Ukrainian Beets Recipes

UKRAINIAN SALAT VINAIGRETTE (BEET SALAD)

Steps:

• Place the beets into a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes. Add the carrots and potatoes. Boil for another 10 minutes, then cover the pot and leave overnight.
• The next day, peel and dice the beets, carrots, and potatoes into small, even pieces. Place the vegetables in a large bowl. Stir in the pickles, onion, peas, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Garnish with parsley before serving.

UKRAINIAN BEET LEAF ROLLS STUFFED WITH BREAD

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• In a glass measuring cup or small bowl, use a fork to combine yeast with 1/4 cup of the warm water and 1/2 teaspoon of the sugar. Let stand for 10 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, mix together milk, the remaining 2 cups warm water, 1 ounce melted butter, and yeast mixture.
• Add 4 cups of the flour and mix just until well combined.
• Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled (about 1 hour).
• Punch dough down and transfer to a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, if desired.
• Add beaten eggs, 1 tablespoon salt, the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar, and remaining 3 1/4 cups flour.
• Knead until dough is smooth.
• Smear top with melted butter or oil.
• Cover with plastic wrap and let rise again until doubled (about 1 to 2 hours).
• Meanwhile, wash the beet leaves.
• Blanch in boiling water for 30 seconds or until pliable (especially if using mature leaves).
• Remove from water and shock with cold water to stop the cooking process. Let drain.
• Gather the ingredients.
• When the dough has doubled, punch it down.
• Take a walnut-sized piece of dough, elongating it to a rectangular shape.
• Place it on a beet leaf.
• Roll up loosely, as you would for cabbage rolls, except leave the sides open to allow for the dough to expand as it rises and then bakes. If you like larger rolls, use more bread dough but, remember, it will grow.
• Line the bottom and sides of a Dutch oven or other large pot with beet leaves.
• Place a layer of beet rolls in the bottom.
• Brush with melted butter or other fat and salt.
• Repeat layering, ending with melted butter or fat and salt on top.
• Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled (about 1 to 2 hours).
• Heat oven to 350 F. When holubtsi have risen, remove the plastic wrap and cover with a layer of beet leaves and a tight-fitting lid whose inside has been brushed with butter or fat.
• Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour and serve hot with creamy dill sauce.
• Gather the ingredients.
• While the rolls are baking, make the sauce by melting 2 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan.
• Stir in 2 tablespoons flour and cook until mixture bubbles.
• Add broth and, whisking constantly, bring to a slow boil. Cook until thickened, whisking frequently.
• Place sour cream in a heatproof bowl and temper by adding and whisking 1 or 2 small ladles of thickened broth mixture.
• Then add tempered sour cream back into the sauce, whisking until smooth.
• Add 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, and salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm until ready to serve.

UKRAINIAN BEET GREEN CABBAGE ROLLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat, and cook the onion until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat; allow to cool. Place the bread crumbs into a large bowl; pour the milk over the crumbs. Let stand until the crumbs have absorbed the liquid, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cooked onion, ground beef, ground pork, egg, salt, and pepper until well combined.
• Cover the bottom of the prepared baking dish with 2 large beet leaves; set aside 2 more leaves for the top. Lay remaining beet leaves for filling onto a flat work surface, and place a heaping teaspoon of the meat mixture at the wide end (bottom) of each leaf. Roll the leaf up, enclosing the filling, then place into the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining leaves and filling mixture. Pour the chicken broth over the filled rolls, then place the last 2 reserved leaves over the top of the rolls.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the beet leaves are tender and the filling is cooked through, about 1 hour. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 160 degrees F (72 degrees C).
• Remove the dish from the oven, and pour the liquid from the bottom of the baking dish into a small saucepan. Whisk the flour and cream together in a bowl until smooth, and stir the cream mixture gradually into the pan juices. Bring to a bare simmer over medium-low heat, and cook gently until thickened, about 5 minutes. Do not boil. To serve, arrange the filled rolls in a serving dish and pour the sauce over the rolls. Sprinkle with chopped dill.

UKRANIAN PICKLED BEETS

Steps:

• Mix beet liquid, vinegar, sugar, salt and spices in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
• Add beets and return to a boil, then remove from the heat.
• Transfer beets to a jar and cover with liquid.
• Marinate in refrigerator for 2 to 3 days, then serve.

BORSCH (((AUTHENTIC UKRAINIAN CLASSIC BORSCH)))

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Place the diced bacon or panchetta in a Dutch oven or stockpot and cook, stirring, over medium-high heat, until the fat begins to render, about 3 minutes.
• Add the beef and continue to cook, stirring, until the beef is brown on all sides, about 6 minutes.
• Remove both meats from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
• Add the onions and carrot to the fat in the Dutch oven or stockpot and stir to coat.
• Cook until soft, about 4 minutes.
• Add the garlic, oregano, dill seeds and bay leaves and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
• Add the red wine vinegar and stir to deglaze the pot.
• Return both meats to the pot and add the water, salt and pepper and bring to a boil.
• Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the beef is tender, about 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, place the beets on a baking sheet and brush with the oil.
• Roast until tender and can be pierced easily with a fork or knife, about 1 hour.
• Remove from the oven and set aside until cool enough to handle.
• When the beets are cool enough to handle, trim the stem and root ends and remove the skins.
• Coarsely grate or chop and set aside.
• When the meat is tender and falling apart, add the beets, potatoes, cabbage, parsley, tomato paste and celery salt or seeds and simmer over low heat for another 30 minutes.
• Season with additional red wine vinegar, salt, freshly ground black pepper and sugar to taste.
• Ladle borsch into bowls and garnish with a dollop of sour cream and a pinch of fresh dill.
• Also, serve with Russian black bread.