About Delightsofculinaria

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Slow cooked Beef with vegetables or “Basterma”

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This recipe came to me from my mother.Basterma is a dish very known in central Asia.

Add meat to hot oil.season it.

The meat is cooked first until you get nice brown color,then you add the onions and layer your vegetables. You only add 1/2 cup of water but, you will be surprised how much liquid you will get from all the veggies.The meat is tender and veggies are sweet and soft.

Add onions

Ingredients:
2 lbs. beef ( tri-tip is the best) cut into large cubes
1 1/2 onion chopped
3 carrots sliced into oval shapes
4 potatoes cut into 1/4 inch thick rounds
1 red bell pepper cut into rounds
1 green bell pepper cut into rounds
1/4 head of a cabbage sliced 1/2 inch thick
3 tomatoes sliced thick
1/3 cup oil
salt and pepper
1 1/2 tbsp. ground cumin powder

Arrange potatoes

1/2 cup water

Directions:
Heat oil on high heat. Add beef.

and the rest of the vegetables

Season with salt and pepper. Mix and let it cook uncovered until you will see a nice brown color.
Add onions and cook for about 3-4 minutes
Set  the heat to low add water and arrange the veggies in layers in this order;
-potatoes,salt & pepper
-cabbage, salt & pepper
-carrots,salt & pepper
-bell peppers
-tomatoes salt & pepper
-cumin powder

sprinkle salt,pepper,cumin and close the lid.

Now cover with lid and  turn the heat on high and bring to boil.When it begins to boil bring down to low heat and let cook for 1 1/2 hours.
When it’s all done cooking, gently mix it and serve with chopped cilantro.

Best buttermilk ranch dressing

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This is a dressing that you can add to your salad without guilt.You will know everything that will go in your body.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1/3 cup buttermilk
2 scallions chopped
salt and pepper
1-2 garlic cloves
pinch of dried parsley

Directions:
In a blender,pulse garlic with scallions.
add the rest of ingredients and pulse until well combined.
Serve on a salad or use as a dip for veggies.

Watercress salad

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This is very simple and healthy salad loaded with lots of vitamins.It is very beneficial especially if you are trying to lose those extra couple pounds or so.You can mix it with other greens if you’re not used to strong taste.

Ingredients:
1 bunch of watercress
pine nuts
grapes cut in half (or fruit of your choice)
crumbled feta cheese
squeeze of  fresh lemon juice
drizzle of olive oil
salt and fresh cracked pepper
* you can add a little bit of sugar if you like

Toss all the ingredients and serve

Grilled Lamb Chops

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Ingredients:
6-7 lbs lamb chops (8-10 people)
2 garlic heads peeled
1 shallot
4 oz. fresh rosemary
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup red wine
1 tablespoon fresh crushed black pepper
2 tablespoons salt (more or less depending what type you use)

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients in a blender.
trim the fat from lamb chops.
Cut chops by 2 bones.
Mix the marinade with lamb.
Let marinade for 40 minutes to 1 hour.
Grill it!

Easy roast beef (tri-tip)

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This is very delicious and super easy roast beef.It’s juicy,tender and very simple to make.

Ingredients:
Beef Tri-tip
Montreal steak seasoning
button mushrooms
water (and you can pour a little of red wine in the water if you like )

1/2-1 onion sliced rounds.

 

Heat oven to 400 degrees

Directions for 2 roasts:
Place tri-tip in a glass baking dish.

Sprinkle it with seasoning.(careful not to over do it,or it will be too spicy)

Add onion rounds to the bottom and top of the meat.

 

Add the mushrooms and fill the baking dish 1/3  with water.

Cover with foil and place it in the oven for 40 min. Reduce to 350 and continue to roast for another 2 hours. Add more hot water if needed.

When the meat is done,slice it and pour with the liquid from the dish.

Easy roast beef (tri-tip)

Ingredients

  • Beef Tri-tip
  • Montreal steak seasoning
  • button mushrooms
  • water (and you can pour a little of red wine in the water if you like )
  • 1/2-1 onion sliced rounds.

