Russian Recipes

This is a beet soup that is full of vegetables and meat and is typically served with a dollop of sour cream, a staple of many Russian dishes. Pirozhkis are small baked buns that can be filled with potatoes, meat, cabbage or cheese.

1) Pecan Logs:

Ingredients-

Basic Dough:

• 2 cups butter
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• a dash of salt
• 3 and 1/2 to 4 cups unbleached flour

Pecan Logs Dough:

• Basic Dough Ingredients + 
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 3/4 cup pecans, chopped
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup pecans, chopped

Walnut Dough:

• Basic Dough Ingredients + 
• 3/4 cup walnuts, chopped
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar

-Steps to Make It-

Step 1

Basic Dough: Beat butter and sugar together until fluffy.

Step 2

Fluffy.

Step 3

Mix in vanilla extract. Measure 3 and 1/2 cups of flour into small bowl. Stir in salt. Add flour mixture 1/2 a cup at a time, mixing thoroughly to form, a stiff dough (you may need to add a little more flour if dough still looks oily).

Step 4

Divide dough into halves; place one half in second bowl. Into first bowl of dough mix in almond extract and 3/4 cup of pecans. In the second bowl of dough mix in walnut. Cover bowls with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator to chill for 2 hours.

Step 5

Pecan Dough: Scoop teaspoonfuls of dough, and roll into 2 inch logs. Place logs onto ungreased cookie sheet 1 inch apart.

Step 6

Bake cookies for 9 - 11 minutes at around 375-400F (watch carefully so that they do not brown other than a bit on the undersides). Transfer to cooling rack. Cool thoroughly.

Step 7

Melt chocolate chips in small bowl over hot water.

Step 8

Place reserved 1/4 cup chopped pecans into small bowl. Dip one end (top only) of each cooled cookie in chocolate then dip in chopped pecans. Place on wooden board for a few minutes to harden before storing. Store in airtight container.

Step 9

Russian tea cakes / Mexican wedding cakes: Scoop teaspoonfuls of dough, and roll into 3/4 - 1 inch balls. Place balls on un-greased cookie sheet 1 inch apart. Bake cookies for 9 - 11 minutes at around 375-400F (watch carefully so that they do not brown other than a bit on the undersides). Transfer to cooling rack. Cool thoroughly. Place powdered sugar in small bowl. Toss cooled cookies one at a time into bowl, coating thoroughly. Store in an airtight container.

Step 10

Un-powdered and un-dipped cookies freeze well (up to 3 months).

2) Shrimp Pilaf:

Ingredients-

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 0.5 kg (1.1 lbs) shrimp
• 2 cups parboiled rice
• 5 cups water
• salt, pepper, spices
• 1 onion
• garlic 
• tomato paste and fresh pepper 

-Steps to Make It-

Step 1

Cut the onion.

Step 2

Into the pot you put: vegetable oil, shrimps, rice, add water, salt. spices, onion. tomato paste, fresh pepper.

Step 3

Mix everything.

Step 4

Put a piece of garlic on the top and sprinkle with lemon. Cover and cook the shrimp pilaf for ~50 minutes.