Georgian Cheese Bread (Russian Khachapuri)

Serves: 8

There are hundreds of recipes for this Eastern European cheese bread.

Some recipes call for yogurt or sour cream.

This "never fail" recipe is simple and does not.

Sulguni cheese is traditional but very hard to find. A mixture of havarti and "factory" mozzarella is a good substitute.

Some are made dumpling sized and some, like this one are pizza or focaccia-like.

I don't knead bread anymore so everything is done with a dough hook in my Kitchenaid 5.

2 1/4 teaspoons yeast

7 tablespoons warm water (105-115°)

1 2/3 cups AP flour plus a little more

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 large or three small eggs

1/4 pound grated havarti cheese

1/4 pound packaged/shredded mozzarella cheese

1 teaspoon butter

In a bowl, sprinkle yeast over 7 tablespoons of warm water and 1 tablespoon flour, then stir and set aside for about 5 minutes.

In a KA bowl, sift in salt and flour. Add a beaten large or 2 small eggs and the yeast mixture.

Stir to mix and then start the dough hook for 5 minutes. If the dough climbs the hook, add a teaspoon of flour.

Form into a ball and dust with flour.

Let dough rest in the bowl.

Cover with plastic wrap or foil.

Punch down with a wet fist and fold in half 4 times, once each hour, for 3 hours.

Preheat oven to 500° with the oven rack in the middle position.

Lightly butter a lipped baking sheet. (just the center 14 inches is fine)

Place the dough on the sheet and flatten with your fingers into a 10 inch disk.

Lightly ball up the mixed cheeses and place the ball in middle of dough.

Then gather dough up around ball of cheese slightly overlapping each corner.

With a damp fist, press cheese out from center towards the edges. Keep pressing and flattening the loaf to form a rough round approximately 12-14 inches in diameter.

Slice the dough to just expose cheese.

Brush with an egg wash. (You can omit this and bake for 12 minutes and then brush with melted butter and return to oven for remaining baking time)

Bake for 15 minutes and take a peek. It may need up to 3 minutes more.

To serve, cut into wedges.

NUTRITION FACTSAmount per ServingCalories 139 Calories From Fat 36 % Daily Value*Total Fat 4g 6% Saturated Fat 2g 10%Cholesterol 45mg 15%Sodium 341mg 14%Total Carbohydrate 19g 6% Dietary Fiber 0g 0% Sugars 0g Protein 4g Vitamin A 3% Vitamin C 4% Calcium 10% Iron 6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Hrin (beets)

Hrin (beets condiment)
Book: Steve' diabetic recipe book
Chapter: ETHNIC RUSSIAN

This is a terrific traditional Russian holiday food.

Served as a small side to the Easter meal or slathered on a "leftovers" sandwich with ham and hrutka.

This is one of my favorites.It resembles that chopped up jello whipped cream goo that the church ladies serve at funeral brunches.

Serves: 64 1 T = 1 serving

3 14 1/2-ounce cans sliced or whole beets OR 2 pounds cooked fresh beets for lower sodium content.
1 pint sour cream
3 Tablespoons horseradish plus more to taste
Vinegar (optional)

Finely chop beets or grind in an old fashion meat grinder.

Do not use the blade of a food processor without pulsing. The beets turn to mush.

Whole fresh or whole canned beets can be processed using the shredder disk of the processor and then chopped very fine.

Drain in a colander to let juices drip out. Even dry the chopped beets a bit with paper towel.

In a bowl, gently mix the beets, sour cream, prepared horseradish and optional vinegar.Let sit a few minutes to let flavor develop.

Add more horseradish to taste.

Keeps for a week in the fridge

NUTRITION FACTS
Amount per ServingCalories 54 Calories From Fat 21 % Daily Value*Total Fat 2g 3% Saturated Fat 1g 5% Cholesterol 19mg 6% Sodium 875mg 36%Total Carbohydrate 2g 1% Dietary Fiber 0g 0% Sugars 1g Protein 5g Vitamin A 0% Vitamin C 2%Calcium 0% Iron 2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

HRUTKA (Egg Cheese Ball)

HRUTKA (Egg Cheese Ball)

Book: Steve' diabetic recipe book
Chapter: ETHNIC RUSSIAN

This food is traditionally served as a side for the Easter meal.

"Leftovers" ham sandwiches get a slice of Hrutka and a slather of "Hrin"

Great any time of year.

Eaten as a side to a meal or as a condiment in a sandwich.

Cholesterol is high but carbs are not.

Serves: 15


1 dozen eggs
1 quart milk
1 teaspoon salt

In a bowl beat a dozen shelled, large or jumbo eggs.

Place the eggs, salt and milk in a heavy pot.Stir constantly over medium heat until the mixture looks like "curds and whey"

Prepare a colander with a few layers of cheese cloth or very clean old "T" shirt material.In the prepared colander, pour in the curds and let the whey flow through.

