Archive for April 2012

[Recipe] Utka s Krasnokochannoi Kapustoi – Duck w/ Red Cabbage

Categories: Ethnic, Rus, Ukrainian, Poultry, Vegetable, Slavic, Main dish
Yield: 4 Servings

1 ea Duck 5-6 lbs
1 ea Head red cabbage shredded
1 ea Onion chopped
Salt to taste
6 oz Salt pork diced
1/2 c Red wine

Place cabbage & onion into a bowl, sprinkle with salt & allow to stand 10 mins.
Squeeze out liquid.
Fry salt pork in a skillet until browned.
Pre-heat oven to 425 deg-F.
Add cabbage & onion mixture as well as wine.
Cover & simmer 20 mins.
Place duck in a roasting pan.
Bake for 30 mins.
Drain off fat.
Spoon cabbage mixture over duck.
Reduce oven temp to 350 deg-F.
Bake for 45-50 mins. until duck is tender.
Baste every 10-15 mins.

ORIGIN Dr. Valentina Shevolskov, Kyiv-Ukraine, circa 1999

Some pics for April 28, 2012

I felt well enough to get dressed up for a friend’s wedding today. In the last two shots, my niece, Abbie, decided she wanted to horn in on my action. Enjoy!

Me, 4/21/2012

After a busy weekend, I managed to have fun with family for my cousin’s birthday. A couple glasses of wine, some good coffee and cake, and I was able to finally unwind a bit. While preparing my iPad for my uncle, who is now interested in buying one, my mother took an opportunity to snap a pic of me. So, here I am in all my candid glory.

[Recipe] Russian Beef Tongue & Raisin sauce

Thanks to Doc-D for posting this:

Russian Beef Tongue & Raisin sauce
Categories: Meat, Russian, Ukrainian, Slavic, Ethnic, Euro, Maindish
Yield: 4 servings

1 ea Fresh Beef tongue
3 ea Onions
1 ea Carrot
1 ea Parsnip
4 ea Celery ribs & leaves
5 sprigs parsley sprigs
8 ea Black peppercorns
Salt & pepper to taste
1/2 c Almonds blanched & split
2/3 c Raisins
6 tb Sunflower oil
3 tb All-purpose flour
1/4 Dry bread crumbs
1 ts Ginger ground
1 ea Lemon cut to small cubes
Hungarian sweet paprika as required

Boil raisins & almonds for 3-5 mins.
Strain raisins & almonds from liquid & reserve.
Reserve liquid as well.
Put tongue in a large pot with onions, carrots, celery & parsley.
Add water to cover.
Add peppercorns & salt.
Simmer gently for 4-6 hrs. until tender.Drain.
Reserve liquid.
Heat oil then add flour.
Cook as you stir constantly until well blended & turning tannish.
Gradually stir in reserved raisin & almond liquid along with enough tongue liquid to make apporximately 3 cups total.
Add breadcrumbs, almonds, raisins & lemon cubes.
Season with salt & paprika.
Pour sauce over sliced tongue.
Serve hot.

ORIGIN: Dr. Irina Buraskova, Sevastopol-Ukraine, circa 2000

New Telecomm Provider Would Put Privacy First

Ed Krayewski of Reason.com posts some potentially great news for privacy advocates! A telecommunications company to be formed under the auspices of the Calyx Group is promising that their ISP will not give your personal info to the government. If this turns out to be both legal and feasible, expect them to become huge quickly.

Tim Berners-Lee urges government to stop the snooping bill

One of the godfathers of the Internet, Sir Tim Berners-Lee, is not pleased with government intrusion in the creature he helped to spawn. The Guardian has an article notice his displeasure here.

[Recipes] Siberian Pelmeni – Siberian Stuffed Dumplings

Many thanks to Doc-D who originally posted this:

Categories: Meat, Beef, Pork, Russian, Ethnic, Main dish
Yield: 1 batch

Dough:
2 ea Eggs
2/3 c Water
1 tb Sunflower oil
1/2 ts Salt
3 1/2 c All-purpose flour

Filling:
1 ea Onion grated fine
1/2 lb Pork ground
1/2 lb Beef ground
Salt & pepper to taste

Dough:
Combine eggs, water, oil, salt & 1/2 of flour in a food processor.
Add remaining flour then process until a smooth dough forms.
Turn out onto a lightly floured surface.
Knead for about 5-6 mins.r until no longer sticky.
Wrap in plastic wrap then allow to rest for 30 mins.
Dough can be refrigerated or frozen at this point until ready to roll.

Filling:
Combine onion, meats, salt and pepper until thoroughly mixed.

Cut dough into 8 equal pieces.
Keep remainder covered while you roll 1 piece of dough into a finger-width cylinder.
Cut this into 10 pieces.
Roll each piece into a 2″ circle.
Spread 1 ts of filling on circle almost to edges.
Pick up circle then fold to create a 1/2-moon.
Pinch the edges together as you make sure no trapped air is in them.
Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Put a large pot of salted water on to boil.
Once you have made 10 pelmeni then drop them into boiling water.
When they float to surfaceyou will boil for another 1-2 mins.
Remove from water with a slotted spoon.
Repeat with remaining dough & filling.
Serve boiled dumplings with melted butter & sour cream.
After boiling your pelmeni can also be sauteed in butter with chopped onions until lightly brown.

ORIGIN: Dr. Nadzhezda Kuprova, Roistov-Russia, circa 1999