Archive for the ‘: RUSSIAN’ Category
Russian Beef Stroganoff
August 29, 2017 Lee
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Russian Beef Stroganoff

Natasha's Kitchen, Natasha Kravchuk, United States.
This is the classic Russian Stroganoff, and sounds very good! Link to the Shortcut is listed in the Notes section.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Russian
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 kilo beef, sirloin if you have it, (2 lb)
  • 1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Seasoning, Shortcut
  • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon paprika
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1½ tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1½ cups water
  • 1 clove garlic, smashed and finely minced
  • 1½ cups whipping cream
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1½ tablespoons all purpose flour

Instructions
 

  • Prep the beef by trimming away excess fat, remember, some fat provides flavor (and inches to the waistline) so remove any extra fat, then cut into ½ inch strips.
  • Fill a pot halfway with water and heat, when it is boiling, add the beef and bring back to a boil. Spoon off any foam that forms on the surface. When there is no more foam, remove from heat and pour into a strainer and rinse with water.
  • Add the beef to a pot with a tight fitting lid and add ¾ cup of water then add the Mrs. Dash Seasoning, salt, pepper, soy sauce, paprika, and olive oil, stir together and simmer over medium heat, check occasionally to see if you need to add more water, there should be enough water to keep the beef moist but not soupy. Cook for 1 hour and check beef for tenderness, continue cooking, with more water if needed if the beef is not tender.
  • When the beef is tender, stir in the garlic and whipping cream. mix the melted butter with the flour with a small whisk or fork then stir that into the beef.
  • Simmer for an additional 20 to 30 minutes. Beef should now be good and tender with the sauce in a gravy like consistency. If the mixture gets too thick just thin it out with a bit more cream.
  • Serve with mashed potatoes.

Notes

Figure about 200 Baht/kilo. For 4 servings, this is about $1.47 per serving.
Shortcut: Mrs. Dash Seasoning.
Variant: 1. Add sautéed fresh mushrooms.
* Fair Value $1.01 to $1.50 per Serving,: RUSSIAN,BEEF
Fish & Shrimp Soup (Ukha)
August 13, 2017 Lee
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Fish & Shrimp Soup (Ukha)

Natasha's Kitchen, Natasha Kravchuk, United States.
This is an excellent soup! This is a Russian soup with a light broth. I used 3 Pangasius fillets (Shark Catfish) and small White shrimp. Link to the Shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
5 from 2 votes
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Russian
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 10 cups water
  • 2 cups vegetable stock, pork or chicken stock also works well
  • 1 tablespoon sea salt
  • 3 medium potatoes, diced
  • 1 large carrot, halved and sliced thin
  • 350 grams whitefish fillets, boneless, skinless, (12 oz)
  • 250 grams shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed, (9 oz)
  • olive oil, as needed
  • 1 small onion, finely diced
  • 2-3 stalks import celery, thinly sliced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon Mrs. Dash Seasoning, Shortcut
  • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped or 1 tablespoon dried
  • Straw mushrooms, optional, as many as you like

Instructions
 

  • Add the water, stock, and salt to a large pot and put on high heat and add the potatoes. Bring to a boil and reduce to a high simmer for 10 minutes. Then add the carrots and reduce to a simmer for another 10 minutes.
  • While the potatoes and carrots are cooking, heat a large pan with a splash of olive oil and saute the onion and celery until softened and starting to brown, then add this to the pot.
  • Add the shrimp to the pot. I used small White shrimp from a local farm, you can use any type of shrimp or prawn you like. I measured the weight after the head, shell, and tails were removed.
  • Add the fish to the pot. I used 3 Pangasius (Shark Catfish) fillets, you can use any whitefish you like, Tilapia and Sea Perch (Barramundi) would also work well, keep in mind, boneless and skinless.
  • Add the bay leaves, Mrs. Dash seasoning, parsley, pepper, and if using the optional Straw mushrooms, just slice those in half lengthwise and add those to the pot as well.
  • Cook on a high simmer for about 10-15 minutes to cook the mushrooms, important, skim off any foam on the surface to give a clear broth. Taste and season with additional salt if needed, serve.

Notes

Figure about 50 Baht for the whitefish (Pangasius) and about 150 Baht for the shrimp. Even though the celery is import, only 2 or 3 stalks are used so that is low cost. For 8 servings, this is about 74 cents per serving.
Shortcut: Mrs. Dash Seasoning.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,: RUSSIAN,MUSHROOMS,SOUPS, STEWS, CHILI
Russian Style Crab Salad (Крабовый Салат)
July 31, 2017 Lee
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Russian Style Crab Salad (Крабовый Салат)

Natasha's Kitchen, Natasha Kravchuk, United States.
This recipe uses imitation crab, aka crab sticks, but if you wish to use real crab, feel free. I personally like imitation crab so I will be using that. And this is the first recipe I have listed with the Russian text in the title as well, very cool I think. I prepared this on 30 Sep 2017, delicious! Link to the Shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
5 from 2 votes
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Passive Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Course Main Dish, Side
Cuisine Russian
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 750 grams imitation crab, chopped or chopped and shredded, (1½ lbs)
  • 6-7 hard boiled eggs, diced, Shortcut
  • 1 small onion, finely diced
  • 1 cup mayo
  • 2 tablespoons horseradish sauce, or to taste
  • 1 can corn, drained well
  • 1 can sweet peas, drained well

Instructions
 

  • In a large bowl, add everything except the peas and mix, add more mayo as needed to coat everything well.
  • Add the peas and gently fold in, this keeps them from getting mushy. Store in the fridge for several hours before serving.
  • Served along some Roast Red Pork, delicious! You can certainly serve this as a main dish as well.

