BITOKES A LA RUSSE - RUSSIAN HAMBURGERS

Recipe Serving Size: 8

1 pound Ground round

8 tablespoon Butter

1/8 teaspoon Nutmeg

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

1 cup Bread crumbs

1/4 cup Finely chopped onion

1/2 tablespoon Flour

1/8 cup Dry white wine

1/2 cup Sour cream

1/4 cup Heavy cream

Add nutmeg, salt, pepper and 6T butter to meat. Roll into 8 balls. Coat with breadcrumbs. Flatten into hamburger shape. Score tops of patties in a crisscross.

Brown patties in remaining 2T butter. Transfer to warm platter. Wilt onion in skillet. Sprinkle with flour. Add wine. When it boils, stir in sour cream. Add salt, pepper. Stir off heat one minute. Add heavy cream. Return to heat and bring just to a boil. Spoon over patties.

CHICKEN KOTLETKI WITH SOUR CREAM SAUCE

Serving Size : 8

Filling:

3/4 pound Fresh mushrooms, finely chopped

1/4 teaspoon Salt

Freshly ground pepper

2 pounds Skinless, boneless chicken breasts, ground

2 cups Fresh bread crumbs

1/2 cup Light cream

1 Egg, lightly beaten

1 1/2 teaspoon Salt

Cayenne pepper, nutmeg and black pepper

2 tablespoons Butter

1 tablespoon Oil

Sauce:

2 tablespoons Butter

1/4 cup Finely chopped green onions

2/3 cup Whipping cream

2 teaspoons White vinegar

2/3 cup Sour cream

1/4 teaspoon Salt

Filling:

Melt butter in skillet and over medium high heat, saute mushrooms with salt and a pinch of pepper until mushrooms are browned and liquid has evaporated. Remove one tbsp. mushrooms to add to the sauce and reserve the rest for filling the 'kotletki' Patties. In a large bowl, mix together 1 cup of the breadcrumbss and the cream, combine with the chicken, egg, salt and a pinch each of the cayenne, nutmeg and pepper. Spread remaining crumbs in a shallow pan. Divide chicken mixture into 8 portions. With wet hands, form each portion into an oblong patty. Flatten slightly amd in center, place 1/8 of the mushroom filling. Fold over and pat chicken around filling. Roll each patty gently in bread crumbs and place on waxed paperlined tray. Repeat with remaining chicken and filling to make 8 patties. Cover and chill the patties. Recipe can be prepared ahead up to this point. In 1 large or 2 med skillets, heat together butter and oil. Arrange patties in a single layer and saute over medium heat for about 5 minutes on each side, adding more butter if necessary, until patties are golden brown.

Sauce:

Meanwhile in a small saucepan, melt butter and cook onions without browning for 2 - 3 minutes. Add cream, increase heat to high and cook, stirring constantly, until cream thickens slightly. Reduce heat to low, add vinegar, sour cream and salt. Heat through, but do not boil. Add reseved mushroom filling. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve each kotletki napped with a spoonful of sauce, and garnished with watercress Accompanyed by Kasha.

Chicken Kiev

Yield: 2 servings

1/2 cup Butter

3 Cloves garlic, diced

1/4 cup Lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon Mixed vegetable seasoning

2 Chicken breasts

2 Eggs

1/2 cup Scallions, diced fine

3 cup Cracker crumbs

1/2 cup Grated Parmesan cheese

In a fry pan, melt butter and saute garlic with lemon juice and seasoning.

Using flavorizer, inject breasts with butter mix. (The flavorizer can be purchased at any kitchen supply store. It looks much like the needle a doctor uses for injections, and it's use is also similar.)

Add remaining liquid to eggs and beat. In a separate bowl, combine scallions, cracker crumbs, and Parmesan cheese. Dip breasts in egg mixture, then into cracker mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

GEORGIAN CHEESE PASTRIES

Serving Size: 24

-----PASTRY-----

1 1/2 cups Flour,all-purpose

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1/2 teaspoon Cream of tartar

10 tablespoons Butter, salted, cold

1/4 cup Water,ice

-----CHEESE FILLING-----

1 Egg

1 cup Muenster cheese, shredded

1 cup Cheddar cheese,shredded

3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated

1/4 cup Parsley,chopped

2 tablespoons Chives, chopped

2 tablespoons Mint,chopped

1. Prepare Pastry: Place flour, salt, cream of tartar and butter in food processor. Whirl until texture of coarse meal. Add water. Whirl just until combined and mixture begins to mass together. Place on plastic wrap, flatten to a disk, and wrap airtight. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 30 days.

