toothpick.
Add the water to the eggs and beat together. Coat each rolled breast with bread crumbs, dip into egg/water mixture, then into bread crumbs again, coating well. Chill breasts for one hour.
In a deep fryer, heat oil to 365 degrees F (185 degrees C). Carefully lower breasts into hot oil. Fry for 8 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper toweling and serve.

Chef's Note:

We have determined the nutritional value of oil for frying based on a retention value of 10% after cooking. The exact amount may vary depending on cook time and temperature, ingredient density, and the specific type of oil used.

Russian Pancakes -- Blini

"Thin layered blini with melted butter.. a true Royal Russian breakfast! Best eaten with sour cream, jams and honey." Original recipe yield: 20 blini.

INGREDIENTS:
2 eggs
1 tablespoon white sugar
1/3 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups milk
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon butter

DIRECTIONS:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and salt. Sift the flour into the bowl, and stir in along with the milk. Mix until smooth and well blended. The batter should be thin.
Heat a griddle or skillet over medium heat. Lightly oil the pan or spray with cooking spray. Pour about 2 tablespoons of the batter, or as much as desired, into the pan. Tilt the pan to spread the batter out evenly. When the edges are crisp looking and the center appears dry, slide a spatula carefully under the blin. Flip, and cook for about 1 minute on the other side, or until lightly browned.
Remove blini to a plate. Put a little butter on top, and continue to stack the blini on top of each other. To serve, spread with desired filling, then fold in half, and in half again to form a triangle. Mmm Mmm!

Prep Time: 5 Minutes Cook Time: 30 Minutes Ready In: 35 Minutes Servings: 20

Nutrition Info
Servings Per Recipe: 20
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 48
Total Fat: 2.4g
Cholesterol: 25mg
Sodium: 66mg
Total Carbs: 4.5g
Dietary Fiber: 0.1g
Protein: 2g

Shopping cart

Click the link below to view the contents of your CCNow shopping cart

To Petersburg With Love

Russian Recipes