Russian Recipes: Hors d’Oeuvres

Note: This article has been excerpted from a larger work in the public domain and shared here due to its historical value. It may contain outdated ideas and language that do not reflect TOTA’s opinions and beliefs.

From Recipes of All Nations by Countess Morphy, 1936.

Hors-d’oeuvre

The hors-d’oeuvre or “zakouski” hold such a prominent position in the typical Russian meilu and are so characteristic that I have thought fit to devote more space to them than to other and less distinctive dishes of Russian cookery. “Zakouski” are a somewhat elaborate “overture” to a meal. They are attractively laid out on a side table and are not considered a “sitting down” part of the serious business of eating. They consist of small portions of hot or cold dainties, presented in the most tempting and appetising way, and are supposed to whet the appetite. But to those who are not accustomed to them “zakouski” have the opposite effect and leave little space for the meal which follows.

Russian Caviare

The famous Russian caviare, even now the crowning edible produce of a crownless nation, is the salted roe of various species of sturgeon. The best is loosly granulated — almost liquid — and is known in Russia as “ikra.” The roe is treated in such a way as to rid it of all membranes, fatty matters and fibres, and is salted with from 4 to 6 per cent of salt. It was known as a delicacy even in Shakespeare’s time, and the difficulty of preparing it, and its consequent high price, have made it throughout the centuries a luxury article. There is a coarser quality known as “padjusnaya,” which is more solid and more salted and is largely prepared in Astrakhan for export, packed in small barrels or tins.

But unless some simpler and less expensive method of preparing caviare is devised, it will always remain, in Shakespeare’s words, “caviare to the general” — something they do not understand and cannot understand.

Ikra

(Caviare)

Caviare should be served iced, with bleeny and thin slices of rye bread.

Kilki Croutyia Yaitza

(Kilki on eggs)

“Kilki” are a kind of Norwegian anchovy, extensively used in Russia as a “zakouska.” One of the most popular ways of serving them is to lay a kilki on a thin slice of hard-boiled egg.

Salenyia Gribi

(Pickled mushrooms)

Ingredients: 1 lb. of small mushrooms, just over 1 pint of wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons of salad oil, 4 or 5 cloves, 12 peppercorns, 1 tablespoon of coarse salt.

Method: Wash the mushrooms carefully, dry thoroughly and peel them, removing the stalks. Boil in salted water till tender, and drain on a sieve. When quite cold, pack them in a jar and cover with the vinegar, which should have been previously simmered for 10 minutes with the peppercorns and salt, and allowed to stand till cold. Lastly, add the oil. Cover the jar with paper or a tight-fitting lid, and stand in a cold place for a few days.

Vinegar should never be put in an aluminium saucepan, as it is apt to dissolve the aluminium.

Marinovanie Korushki

(Pickled smelts)

Ingredients: 4 dozen small smelts, 3/4 pint of vinegar, 1 tablespoon of chopped carrot, 1 sliced onion, a small stick of celery, 4 bayleaves, 1 teaspoon of chopped parsley, 2 teaspoons of salt, 1 of peppercorns, a few cloves, and a little grated nutmeg.

Method: Clean, wash and dry the fish. Sprinkle them with salt, roll them in flour, and fry for a few minutes in oil or butter. Drain and put them in a deep earthenware casserole. Simmer the vinegar, as in above recipe, with the vegetables, etc., and when still warm pour over the smelts. Stand in a cold place for 12 hours or longer.

Saloienie Gribi

(Salted mushrooms)

The mushrooms should be washed and well dried. If large they should be cut in 2 or 3 pieces. Pack them carefully in a jar, sprinkling each layer freely with salt, a little chopped onion and a few peppercorns. Cover with paper, tie with string and keep in a cool place.

Bleeny

(Russian pancakes)

These popular pancakes are practically always made with buckwheat flour in Russia, but can also be made with ordinary sifted flour. As with the ordinary pancake, there are various recipes for the making of bleeny, and I have chosen two which are likely to appeal to English tastes — the first being the most usual, the second a somewhat de luxe version. Bleeny were eaten in Russia, especially during carnival time, before Lent. They are served with melted butter, sour cream and often with caviare.

