This is one traditional, recipe; for the classic, hearty, Main Dish, Ukrainian Style, vegetable soup: containing beets, and beef; cooked in beef stock; and served with beef pasty. See my other Borscht recipes.
Ingredients: For the Soup:
2 1/2-3lbs shin of beef
1 large marrowbone
1 Tbsp. salt
2 quarts water
1 (16ozs.) can of tomatoes (undrained)
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
1 celery stick, large dice
3 sprigs of parsley
10 whole black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1 cup cabbage, coarsely shredded
½ cup, thickly-sliced carrots
1 onion, large dice
2 Tbsps. fresh dill, diced
1/3 cup cider vinegar
2 Tbsps. sugar
1 (16 ozs.) can julienne beets (undrained)
Sour cream, fresh dill, minced, to garnish
1 batch Pyrizhky
Preparation Method:
The day before you’re going to serve, combine the beef, marrowbone, 1 Tbsp. salt, and water, in a large stock pot. Bring to a boil; then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 1 hour.
After this time add the tomatoes, quartered onion, celery, parsley, black peppercorns and bay leaves. Return to a simmer; then cover and cook for 2 hours.
Remove the pan from the heat, lift the beef from the stock then discard the marrowbone.
Strain the stock through a colander. Retain the liquid but discard the solids.
Return the stock, and beef, to the pan then add the cabbage, carrot, diced onion, and minced fresh dill, vinegar, sugar and 1 ½ tsp. salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are completely tender.
Take off the heat and set aside to cool then refrigerate overnight. The following day, skim off any fat then remove the beef. Strip the meat from the bones and cut into 1 inch cubes (if desired you can use ½ pound of the meat for the Pyrizhky). Return the meat to the pot along with the beetroot. Bring to a simmer and cook until the Pyrizhky are done. Now prepare a batch of Pyrizhky according to the recipe. When ready, ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with sour cream and chopped dill and serve with the PyrizhkyPyrizhky (Ukrainian Meat Patties) Recipe from Ukraine
This is a traditional Ukrainian recipe for a classic meat patties or pasties made from sour cream pastry and filled with a mix of onions, beef, sour cream and herbs. Pyrizhky (also known as Pyrohy or Piroshki) are classic Ukrainian meat patties, often served as an accompaniment to soups and stews that, in some sense are the Ukrainian version of Cornish pasties.
Ingredients:
10.5 ozs. (about, 2/3 batch) Ukrainian sour cream pastry
2 Tbsps. butter 1 oz. (large dice) onions
3 Tbsps. sour cream
½ cup, cooked beef, cubed
1/2 tsp. dried dill
1/2 tsp. salt
Generous pinch of freshly-ground black pepper
1 egg yolk
1 Tbsp. water
Preparation Method: Prepare the pastry, as directed for a Ukrainian sour cream pastry recipe.
Whilst the pastry is resting in the refrigerator melt the butter in a pan and use to sauté the onion for about 2 minutes.
Stir-in the sour cream diced beef, dill, salt and black pepper and stir to combine. Take off the heat and set aside to cool.
Roll out the pastry on a lightly-floured work surface to about 2/16 in. Cut into oblongs about 4x8 ins. Cut each of these oblongs in half diagonally then spread a rounded Tbsp. of the filling over one half of the divided oblong, not quite going to the edges. Take the other half of the oblong and use to cover the filling.
Crimp the edges to seal and cut slits in the top as steam holes.
Transfer the Pyrizhky to a lightly-greased (or lined) baking tray. Whip the egg yolk and the water together and use to glaze the tops of the pasties.
Transfer to an oven pre-heated to 210°C and bake for about 15 minutes, or until puffed and golden.
Remove from the oven and serve hot either as a snack or as an accompaniment to soup dishes
Ukrainian Style Sour Cream Pastry
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp. salt
½ cup cold butter, cubed
½ cup cold lard, cubed
¼ cup (approx.) ice water
3 Tbsps. thick, sour cream
Preparation Method:
In a large bowl, whip together flour and salt; then using a pastry blender, cut in the butter and lard until it is mostly fine crumbs, with a few larger pieces.
In a liquid measure, whip sour cream together with water. Drizzle over the flour mixture, while tossing briskly with a fork. Add a little lemon juice or vinegar, if necessary, until ragged dough forms.
Divide in half; then press into 2 disc shapes. Wrap, refrigerate until chilled (approx. 30 minutes). This dough can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen in an airtight container for up to a month. Like puff pastry, this one also loves being kept cold even chilly.
© Al (Alex- Alexander) D Girvan 2012. All rights reserved