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 400 degrees
  2. Place tri-tip in a glass baking dish.
  3. Sprinkle it with seasoning.(careful not to over do it,or it will be too spicy)
  4. Add onion rounds to the bottom and top of the meat.
  5. Add the mushrooms and fill the baking dish 1/3 with water.
  6. Cover with foil and place it in the oven for 40 min. Reduce to 350 and continue to roast for another 2 hours. Add more hot water if needed.
  7. When the meat is done,slice it and pour with the liquid from the dish.
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Spartak cake

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This is truly amazing cake that you will want more then a slice. It’s very smooth and  not too sweet.Thanks Innesa for sharing this recipe. My guests were impressed.Next time I will do it double and add more hazelnuts.Of course it’s not so beautifully decorated as yours,it  tastes so good that it didn’t matter.

For recipe- Cake “spartak”

Chicken Canapes

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These chicken canapes are delicious and perfect for any get togethers. Kids and adults love them!

Heat oven to 450 degrees

Ingredients:

One canned  chicken
1 1/2 cup shredded cheese (1/2 mozzarella,1/2 cheddar,or your choice)
green onions sliced
2-3 garlic cloves crushed
2-3 tablespoons mayonnaise
sometimes I  like to add fresh tomatoes (diced)
1 baguette or french bread sliced(for bigger)

Directions:
Mix all the ingredients and spread on the bread.Transfer to
oven and bake on 450 degrees for 6-8 minutes or when the cheese is  melted completely.

Salmon rolls in phyllo dough

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This is a satisfying and awesome appetizer especially if you’re a seafood lover. Salmon rolls in phyllo dough  are filled with cream cheese and pimentos . I love this appetizer! It’s so delicate and delicious.The outside is crisp and flaky with creamy filling. I made for my sisters bridal shower that is getting married on February 26,2012
Ingredients:

Phyllo dough
1 stick butter melted
Fresh (I like to use wild)fillets of salmon sliced into 1/2 inch strips
cream cheese
1 jar of  diced pimentos(red sweet pepper)
white pepper
salt
dry dill

Directions:
Heat oven to 400 degrees

Unroll the phyllo dough sheets.
Spread some melted butter with a brush all over the sheet.
Place second sheet on top and repeat with butter.
Place salmon strips on the edge of the phyllo dough.
With your hand take  some cream cheese and form it into a strip,and place it on top or by salmon.
Add Pimentos along the line.
Sprinkle with little bit of white pepper and salt.
Roll it up,brush on some melted butter on top and sprinkle with dry dill.
Repeat the steps for the rest of the rolls.
Bake it in the oven for about 10 minutes or so.

Salmon rolls in phyllo dough with cream cheese and Pimentos

Ingredients

  • Ingredients:
  • Phyllo dough
  • 1 stick butter melted
  • Fresh (I like to use wild)fillets of salmon sliced into 1/2 inch strips
  • cream cheese
  • 1 jar of diced pimentos(red sweet pepper)
  • white pepper
  • salt
  • dry dill

Instructions

  1. Directions:
  2. Heat oven to 400 degrees
  3. Unroll the phyllo dough sheets.
  4. Spread some melted butter with a brush all over the sheet.
  5. Place second sheet on top and repeat with butter.
  6. Place salmon strips on the edge of the phyllo dough.
  7. With your hand take some cream cheese and form it into a strip,and place it on top or by salmon.
  8. Add Pimentos along the line.
  9. Sprinkle with little bit of white pepper and salt.
  10. Roll it up,brush on some melted butter on top and sprinkle with dry dill.
  11. Repeat the steps for the rest of the rolls.
  12. Bake it in the oven for about 10 minutes or so.
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Crepes with sweet cheese filling and citrus blueberry sauce or Ukranian “Nalisniki”

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 Lightly sweetened buttery crepes stuffed with  cream cheese,ricotta, powdered sugar, and a touch of orange zest then topped off with sweet blueberry sauce.They are perfect for breakfast or for a dessert.
Or you can make traditional Ukrainian “Nalisniki” with sour cream on top instead of the sauce. You can also substitute ricotta cheese for farmers cheese (Tvorog). You may choose raspberries or strawberries instead of blueberries.