Tie off the cloth so the cheese ball can be hung and allowed to drain for a few hours.

Minnesota at Easter time usually gives cool temperatures so I have a nail in the garage rafters dedicated for this purpose.

In warm temperatures, some method of draining in a refrigerator is necessary.

To serve, slice the ball in half or in thirds and then at 90° to make fairly unform slices.

NUTRITION FACTS
Amount Per Serving Daily Value*
Calories 77 Calories from Fat 32%
Total Fat 4g 6%
Saturated Fat 1g 6%
Cholesterol 173mg 58%
Sodium 243mg 10%
Total Carbohydrate 4g 1%
DietaryFiber 0g 0%
Sugars 3g
Protein 7g
Vitamin A 7%
Vitamin C 1%
Calcium 10%
Iron 3%

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Burek (Borek)

Burek (Borek) or a few other names is a pastry showing roots in European countries all the way to Turkey, Greece and that area of the world.

• It is more assembly than cooking or baking a recipe but it does involve rolling phyllo sheets so it is a little tricky until you get the hang of it.


• When making the pastry, I lay one or two sheets of phyllo dough on a tea towel that just overhangs the counter edge.


• I then brush melted butter on phyllo.


• For cheese filling, I pipe a line from left to right but not quite to the edges. (I use a zip lock bag with a corner cut off)


• Then I take hold of the left and right edges of the towel nearest my stomach and gently lift so the phyllo rolls to a cigar shape.


• Cut the cigar shaped pastry in half at the middle so there are two pieces. Roll like a snail shape and place on a small sheet pan.


• Brush all with melted butter and bake at 375 degrees for approximately 30 minutes.

The technique is similar for any other filling.

My cheese filling...

16 ounces Ricotta cheese

8 ounces Cream cheese

2 Eggs, beaten

1/4 Cup Chopped parsley

1 T Dill weed

Cream the cheeses in a food processor.

Add eggs, parsley and dill weed.

Continue processing and then place in a zip top bag with the corner clipped for piping.

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Jeff Smith (The Frugal Gourmet) has a recipe for a meat filling that is pretty standard. Liberties can be taken with usually good results.

These baked meat rolls are shaped like snails and filled with a flavorful ground beef mixture. Serve as an entree or make smaller versions for appetizers.

Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes Ingredients: 1 Tablespoon olive oil 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped 1 pound ground beef 1 teaspoon allspice 2 teaspoons Hungarian paprika Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 box phyllo pastry sheet (12 inches x 17 inches) 3/4 cup butter, melted

Preparation:Heat a large frying pan and add the oil. Saute the onion until soft, and then add the ground beef, allspice, paprika, salt, and pepper to taste. Cook until the meat is crumbly but not dry. Cool completely before you continue. Lay 1 sheet of phyllo dough on the counter. Brush with some of the butter. Place a heaping 1/3 cup of meat mixture across the sheet along the long side, 2 inches from edge. Fold the bottom over the meat mixture and roll into a snake shape. Cut the roll in half and coil each roll into a snail shape. Place on a nonstick baking sheet and butt the end up against the edge of the pan to prevent uncoiling. Brush with additional butter. Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until just golden. Keep the remaining sheets of phyllo dough covered with plastic, and work quickly to prevent in from drying out. Hint on handling phyllo dough: Be sure the dough is at room temperature before you open the box. Place the sheets of dough on a large cookie sheet and cover them with plastic wrap and then a heavy towel. In this way, they will not dry out while you are working with them. Work fast for best results and do not have the butter too hot when brushing the dough. Yield: 18 to 20 Recipe Source: The Frugal Gourmet On Our Immigrant Ancestors by Jeff Smith

Kharcho, Georgian (Russian) Soup

Kharcho, Georgian (Russian) Soup

Book: Steve' diabetic recipe book
Chapter: SOUP

Serves: 8

Credit to Bob Beer for the recipe. Original,as published recipe in body. Comment by Olga Timokhina of RusCuisine.com

I adjusted the spices slightly and recommend serving with a dollop of sour cream... Steve





2 pounds beef round steaks cut to cubes after almost freezing
1 teaspoon ground fenugreek seed (Purchase cracked ones. Seeds are like gravel to grind)
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
1/8 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves or sub methi/shenbalile powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon savory
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
4 bay leaves
1/2 pound plum tomatoes, chopped
1 cup chopped walnuts
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1. In heavy casserole, cover beef with 2 qts water. Bring to boil over high heat and skim. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer till meat is tender, about 2 hours.
2. Meanwhile, place ground fenugreek seed in mortar. Add red pepper and pound well. Add garlic, sugar, and salt; pound to a paste. Stir in the ground coriander, fenugreek leaves, paprika, black pepper, savory, and turmeric, set aside.