Ingredients: 3/4 lb. of buckwheat flour, 1 1/2 pints of milk, 1/4 lb. butter, just under 1 oz. of yeast, 3 eggs, a pinch of salt.

Method: Dissolve the yeast in 1/2 pint of warm milk and make a dough with a little flour. Let this stand in a warm place for 2 hours. Then add the rest of the flour, the yolks of eggs, the salt, and the remaining warm milk. Mix thoroughly but do not let the mixture get too thick. Lastly, add the whites of eggs beaten to a stiff froth and let stand for another 1/2 an hour. Proceed in the same manner as in the making of pancakes, using a very small pan.

The other recipe for bleeny is the same as the above, except that 6 tablespoons of cream are added to the mixture and ordinary flour can be used or half the amount of buckwheat and half of white flour.

Tvorojniki

(Cream cheese cakes)

The cream cheese used for this consists of sour cream or milk which, when sufficiently solidified, is put in a muslin bag and hung over a basin for 12 hours or longer, when it will be somewhat dry and solid.

Ingredients: 1/2 lb. of cream cheese, 14 ozs. of flour, 2 ozs. of melted butter, 3 eggs, salt and nutmeg.

Method: Put the cheese in a basin and work with the butter, and 1/2 lb. of flour and the eggs, adding the salt and nutmeg. When thoroughly mixed rub through a sieve and work in the remaining 6 ozs. of flour. Shape into little cakes, 3 inches in diameter and about 1/2 an inch thick. Poach for 15 to 18 minutes. Drain and serve with melted butter or as a sweet luncheon dish with sugar and cream.

Piroshki

(Stuffed pancakes)

Ingredients: 1/2 lb. of cream cheese, 1/2 lb, of creamed butter, 1 whole egg, small pancakes, light frying batter, salt and pepper.

Method: Work the cream cheese and the creamed butter to a smooth paste, add the egg and a seasoning of salt and pepper. Divide into lumps of about 2 ozs., place these in a small pancake, fold and give it a rectangular shape. Dip these pancakes in a light frying batter and fry in boiling fat.

Vatroushki

(Cream cheese tartlets)

These tartlets are eaten both as a zakouska and as an accompaniment to Bortch. They consist of very small open tartlets, made of puff pastry, filled with cream cheese (see Tvorojniki), seasoned with salt and a little sugar.

Sibierskie Pelmeni

(Siberian pelmeni)

Ingredients: For the paste: 1/2 lb. of flour, 2 whole eggs, the yolks of 2 eggs, a little water, salt.

For the stuffing: Cooked ham or pork, cooked game — usually hazel hen in Russia — a little meat glaze or Espagnole sauce, butter, lemon juice or vinegar, parsley.

Method: Work the flour and eggs into a firm paste and let it stand for 1 or 2 hours. Then roll out very thinly and cut into rounds with a small cake cutter. Chop the meat very finely, cook with a little meat glaze or Espagnole sauce, place a little of the mixture on each round of paste, fold over and press firmly, moistening the edges. Poach for about 15 to 20 minutes, drain thoroughly and serve with melted butter, to which a little lemon juice or vinegar has been added, and a little chopped parsley.

Kavkaskie Piroshki

(Caucasian piroshki)

Ingredients: For the paste: the same paste as for “choux” and ‘‘eclairs’’, to which a little grated cheese is added. For the filling and coating: a thick Bechamel sauce, to which a small quantity of cheese has been added, and finely shredded cooked mushrooms. Breadcrumbs, flour, the yolks of 1 or 2 eggs.

Method: Pour a thin layer of the paste in 2 baking tins and bake in a moderate oven till the paste has risen about 1/2 an inch and is slightly browned. Remove the paste from the tins, and cover one sheet of pastry with the Bechamel, to which grated cheese and shredded mushrooms have been added. Cover with the other sheet of pastry, and divide into rectangular pieces, about 3 inches long and just imder I inch wide. Coat these with Bechamel, next dip in fine breadcrumbs, then in flour. Coat with beaten yolk of egg, again dip in fine breadcrumbs, and fry in boiling fat.

Piroshki eze Deetchi

(Piroshki with game)

Ingredients: Different kinds of paste may be used for these, the most usual being puff pastry.

For the stuffing: Minced cooked game, chopped hard-boiled eggs, kascha or cooked rice, butter.