2. Roll dough on floured surface to 1/8" thickness. Cut out 24 circles with 3" round cookie cutter, rerolling scraps; or trace around 3" water glass. Pleat edges of circles and fit in bottom of muffin tins.

3. Prepare Filling: Beat egg in bowl. Add Meunster, Cheddar, Parmesan, parsley, chives and mint. Spoon 2 teaspoons filling in each pastry shell; spread level. (Can be prepared up to 3 hours ahead and refrigerated.)

4. Bake in preheated hot oven (425'F) for 12-15 minutes or until the filling is golden brown and the pastry begins to color. Remove from tins; cook on rack. Serve warm.

KOTONJATA (CHRISTMAS CANDY)

Serving Size : 1

13 large Quince

2 Lemons

2 cups Water

Sugar

1 cup Lemon juice -- strained

Select desired number of even colored (not spotted) quince. I use 13 large quince. Wash and peel as you would an apple. Use a shredder and grate on largest holes. Place all meat in a heavy pot with juice of 2 lemons and 2 cups of water. Cook over lowest flame for at least an hour or an hour and a half. Test to see if quince is soft. Remove from fire. Measure the cooked quince by cup and return to pot. Add equal number of quince and sugar in the same pot. Stir well until blended. Cook on medium heat, watching carefully that it doesn't scorch. Reduce heat to lowest setting for an hour, stirring frequently. After first half hour add 1 cup strained lemon juice. Test quince by placing a teaspoonful on a small plate. If it doesn't run, it's ready to pour on platters or in Pyrex bakiing dish about 1/4 inch thick. Let dry for 3 days, turning frequently. Cut in smaller pieces to help turn easier. When hardened, wrap and refrigerate until used.

KVAS

Serving Size : 6

1 pound Stale black bread

- or -

1 pound Pumpernickel bread, stale

1 cup Sugar

2 tablespoons Raisins

2 tablespoons Mint leaves, fresh

- or -

1 tablespoon Dried mint leaves

2 tablespoons Active dry yeast

1/4 cup Luke warm water

**NOTE** Water must be hot as it will kill the yeast. Oven must be preheated to 200 degrees F. Cube bread then spread on a cookie sheet and place in oven for 1 hour. Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil and drop in the bread.. Remove from heat, cover with a towel, & allow to sit at room temperature for 8 hours. Strain through a fine seive by pressing the moistuire from the bread. Sprinkle the yeast & 1/4 teaspoon of sugar over the cup of lukewarm water and stir to dissolve the yeast completely. Set aside in a warm place covered by a towel for approx. 10-12 minutes or until. mixture doubles in volume. Add the mint leaves, and remaining sugar, stir well then re-cover with the towel and set aside for 8-12 hours more at room temperature. Again strain the mixture through a fine seive. Pour into a 1 gal. container, add the raisins, cover the top with plastic wrap, secure with a rubber band, and place in cool NOT cold, spot for 4-5 days or until the raisins are floating and the sediment has sunk to the bottom. Pour off the clear amber liquid and rebottle in a clean jug or bottles. refrigerate until ready to use. In Russia this is a beverage as well as cold soup stock.

Russian Tea Cakes (Snowballs)

Yield: 4 dozen

1 cup Soft butter

1/2 cup Sifted confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon Vanilla

2 1/4 cups Sifted All-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon Salt

3/4 cup Nuts, finely chopped

Extra sifted confectioner's

Sugar for covering cookies

Mix the butter, confectioner's sugar, and vanilla, thoroughly together. Sift and stir in the flour, and salt. Then mix in nuts.

Chill dough. Roll into 1 inch balls. place on ungreased baking sheet (cookies do not spread). Bake until set, but not brown. While still warm, roll in confectioner's sugar. Cool. Roll in sugar again.

