RUSSIAN

COMMERCIAL

WEEK 6

INTRODUCTION

This is a very easy authentic Russian eggplant recipe that can be served as either appetizer or a side dish.  It originated in Odessa, Ukraine (when Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union), and that’s why it’s known as “Odessa salad”.  This salad is often served in Russian restaurants in the US, and also sold in Russian delis and supermarkets.  Another name that’s commonly used for this salad is “Eggplant Caviar”.

APPETIZER

EGGPLANT SALAD

RECIPE

1 large eggplant
1 small onion
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

METHOD

Preheat oven to 375F. Put the eggplant in an oven-safe dish and bake for 40 minutes, or until tender.  Remove from the oven and let the eggplant cool.  Note: this step of baking the eggplant can be done in advance.

Cut the baked eggplant in half.  Scoop out the eggplant flesh with a spoon and discard the skin.

Peel the onion and cut into quarters.  Put the eggplant and the onion in a food processor, and pulse until just a few eggplant chunks remain.  Stir in the oil, and add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve this eggplant salad  cold.

SOUP 

CHICKEN DUMPLINGS SOUP

RECIPE

SOUP

• 2 to 3 tablespoons cooking oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1/2 stalk celery, diced
• Meat from 1 chicken, cooked and shredded
• 4 to 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup fresh cut green beans
• 1 cup pearl barley
• 1 teaspoon celery salt
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt and pepper

Dumplings:

• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 eggs

METHOD

Soup:

In a small amount of cooking oil sweat the onion, carrots and celery. Add chicken, broth, green beans, barley, celery salt, parsley and bay leaves. Simmer until the barley is tender, about 30 minutes.

Make dumplings:

Bring the milk and butter to a boil, add salt and nutmeg. Remove from heat and immediately add flour stirring until dough leaves the sides of the pan. Incorporate the eggs, 1 at a time, forming a sticky dough.

Season the soup, to taste, with salt and pepper. Add spoon sized balls of dumpling dough and simmer until dumplings rise.

MAIN COURSE

CHICKEN ROULADE WITH APPLE SAUCE SERVE WITH POTATO FONDANT AND SAUTE BROCOLI

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus more for brushing
• 4 6-8-ounce skinless, boneless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/8-inch thickness
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 ounces feta, crumbled
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup low-salt chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Lemon wedges

RECIPE PREPARATION

• Line a baking sheet with waxed paper; brush with oil. Arrange chicken breasts in a single layer on prepared sheet and brush all over with oil. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle chicken with feta, oregano, garlic, and lemon zest, dividing evenly and keeping filling away from edges. Beginning at the narrower end of 1 chicken breast, roll up, enclosing filling as you would a jelly roll; tie with kitchen twine at 1" intervals to secure. Repeat with remaining chicken breasts.
• Preheat oven to 450°. Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken roulades and cook until brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer chicken roulades to a small roasting pan and bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of roulades registers 160°, 5-7 minutes.
• Add wine, broth, and lemon juice to skillet; bring to a boil and cook, scraping up any brown bits, until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 5 minutes. Cut strings from roulades and place on plates. Spoon pan juices over; serve lemon wedges alongside for squeezing over.

APPLE SAUCE

RECIPE

• 225g/8oz cooking apples, peeled, cored and chopped
• ½ lemon, zest only
• 2 tbsp water
• 15g/½oz butter
• 1 tsp caster sugar

METHOD

1. Put the apples in a saucepan with the lemon zest and water. Cover and cook over a low heat until they are soft and mushy.
2. Take off the heat and beat in the butter and the sugar. Cool.

POTATO FONDANT

RECIPE

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• 150g/5oz butter
• 4 potatoes, peeled, cut into barrel-shapes using a cookie cutter
• 75ml/3fl oz chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed lightly with the edge of a knife
• 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
• sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD

1. Heat the butter over a medium heat in a saucepan. When the butter is foaming, add the potatoes and fry until deep golden-brown on one side, about 5-6 minutes. (Do not move the potatoes as they cook.)
2. Turn over the potatoes and cook for a further 5-6 minutes, or until golden-brown on both sides.
3. Carefully pour in the stock, then add the garlic cloves and thyme sprigs. (CAUTION: the hot fat will splutter when it comes into contact with the stock.) Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
4. Cover the pan with a lid and reduce the heat until the stock is simmering. Simmer the potatoes until tender, then remove the potatoes from the pan using a slotted spoon and keep warm.

SAUTE BROCOLI

RECIPE

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• 1 bunch broccoli, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

MEHOD

Heat the olive oil, garlic, and pepper flakes in a large skillet of medium heat until fragrant and garlic begins to brown, about 30 seconds. Stir in broccoli and cook until the broccoli is bright green, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken broth and season with salt and pepper and cook until just tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Serve.

DESSERT

CHOCLATE SPONGE CAKE

RECIPE

• 175g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
• 175g golden caster sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 50g cocoa powder
• 100g self-raising flour (or same quantity plain flour with 1 tsp baking powder)
• 1-2 tsp milk
• For the buttercream
• 50g dark chocolate
  
   (or milk chocolate if you prefer)
• 85g unsalted butter, softened
• 175g icing sugar, sieved

METHOD

• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Grease and line 2 x 20cm sandwich tins with baking parchment. Use a handheld electric whisk or a freestanding mixer to beat the butter and sugar together in a bowl until creamy and light in colour. Then add 1 egg, still mixing. 
• Sieve the cocoa, flour and a pinch of salt into another bowl and add a third of that to your wet ingredients. Once combined, add the second egg and another third of the flour mixture and work that in. Then add the last egg and remaining flour and beat until you have a smooth thick batter. If the batter is stiff, stir in a splash of milk to loosen it.
• Divide the mixture between the tins and smooth the top with the back of a spoon. Bake for 20-25 mins until springy to the touch. Take out of the oven and leave in the tins for 10 mins before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the buttercream by melting the chocolate in the microwave, or in a bowl over just simmering water, making sure the base doesn’t touch the water. Leave to cool. Beat the butter and half the icing sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the remaining sugar and melted chocolate and mix together. If the icing is runny, chill in the fridge until it is firm but still spreadable.
• To assemble the cake, put a small dollop of icing onto a plate and put one of the cakes on top. Spread the top of the cake with half the icing, leaving a 1cm border around the edge. Put the second cake on top and push down very gently. Spread the remaining icing over the top.

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