Method: Cook the game, the hard-boiled eggs and the kascha or rice in butter for a few minutes, then place a little of the mixture on rounds of puff pastry of about 3 1/2 inches in diameter. Cover with another round of the pastry, press down the edges, and bake in a fairly quick oven for 15 minutes.

Moskowskie Piroshki

(Moscow piroshki)

For the paste: 1 lb. of flour, 1/2 lb. of butter, 6 eggs, 1/2 oz. of yeast, 6 tablespoons of warm water.

For the filling: 1/2 lb. of cooked white fish, 3 or 4 hard-boiled eggs, and 1/4 lb. of vesiga. Vesiga is difficult to obtain in this country. It is the marrow from the backbone of the sturgeon, and is sold in strips, closely resembling leaf gelatine. It has to be soaked for several hours, and then simmered slowly in a covered saucepan for 5 to 4 hours.

Method: Make a dough with 1/4 lb. of flour, the yeast, and a little warm water. Roll into a ball, cover and let it rise to double the size. Work the remainder of the flour with 4 eggs, and 2 tablespoons of water. This must be done vigorously, the paste being pulled apart, worked together again and beaten against the pastry board. When the paste is firm and smooth, the butter and a good pinch of salt are added to it, and well worked in with the dough containing the yeast. Let stand for at least 6 hours. Cut the paste in oval shapes of about 3 1/2 inches long, and 2 inches wide. Place the chopped fish, hard-boiled eggs and cooked vesiga (when obtainable) on the paste and cover with another piece of paste, pressing down the edges. Let them stand for 1/2 an hour, and bake in a brisk oven for 20 to 25 minutes.

Ribniy Piroshki

(Fish piroshki)

These are made in the same manner as game piroshki, but with a filling of cooked fish, hard-boiled eggs and rice.

Kapoustine Piroshki

(Cabbage piroshki)

Ingredients: Puff pastry, white cabbage, butter, salt and pepper, 2 or 3 hard-boiled eggs (these may be omitted).

Method: Remove the outside leaves of the cabbage and use only the white part. Shred finely and cook in butter till tender, seasoning with salt and pepper. Roll out the puff pastry very thinly, place half of it on a baking tin or on a round baking plate, put the cabbage over it, with the chopped hard-boiled eggs, cover with a layer of pastry and bake for 1/2 an hour in a moderate oven.

Litovskie Vareniki

(Lithuanian vareniki)

Ingredients: The same paste as for Siberian pelmeni, 1 lb. of lean beef, 1 lb. of kidney fat, 2 onions, a little thick Bechamel sauce, salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg.

Method: Chop the beef and kidney fat, and cook till well done. Add finely chopped onions, cooked in butter, and season. Cut small squares of paste, put a little of the mixture on each, fold the paste over them, and poach for 20 minutes. Drain and serve with melted butter.

Cotletki eze Seuodki

(Herring cutlets or rissoles)

Ingredients: 4 or 5 salt herrings, i small onion, bread soaked in milk, 2 eggs, 3 or 4 boiled potatoes, 2 tablespoons of sour cream, butter, breadcrumbs.

Method: Soak the herrings in cold water for 12 hours. Chop them finely, mix with the chopped onion, previously fried in butter, the potatoes, peeled and mashed, the bread, the cream, the butter, and 2 whole eggs. When thoroughly mixed, shape into small rissoles, roll in flour, brush over with the yolk of an egg, well beaten, and finally coat with breadcrumbs. Fry in hot butter.

Saussiski v Tomate

(Smoked sausages with tomato sauce)

This is a very simple but a very popular zakouska. The smoked sausages are skinned, cut into inch lengths, cooked in hot tomato sauce for 10 to 15 minutes, and served on a hot dish.

Rastegai

(Salmon paroshki)

These are made in the same manner and with the same paste as Moscow piroshki, but with a filling of chopped, uncooked salmon.

Kascha S Gribani

(Kascha with mushrooms)

Make the buckwheat kascha, and mix with dried mushrooms, previously soaked and then cooked and halved. Pour a few tablespoons of sour cream over the whole.

Morphy, Countess. Recipes of All Nations. H. Joseph, 1936.

Countess Morphy

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