MAD RUSSIAN COOKBOOK

Turkey and Beef Katleti with Parsley and Dill

2011-04-25T15:26:00.000-07:00

Katleti are Russian style meatballs or patties that are super fast and easy to make. What I like about katleti is how versatile they are. They can be eaten by themselves, or with a tasty side dish like mashed potatoes or pasta. You can even put them in soup or eat it on a bun like a burger. You can choose any type of ground meat or you can mix different types of meat like turkey and beef, or chicken and beef, or even turkey, beef, and chicken. The more different types of meat you mix the better the flavor. There are several ingredients that you can add like milk, eggs, bread crumbs, different herbs and spices. It's really your taste and imagination that will make the best katleti. Here is one of my easy and delicious recipes:

Ingredients

1 lb of lean ground turkey

1 lb of lean ground beef

2 eggs

1/4 cup fresh parsley

1/4 cup fresh dill

salt and pepper

oil for frying

1. In a bowl mix together turkey and beef.

2. Add about 3 pinches of salt and pepper, eggs, parsley, and dill to the meat mixture. Mix together until everything is nicely blended.

3. Coat frying pan with oil and let it heat up.

4. Wet your hands and then sculpt your meatballs.

5. Fry the meatballs on medium heat for about 7 minutes on each side. When you turn your meatballs on to the other side to fry, cover the pan so the inside of the katleti can cook through. If I'm not sure they're ready I usually just break one in half to be certain. Obviously, there should be no pink but the right amount of juiciness.

What we had for dinner.

Katleti with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
and Side Salad

Blinchiki

2011-02-07T16:30:00.000-08:00

My most favorite childhood memories are those of my babushka's blinchiki. These round and thin pancakes are a hit whether its for breakfast or dinner. You can fill them with meat, potatoes, cabbage, fruit, cottage cheese, farmer cheese, condensed milk, sour cream with sugar, whatever your little heart desires. They're a great finger food and something you or your kids can grab on the go.

Ingredients for crapes:

1 1/2 cups flour

1 cup fat free milk
1 cup boiling water

2 eggs

1 tblsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

oil for frying

1. In a bowl mix together eggs, sugar, salt. Mix in milk and water. Then slowly add the flower while whisking. Whisk until blended. The consistency should be thin and have no lumps.

2. Take a frying pan and add about a tsp of oil or just enough to spread around the whole pan. . With heat on high, let the pan heat up. Once the pan is hot lower the heat to a high medium. Take about a ladle full of the mixture and pour it into the hot pan. Tilt the pan so that the mixture spreads around evenly making a thin layer. Fry until the edges begin to curl then flip to the side. On my stove and in my frying pan it usually takes about a minute on each side for the blinchik to cook. Depending on your stove and frying pan, the cook time may be slightly different. Keep an eye on your blinchik, those suckers burn quick.

3. Repeat step 2 until all the mixture is used. You will have to add a little bit of oil for every blinckik you fry to keep it from sticking. Stack them up one on top of each other and move aside. Start making the filling.

Ingredients for filling:

1 lb lean ground turkey

1 yellow onion (cut into small cubes)

salt and pepper to taste

oil for frying

4. In a frying pan heat up some oil and add the onion. Sautee the onions until they become transparent and golden brown, about 10 min.

5. Add the ground turkey and fry until its ready. I like mine crispy so i fry it up for a while, about 15 minutes or so. Add salt and pepper. Let the meat cool for about 15 minutes.

6. Take about 2 tblspoons of turkey and put it in the middle of the crape. Fold all the corners. Repeat this step for all the crapes.

7. This step is optional. Fry the blinckikis on both sides until crisp.

8. Add a dollop of sour cream and you're ready to munch!

Borscht

2011-02-01T21:25:00.000-08:00

This soup was a must have during those long and cold Russian winters. It's hearty and healthy, Russian soul food at it's best. There are so many different variations of this soup like Polish, Lithuanian, Romanian, Ukrainian and hundreds more. You can eat it hot or cold, with meat or vegetarian. It's perfectly paired with a peace of dark Russian or German bread and a clove of garlic. It'll definitely leave you with a warm feeling inside.

*If you would like to add beef to your borscht, cook the beef separate beforehand until its tender. Then just add during the last 5 minutes of cooking.

Ingredients

2 cartons (32oz) chicken,beef, or veggie broth

1 can (15.5oz) red kidney beans

1 bag (16oz) tri-colored cole slaw

1 bag (10oz) matchstick carrots

2 beets (peeled and cut into matchsticks)

3 russet potatoes (peeled and cut into small cubes)

1 yellow onion (cut into small peaces)

1 small can of tomato paste

oil for frying

salt and pepper

sour cream (optional)

dill and parsley (optional)

1. In a large pot bring the broth to a boil and add the potatoes. Lower the heat high to medium.

2. In a frying pan heat up about 2 tbls of oil. Add the carrots and sautee for about 5 minutes just so the carrots turn slightly golden. Then add the beets and sautee for about another 5 minutes. Add the carrots and beets to the pot with the potatoes. Then add the tri-colored cole slaw.

3. In a frying pan heat up 2 tbls of oil. Add the onion and sautee until it becomes transparent and golden (about 10 minutes). Then add 2/3 (about 75%) of the tomato paste to the onions. You now want to make this into a mixture by adding some liquid from the pot and stirring it together until it forms a saucy consistency.

5. Add the onion and tomato paste mixture to the pot and stir. Let cook for 10 more minutes then add the beans. Try the soup to see if needs more salt.

6. After another 5 minutes of cooking your borscht is done. Take it of the burner and let it sit, covered, for about 15 minutes to let the flavors settle in.

7. Add a dollop of sour cream into a bowl and pour a ladle of borscht over it. Mix it up really good to get an even creamy reddish color. Garnish with parsley, dill, and some pepper.