Cooking Companion VII

This time the Cookings companion contains even some beef. Also a few other recipes with the purpose of having selections from the 'International kitchen', sort of. These are very mixed, random choices; the Russian Stroganoff, some specialities from Lebanese kitchen and the Greek Dolmadakia. (And, they can be prepared as a whole meal for two, suitable variation for the food servings at these after X-mas days, say...)

From the origins of the main dinner (Stroganoff), my cookbook tells this, probably fictitious, but equally funny tale: The food is named after the Stroganoffs, a Russian merchant family since about the 16th century. They were in close relations with the Tzars and so at the time of Catherine the Great it happened that the Queen(/Tzarina) was on hunting trip at the woods next to Stroganoffs mansions. They didn't get anything and decided to drop by the mansion. The kitchen of the house hadn't been prepared for such a visit, but for the high class guest something naturally had to be prepared, soon. The cook took what was to be found from the larder; left-overs and additionals - So creating this renown regular food. Catherine also is mentioned of been fond for all kinds of luxurious servings and exuberant parties, not much differing in that from her comtemporary royal(ists). According the book, and contrary to popular claims, no actual food was ever named after her, however (if you see one on the restaurants it's a later inventions by the cooks).

Stroganoff

Ingredients: Beef chops (recipe says 800 g, but I used 400 g, pork goes as well, though not according the original recipe, probably); 2 onions; 1 tbs tomato sauce; 1/2 tbs mustard; (fresh) mushrooms (about 100 g); 2-4 dl Smetan (Cream if you can't obtain some); 30 g butter; white pepper; salt.

First slice the onion, fry in the pan slightly. Add mushroom slices. Pour in the kettle and fry the meat (well) in separate pan. Add tomato and mustard, let be for some minutes and pour whole of it in the same pan with onions, etc. Add smetan and the spices, let cook a few minutes more.

'Aiol' (This is normally enjoyed with the tartar-beef (from lamb), however added it as companion for the main meal in this.)

Ingredients: 4 eggs (not yolk, but the yellow part...); 8-10 garlic gloves(! ! - quite much, I used only about 3...); 2 tsp white vinegar; 2 tsp lemon; 1 tsp mustard (Dijon); 1/2 tsp salt; 4 dl(?) olive oil (But I used about 1/2 - 1 dl...)

Garlics, vinegar, and mustard are first crushed together in the blender machine. Next add the eggs and mix briefly some time, then, finally the olive oil is poured to it (slowly) and finally blended (with full power) for about a 1/2 min or so.

(Lebanon) lens soup (No more beans recipes as was promised, but I guess that doesn't prevent us from advertising this delicious soup...)

Ingredients: 200 g red or green lens; 3 l water (I only used 1 l...); 50 g (basmati-)rice (But I noticed it actually better without...); about 3 tsp paprika (original recipe uses some other spice, actually); about 2 tsp salt; 3 onions; 2 dl olive oil; juice of (about) half the lemon

Wash the lenses, and add for the kettle with water. Cook about 20 min (less if kept in water overnight), add rice, spices. Meanwhile fry the onions slightly, add for kettle with the olive oil. Cook some time extra and finally add squeezed lemon juice. (The recipe advices to mash ingredients lastly, but I noticed it better when prepared for a regular soup...)

Dolmadykia (wrappings in vine leaves)

Ingredients: 250 g (fresh) vine leaves; 150 g rice (soaked in water for overnight); 275 g (various) onions; 3 tbs dill (chopped); 2 tbs mince; 3 tbs parshley; 1 ½ dl olive oil; 1 lemon; 3 dl hot water; (some) salt; black pepper

Vine leaves are first cooked a few moments in the boiling water and next lifted up. Chopped/sliced ingredients then blended with rice and half the olive oil, add in middle of the leaves (which are blend from sides, making wrapped rolls). Place side by side on pan, pour over rest of the olive oil, lemon, and carefully add the water. Plate over the pan and let cook in low heat for about 50 min. (However, since my efforts to make these more usually tend to fail, I more often rather choose to buy some ready-made canned ones...Also, according to my findings, they're better when served coollen.)

...And that's from the recipe's now, (not so) easy and quickly prepared foods this time perhaps... (G.U.J.)

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(P.S., Serving order: Dolmadykia, Soup with Aioli, Stroganoff.)

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