Crepe batter ingredients:
2 1/2 cup sifted flour
2 cups milk
1 cup water
6 eggs
1 stick butter melted (1/2 cup or 4 oz.)
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Using a hand mixer or stand mixer combine milk,water,eggs,sugar,salt,and butter.Gradually add flour.  Scrape the sides with spatula if needed and mix well. Refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight.
 
Heat a crepe pan or a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Lightly grease with butter or spray oil. When hot, add 1/3 cup of batter to the pan.
Swirl the pan to spread the batter all around evenly. Then, place on the heat and cook for about 20-40 seconds. When the top is no longer shiny, then you will know it is ready to turn. Flip with a spatula and cook for another 15-45 seconds.

Cheese filling ingredients:

1 package cream cheese (8 oz.)
1 1/2 cup ricotta cheese or tvorog
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 egg
zest of 1 orange
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of salt
1/2 stick butter (approx.)

Directions:
Combine all the ingredients using a hand blender/mixer.

Filling in the crepes :

Spread a good amount of cheese filling around the entire crepe.Roll the crepe in to a tube and place it in a glass baking dish.Repeat for the rest of the crepes.When all done,add little slices of butter on the very top layer. (note: you will have about 2-3 layers of rolled crepes)
Cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes or when the butter is completely melted and the crepes are fully warmed up.

Blueberry sauce:
2 cups frozen blueberries
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
squeezed juice of orange
squeezed juice of 1/2 lemon
1 heaping teaspoon starch (I used potato starch)

Directions:
In a medium sauce pan, heat up blueberries,sugar,and water.bring to a slight simmer.cook for 1 minute or so.Mix together orange juice,lemon juice and starch. add to the hot blueberry sauce. cook for a minute or until sauce thickens. Serve over baked crepes.

Russian Honey Cake “Medovik”

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honey cake

This multi layer cake is fairly sweet and soft from the luscious amount of sour cream and condensed milk cream. The layers are baked to a perfect  golden colour. This cake does take sometime to make,but it’s not difficult at all to make it.It’s better when you make it day ahead.
There is two different variations for the cream.Sour cream with sugar or condensed milk with butter.I like them both,so I use them both in my cake.The sour cream and sugar will make it more softer then the condensed milk and butter.If you decide to make condensed milk cream, then don’t place it in the fridge. Let it sit for 6 hours at room temperature.

Prepare a pot with hot water for water bath.
For 5-6 layers (I doubled for 10 layer cake)

Ingredients:
2 tablespoon honey
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 stick butter + 1 tablespoon
2 eggs
3- 3.5 cups flour

Cream #1 for 10 layers:
3 1/2 cups sour cream
1 cup sugar (add more if you like it sweeter)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream #2:
1 can condensed milk
3 sticks butter (softened at room temp.)

Directions for the cake:

Heat oven to 375 degrees

In a mixing bowl (that can be placed on top of a water bath)Combine sugar and eggs with a whisk.
Add honey and place the mixing bowl over the water bath. Mix until all the sugar is dissolved.
Add butter and 1 tablespoon of flour.Mix well.
Remove the mixing bowl with honey mixture from  the water bath and add baking soda and flour gradually mixing it well. Start with 3 cups of flour and add more if needed.(remember it will thicken as the dough cools down). Divide the dough it to 6 equal balls. You can let it cool down for a little or you can start rolling.

Sprinkle flour on the surface where you will roll the dough.
Roll the dough very thin.( sprinkle with flour in between when you flip the dough to other side,so it doesn’t stick to the surface)
Transfer to an upside down cookie sheet(well floured or greased)
and bake 3-4 minutes or until it will nice and golden in colour( be careful,It can burn fast)
As soon as you take it out from the oven place a round dinner plate (upside down) and cut out the circle leaving the edges for later use on the topping.
Repeat with the rest of the layers.

Combine eggs,sugar and honey
Mix on top of water bat (double boiler) until sugar is dissolved
Add butter and 1 tablespoon of flour
Add the rest of the flour

Cream #1: Beat sour cream,sugar and vanilla with a mixer for about 4-5 minutes.