3. In a medium skillet, heat oil over low heat. Add onion and bay leaves, cover and cook, stirring frequently, till onion is very soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and pounded spices, and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

4. Remove meat from the casserole and strain soup through a colandar into a large bowl. Skim fat from the liquid. Remove and discard bones, gristle, and hard pieces of fat from the beef. Cut the meat into 1-inch pieces. Return the meat and strained liquid to the casserole (you can omit this step if using boneless meat of course; just skim the fat).

5. In a food processor, puree the walnuts to a smooth paste. Add 1/2 c of the beef cooking liquid and process till creamy and smooth. Add to casserole along with the onion-tomato mixture and bring to a boil over moderately high heat. Cook till the soup thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Add lemon juice, and season with salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper to taste. Sprinkle with the chopped herbs, cover and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.




Original recipe:

3 1/2 pounds trimmed beef short ribs, or 1 1/2-2 lbs round steak or lamb cut into 1-in pieces
1/2 tsp ground fenugreek seed
3/4 tsp crushed red pepper
2 large garlic cloves, smashed
1/8 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (methi in Indian stores, shenbalile in persian)
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp savory
2 pinches turmeric
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 bay leaves
1/2 pound plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, chopped
1 cup walnuts (I'd use 1 1/2 cups myself)
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (or more to taste)
1/4 c mixed chopped fresh cilantro, celery leaves, and italian parsley

Note to Bob: "Having eaten some Circassian (expelled Georgians) and Georgian food in Turkey, I'd say this was a bit "watered down" a recipe. I usually add quite a bit more red pepper and lemon juice, as well as coriander and fenugreek leaves and black pepper. The combination of the lemon and the warmth of the black pepper really make this dish for me. I have also played with it a little in adding up to 2 cups of walnuts, making it a little more like a stew, a la Iranian fesenjan though nowhere as thick as that."

Anyway, I am sure you will love this dish! Enjoy. :-)

Bon appetit,
Olga Timokhina

NUTRITION FACTS
Amount per Serving
Calories 415 Calories From Fat 247
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 27g 42%
Saturated Fat 8g 38%
Cholesterol 107mg 36%
Sodium 352mg 15%
Total Carbohydrate 3g 1%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Sugars 0g
Protein 36g
Vitamin A 6% Vitamin C 10%
Calcium 1% Iron 24%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Borscht

RUSSIAN BORSCHT

Book: Steve' diabetic recipe book
Chapter: SOUP

Beets, Cabbage, Beef. Very filling. Serve w/ heavy bread and lite sour cream. Very low carbs. The bread will add some to your meal to prevent a sugar low. Sodium levels are high but you can substitute fresh or lo salt versions for the canned items. No need to add sugar, xylitol or stevia. The soup is sweet enough as it is. Can add more vinegar, or add mushrooms and turnips. This is not a one beet, poor man's borscht. Very thick and hearty.
Serves: 16

2 pounds beef sirloin steaks, cut up 1/2 to 3/4 inch cubes. Remove as much fat as possible.
4 ounces bacon, cooked to near crisp in soup pot. Save fat for browning beef.
1 49 1/2-ounce can chicken broth
1 32-fluid ounce box beef broth
3 15-ounce cans sliced beets, drained and cut into 3/8 inch julienne or similar
1 medium onion, chopped
1 14 1/2-ounce can diced or pureed tomatoes
1 pound carrots, baby sized or sliced
1 pound shredded cabbage
2 tablespoons butter
Pepper, to taste
3 bay leaves
3 tablespoons vinegar
Lite sour cream, for garnish/topping

In a soup pot, place bay leaves, chicken and beef broths. Start to heat . In a high sided frying pan or pot, nearly crisp the bacon. Remove bacon, cut up or crumble and place in soup pot. In the bacon renderings, sweat or sauté the onions, then place them in soup pot. Brown the beef. Add to the soup pot. Simmer 1 1/2 hours.
In the frying pan or pot add a little butter. Add carrots for a few minutes. Add cabbage for a few minutes. When the cabbage is wilted/reduced add to the soup pot. Add rest of ingredients (except sour cream) and simmer 15-30 minutes. You can use the canned beet juice if it isn't a high sodium brand, otherwise, discard. Too salty? Add some diced potato for last simmer. It doesn't really "suck up" the salt. It just spreads the salt around in the greater volume of veggies.

NUTRITION FACTS
Amount Per Serving
Calories 337 Calories from Fat 133
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g 22%
Saturated Fat 5g 24%
Cholesterol 114mg 38%
Sodium 1507mg 76%
Total Carbohydrate 10g 3%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Sugars 5g
Protein 37g
Vitamin A 123% Vitamin C 34%
Calcium 2% Iron 21%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.