Notes

Crab stick prices vary widely, from 90 to 270 Baht/500 grams, not sure of the taste or quality as I have only bought Tesco brand at 94 Baht/450 gram package and the taste is quite good, for 750 grams, figure about 150 Baht. For 8 servings, this is about 52 cents per serving.
Shortcut: Perfect Hard Boiled Chicken Eggs.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,: RUSSIAN,Sides - Salads
Mom’s Meatball Soup
July 21, 2017 Lee
1 Comment

Mom's Meatball Soup

Natasha's Kitchen, Natasha Kravchuk, United States.
Not my Mom, Natasha's Mom. This is absolutely delicious! I made this on 26 July 2017, and as I predicted, big hit with the Thai family. Link to the Shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
5 from 2 votes
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Russian
Servings 12 servings

Ingredients
  

For the Soup

  • 15 cups water
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 6-8 medium potatoes, cubed
  • 2 large carrots, thinly sliced, halved first if very large
  • ½ cup dry spaghetti, broken into ½ inch pieces
  • ½ onion, finely diced
  • 2 stalks import celery, or a handful of Thai celery, finely diced
  • 3 tablespoons cooking oil
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
  • ½ teaspoon Mrs. Dash Seasoning, Shortcut
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

For the Meatballs

  • 1 kilo ground pork, (2 lb)
  • 1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Seasoning, Shortcut
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • ½ onion, finely diced

Instructions
 

  • Add the water, potatoes, and salt listed for the soup to a large pot on high heat and bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes to soften the potatoes.
  • Reduce the temp to maintain a medium simmer on the pot, add the carrots and the spaghetti pieces to the pot.
  • In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients listed For the Meatballs. Once mixed well, use your hands to roll small meatballs, no need for perfection here, as you make them, add them to the soup. They will cook in the hot water and make the broth for the soup. (I chopped up 3 spring onions and added those as well after the meatballs were added.)
  • Heat a non stick pan on medium heat and add the 3 tablespoons of cooking oil, your choice of oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion and celery, cook until softened then add this to the soup.
  • Soup is simmering after the onion and celery were added.
  • While stirring the soup, pour in the lightly beaten egg. Season with the dill, black pepper, and Mrs. Dash Seasoning. (I also added the chopped tops of the celery.)
  • Serve with fresh bread.

Notes

Ground pork at Tesco will cost about 100 Baht/kilo, another option is to grind your own pork with the medium plate on your grinder, use pork shoulder for this as fat is needed. Pork shoulder is also about 100 Baht/kilo. For 12 servings, this is about 25 cents per serving, very reasonable.
Shortcut: Mrs. Dash Seasoning.
Variant: 1. Add some chopped spring onions to the soup after the meatballs are in.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,: RUSSIAN,MEATBALLS,SOUPS, STEWS, CHILI
Chicken & Mushroom Patties (Kotlety)
July 20, 2017 Lee
1 Comment

Chicken & Mushroom Patties (Kotlety)

Natasha's Kitchen, Natasha Kravchuk, United States.
Kotleti is Russian meat cakes that are juicy and delicious due to the mushrooms. These are unbelievably delicious! I made these on 26 July 2017, excellent, even my wife who does not care for chicken, loved these. Juicy patties and a wonderful flavor from the mushrooms.
5 from 2 votes
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Russian
Servings 18 3 inch patties

Ingredients
  

  • 500 grams ground chicken, thighs would be best if grinding, (1 lb)
  • 500 grams fresh cremini mushrooms, or button mushrooms, (1 lb)
  • 1 small onion, grated, large grate
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
  • ½ cup all purpose flour, for dredging
  • olive oil, as needed for frying

Instructions
 

  • For the mushrooms, White Button or Cremini (which is a brown button mushroom) work well. For those in Thailand, think White Shimeji or Buna Shimeji (brown) mushrooms or Shiitake mushrooms. For this recipe I used mostly Buna Shimeji and Shiitake mushrooms.
  • Slice/chop the mushrooms and cook in a non stick pan with 2 tablespoons of heated olive oil. Cook until lightly browned and softened and most of the water is cooked off. Drain.
  • Add the cooked mushrooms into a food processor and mince, or if grinding the chicken yourself, just run them through the grinder. If you really have time, mince yourself by hand if desired. (I course ground chicken thighs then simply ran the mushrooms through the grinder right after the chicken was run through.)
  • In a large bowl, add the chicken, the mushrooms, onion, eggs, panko, salt and pepper, mix to combine. I just used a large spoon, it mixes very easily.
  • Use an ice cream scoop to make perfect size small patties, hand shape into 2-3 inches across for fritters , or just make larger patties for say a sandwich roll.
  • In a large non stick pan, heat a splash of olive oil, add the patties, cover and cook about 3-4 minutes per side. When golden brown on each side, remove to paper towels to drain.
  • Serve with a dipping sauce of your choice, or if you make lager patties, enjoy on a sandwich roll with lettuce and mayo.

Notes

I will price this when I get the rate for 500 grams of mushrooms. I will estimate right now, low cost.
Variants: Think large patties, use on a sandwich roll or hamburger bun, dress with lettuce and mayo.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,: RUSSIAN,CHICKEN & TURKEY,MUSHROOMS