Cream #2:
Beat butter for 1 minute. Slowly add condensed milk while still beating.

leave 1(or two if the recipe is doubled)layer for the topping

Add Generous amount of cream to each layer: 2 layers sour cream,1 condensed milk cream and so on.
Add cream to the top and sides of the cake.

Crumble the leftover pieces and layers of the cake.( I use mini blender for this)

Add the crumbs to the top and sides of the cake. For best results leave in a fridge for 12 hours.Enjoy!!!

Spinach salad with mushrooms

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Serves 2
Ingredients for the salad:
Organic baby spinach
3 white mushrooms sliced
2 tablespoons Pine nuts
2 slices of Apple wood smoked bacon
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Dressing:

1 small shallot
3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
1/4 cup fresh squeezed juice from orange
1/4 cup Olive oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
4 scallions
2 tablespoon honey (more or less depending how sweet you like it to be)
Fresh ground pepper and and little bit of salt

Combine all the dressing ingredients in a blender.you will have leftover of this dressing that you can store in fridge for later use.

Directions:

Make the dressing first and set aside.
Cut the bacon and bake it at 350 degrees for about 5 minutes or so.Let it slightly cool down.
Place spinach in a salad bowl.Add mushrooms,pine nuts, and bacon.Drizzle some dressing and mix gently.Sprinkle with fresh ground pepper and salt if needed.You can also add fresh fruit like orange,apple or pear if you prefer.

Crab salad

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Ingredients:

7 eggs diced
1 can corn
8 oz imitation crab diced
1 1/2 cup shredded medium cheddar cheese( or your preference)
6 green onions finely chopped (green parts)
2-3 tablespoons mayonnaise
salt if needed

Directions:
Mix all the ingredients.place it in fridge for a least one hour.

Fish and Zuchinni appetizer

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 These are really filling appetizers. You can use zucchini,Mexican squash or yellow squash.they could be grilled or fried.

Ingredients:
2 zucchinis sliced lenghtwise
any white fish (I used rock fish.) cut into 1 inch strips.
breadcrumbs ( I used Panko breadcrumbs)
salt and pepper
about 1 cup of oil, add more if needed.
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 garlic cloves crushed
1 teaspoon fresh chopped dill
red bell pepper  sliced(optional)

Directions:
Sprinkle the fish with salt and pepper.
sprinkle salt on sliced zucchinis.
Add some oil to the frying pan and fry the zucchini on both sides on medium-high heat.
Add 1 cup of oil to the pan and let it heat up.
Dip  fish strips in the breadcrumbs so its well coated.
fry the strips turning once.

In a small dish combine sour cream,garlic,dill and salt.
Spread the sour cream mixture on one side of the zucchini strip.
Take one fish strip and place it on one end of the zucchini strip.
If you like, you can add a strip or two of bell pepper, or serve it on a side.
roll the zucchini and insert a toothpick to hold it together.

Chicken noodle soup

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This soup is light and very easy to cook.It is  best when made with homemade vermicelli, which I don’t make very often, so I usually buy thin egg noodles or vermicelli from European market.That’s the closest to homemade.

Ingredients:
Whole Organic free range chicken( for best taste)
1 big onion cut crosswise to the middle
1-2 carrots peeled and cut in to thick rounds
1-2 bay leaves
salt
egg noodles or vermicelli
chopped fresh dill

Directions:

Fill a big cooking pot with water.Bring water to a boil.Rinse the chicken and place it in the boiling water.Add onion,carrots,bay leaves and about 1 tablespoon of salt (I use Himalayan pink salt, you might need more or less with other types).
Bring it to boil again and reduce to low. Cover with lid but not all the way.Let it cook for about 2 hours.check for salt and add more if needed.

Cook egg noodles in a separate pot with 1 tablespoon of olive oil added to the water. drain the water.
When the stock is ready,take out the chicken and let it cool a little.Take off the skin and pull the meat apart.