Temperature: 400F (mod hot oven).

Time: Bake 10 to 12 minutes.

Amount: About 4 dozen, 1 1/2 inch cookies.

NOTE: When rolling dough into balls, use a light touch, and do not handle very long. The dough will get hard, and become almost rock-like after baking if you over-handle.

This has been a family favorite for almost 30 years. Once you start eating them, you can't stop. I've seen and tasted many other recipes for "Snowball" cookies, but none have measured up to this one. I've had many "rocks" in my time!

Varenyky (filled Dumplings)

Yield: 10 servings

5 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

1 teaspoon Salt

2 tablespoons Butter

1 cup Evaporated Milk; NOT Condensed Milk

1/2 cup Water, As Needed

Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl, forming a well in the middle. Add the butter and milk and mix lightly until the flour is absorbed. (Add a little warm water as needed.) Knead until the dough sticks together, cover and allow to rest for a few minutes, then knead until smooth. Cover and set aside. (This dough should be somewhat soft, since more flour will be added as the dough is rolled out.) Or, in a processor, combine the flour, salt, and butter, stirring a few times, then with the machine running, add liquids until a ball forms. Allow to rest for a few minutes and then process until smooth. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turn, and cover for about 30 minutes. (It may be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for a day or so, brought to room temperature and then rolled out.) Place a fourth of the dough on a floured work surface, re-covering the rest of the dough. Roll into a circle, starting at the center and rolling outwards to maintain an even thickness, turn over and again from the center, roll the dough out to about 1/8-inch thickness. Run a hand under the bottom to loosen it. With a 3-inch biscuit cutter or wine glass, cut into rounds. When done cutting, place 1 tb of the filling on one side of each, flipping the other half over the top and sealing with your fingers or a fork. Make sure each is sealed or the filling will come out when cooked. Place each of the dumplings on a floured cookie sheet, keeping the dumplings covered with a towel. Repeat with the remaining dough, saving the scraps until last. Use as little flour as possible in this process or the scraps will be come tough and heavy. Gently drop 12 to 15 varenyky into 3 quarts of boiling water, in a large wide pot or Dutch oven. Do NOT overcrowd. Stir and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes. Drain in a collander and place on a lightly oiled cookies sheet, shaking to coat with a thin film to prevent sticking. Do NOT pile the dumplings on top of each other as this distorts their shape. If the varenyky are to be frozen, remove with a slotted spoon when they float to the top. DO NOT overcook. To freeze. place in the freezer on an oiled cookie sheet when tepid (lukewarm). When they are rigid, store in tightly sealed plastic bags. TO SERVE: Varenyky may be poached, pan-fried or steamed, served as an accompaniment or meats or served with sour cream, chopped sauteed onions or fried bacon with a little bacon fat.

RUSSIAN STYLE BARBECUED CHICKEN

Serving Size : 4

1 Fryer chicken

1/2 package Onion soup mix

1/2 cup Water

Salt & pepper to taste

1 Jar apricot preserves (8oz.)

1/2 Bottle Russian dressing

Cut fryer into quarters. Spread in Corning Ware dish. Salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle onion soup mix over chicken. Dab the apricot preserves over the chicken by Spoonsful. Cover with Russian dressing and pour water over top. Cover and bake for 2 hrs. at 300 degrees.

RUSSIAN MEAT BALLS(BITOCHKI)

Serving Size : 6

1 pound Ground beef

1 pound Ground veal

1/2 cup Chopped onion

1/4 cup Rendered kidney fat

2 slices Bread, soaked in milk, squeezed dry

2 teaspoons Salt

Ground pepper

Fine bread crumbs

Butter or beef fat

2 cups Sour cream

1/2 pound Sliced mushrooms, sauted

Cook onion in rendered kidney fat until wilted. Mix beef, veal, onion, bread, salt and little pepper. Knead well and chill. Wet hands and form mixture into balls the size of gold balls. Roll in crumbs and fry in butter or beef fat until brown all over. Remove and keep warm. Add sour cream and mushrooms to pan. Heat. Pour sauce over meat.