To serve (per 1 serving) Add some noodles/vermicelli and chicken to the soup bowl. Pour the chicken stock over noodles.sprinkle with chopped fresh dill and fresh ground pepper if desired.Return left over chicken and dill to the pot with stock.

Garlic and Herbs Prime rib roast

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Ingredients:

8-10 lbs. Prime rib

2 heads garlic
1 shallot
bunch of rosemary(4 oz.)
bunch of thyme (4 oz.)
2 tbsp. fresh ground pepper
2-3 tbsp. salt
2/3 cup olive oil

Directions:
Mix all the ingredients in a food processor or blender.
Rub the garlic and herb mixture all over the roast.
Heat oven to 500 degrees.
Place meat on a roasting pan.
Add water to the bottom of the roasting pan,about a 1/4-2/3 from the bottom.
Place the roast in the oven uncovered.
Bake the roast for 15 minutes, then reduce temperature to 325 degrees and bake for 2 hours 15 minutes for medium rare.cook more if you want well done.Every 30 minutes baste the roast with drippings from the roast.Add more water(boiling/hot) if needed to the pan.
When the roast is done,cover it with foil and let sit for 15 minutes before serving.

Au Jus:
2 cups drippings from the roast, if not enough drippings add beef stock.
1/2 cup red wine

Place the roasting pan over the stove.(or transfer to sauce pan)
bring to boil.
Add wine and simmer for 5-7 minutes.

Horseradish sauce:
6 tbsp. sour cream
2-3 tbsp. prepared horseradish
1 tsp.Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. lemon juice 
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients.

Oliv’ye- Russian potato salad

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This salad is very famous in Russian/Ukrainian culture. It’s a must on the New Year table.As always there is different variations of this salad,every family has their own recipe.It consist of diced potatoes,carrots,eggs, bologna, pickles and peas that’s usually combined with mayonnaise. You can also substitute bologna for cooked chicken meat or beef,fresh cucumbers instead of pickles, and sour cream for mayo if you are watching your waistline.Making it half mayo, half sour cream won’t make a lot of difference in taste.If you have a European Deli Market store nearby,it’s better to use bologna called “Doktorskaya”from there.Otherwise it will taste great anyways.I know some people even use Oscar Meyer hot dogs, and it’s still good.

Ingredients:

3 potatoes cooked with skin,peeled and diced (small)
2 carrots cooked and diced (small)
12 eggs hard boiled and diced
1.5 lbs of bologna diced (small)
10-12 small kosher dill pickles dice small
1/2 sweet onion finely chopped
1 can (15 oz) sweet peas,drained
3-4 tablespoons Mayonnaise
salt to taste

Directions:
Mix all the ingredients with mayonnaise or sour cream.
 *Finely chopped baby dill and green onions are optional.You can modify this recipe to your taste by adding more or less any of the above ingredients.

Cookie ornament balls with walnut and cranberries

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6 tablespoons of sugar divided
3 drops of red and 3 drops of green food coloring
2 sticks butter softened at room temp.
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon pure vanilla (or almond extract)
1 cup walnuts coarsely chopped
1/4 cup dried cranberries (or dried cherries chopped)
4 oz. cream cheese
1/2 can of condensed milk

Directions :
heat oven to 375 degrees

In a small bowl combine sugar and red food coloring. Mix well until all sugar is colored.repeat for green sugar.Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy.add vanilla.

Combine flour,salt and baking powder and gradually add to butter mixture. Shape in to 1 inch balls and  place on baking sheet .flatten the balls with fork. bake 8-10 minutes. let cool.

Cream:

Beat cream cheese and add condensed milk.

Crush the cookies with hands.Add walnuts,cranberries or cherries and creamMix until well blended. Shape into balls in roll in colored sugar. Enjoy and Merry Christmas!

Cabbage cucumber salad

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This is very simple and healthy salad.

Ingredients:
1/2 head of cabbage shredded
1/2 English cucumber cut in half lengthwise and sliced
salt
pinch of sugar
1-2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon.
unrefined sunflower oil( or your choice)

In a bowl rub cabbage with salt and sugar.add the rest of the ingredients and mix.