My dinner recipes

Fried Chicken

It is the easiest way to cook chicken: get meat pieces, rub them with salt and spices, and then fry. Nothing complex and yet still very tasty.

Whole chicken legs are the best for this recipe, you can even get into more extreme and fry whole halves of chicken or cornish hen (bigger pieces are more juicy, but you may need to increase cooking time for big portions of meat).

Drumsticks, thighs and even wings can be cooked the same way: but you may need to reduce cooking time and increase amount of spices – just keep proportion of spice the same: 1 part of cumin to 1 part of ground black pepper to 2 parts of ground coriander – and it will be fine.

Tags: chicken, dinner, fried, lunch, main dish, poultry, spicy

Fried Potato with Mushrooms

February 27th, 2010 in Main Dish Recipes, No-meat Dishes by MeCooking

Fried Potato with Porcini Mushrooms

Potatoes fried with porcini mushrooms is one of the most delicious lenten recipes. It is also very-very russian. I believe russians eat that kind of food for centuries

This main dish contains no meat, however mushrooms perfectly substitute meat in both – taste and nutrients – they contain vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre while are low on fat and easily absorbed carbohydrates.

All of that make potato fried with mushrooms and onions perfect main dish for Lent. Needles to say what any combination of potatoes with mushrooms can’t taste bad, so I really hope you will enjoy this dish just like I do.

Tags: dinner, lenten, lunch, mushroom, no meat, onion, porcini, potato, russian, vegetables

Russian Sauerkraut Soup (Schi)

February 12th, 2010 in Hot Soups, Soup Recipes by MeCooking

Russian Sauerkraut Soup (Schi)

Sauerkraut soup, also called sour schi, is a traditional russian main first course dish for several hundreds year.

Original recipes for schi (there are more that one: sour schi, grey schi, green schi) usually include some kind meat, some kind cabbage, carrots, potatoes and spices. Sour schi are prepared with sauerkraut or mix of sauerkraut and fresh cabbage.

I do cook schi with just sauerkraut and I prefer pork broth for sauerkraut schi, however you may use beef for it if you don’t like pork.

Tags: carrot, dinner, lunch, onion, parsley root, pork, potato, russian, sauerkraut, soup

Minced Beef Cutlets

January 23rd, 2010 in Beef Dishes, Main Dish Recipes by MeCooking

Minced Beef Cutlets

This it a traditional russian recipe for minced meat cutlets which includes meat, white bread soaked in milk and a lot of onions. Some people prepare those cutlets from beef only, some add a bit of pork or pork fat in them. I prefer just beef.

You may grind or mince meat yourself or buy a ground one and simply add finely chopped or grated onions: whatever you prefer. Either way I am sure it will taste delicious!

I’ve served those cutlets with fried potatoes and greek salad, just in case you were curious.

Tags: beef, cutlet, dinner, egg, ground beef, ground meat, lunch, russian, shallot

Bigos (Cabbage and Pork Stew)

December 19th, 2009 in Pork Dishes by MeCooking

Bigos (Cabbage and Pork Stew)

Bigos, as a cabbage and meat stew, is very popular second course dish in countries of East Europe. I believe it was originated in Poland, however recipes similar to polish bigos can be found in cuisines of Lithuania, Russia, Ukraine and maybe some others. In Poland bigos is traditional dish to be served on Second day of Christmas.

Ingredients for bigos vary, some of them may or may not include tomatoes, mushrooms, carrots, onions, garlic, honey and even prunes; beef, veal, pork, bacon, smoked ham, smoked sausages or a combination of those.

However common parts for each bigos recipe are some kind of meat, white cabbage and sauerkraut.

I cook bigos (by the way it is called “solyanka” in Russia and Ukraine, even though there is a soup with the same name) with pork, a lot of cabbage (fresh and sour), carrots, onions, bay leaves and spice it with whole black peppercorns, just like it was always cooked in my family. Hope you will like it too.

Tags: cabbage, carrot, dinner, lunch, meat, onion, polish, pork, russian, sauerkraut, stew, ukrainian

Lenten Borscht with Mushroom Dumplings

December 12th, 2009 in Hot Soups by MeCooking

Lenten Borscht with Mushroom Dumplings

In a lot of countries Christmas Eve dinner gathers whole family around one big table. Borscht with mushroom dumplings is the one of 12 dishes which usually are on that table by tradition in West Ukraine (by the way those dumplings are called “vushka” in ukrainian, which means “small ears”, I guess because of the shape).

Of course, because that is the Christmas Eve and Nativity Fast isn’t finished yet there is no meat used to prepare it: just vegetables and dried mushrooms. This borscht like the rest of the Christmas Eve’s traditional food is lenten, it is very tasty and isn’t heavy at all – most of the vegetables are used to prepare clear broth only and don’t get served with the borscht itself.

At first glance, it may look like cooking it is a bit of a hassle and time spending: so many steps (I’ve prepared 34 step-by-step pictures for this recipe!) and so many manipulations with different cooking utensils. However, you can complete preparation steps a day in advance – for example soak mushrooms, boil them or/and boil beets, you can even make dumplings a day before, freeze them and prepare the borscht next day. And then, nobody said you need to make everything yourself: involve your family into helping you! And have a Marry Christmas!

Tags: beet, borscht, carrot, celery root, christmas food, dinner, kohlrabi, lenten, mushroom, onion, parsley root, polish, soup, ukrainian

Pork Schnitzels (Beaten Pork Cutlets)

November 21st, 2009 in Main Dish Recipes, Pork Dishes by MeCooking

Pork Schnitzels

Schnitzels or beaten cutlets can be prepared of almost any kind of meat: pork, beef, vial, lamb, chicken or even turkey.

The preparation method stays pretty much the same for any of those: you take meat, tenderize it, deep into flour (or breadcrumbs), deep into egg mix and fry. It is that easy!

Of course it is your choice which meat to use: pork is usually more fat and considered less healthy choice before beef, vial or chicken, however beaten pork cutlets are more juicy and tasty, so I prefer to use pork for this recipe.

Tags: cutlet, dinner, fried, lunch, main dish, meat, pork

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My Homemade Food Recipes & Tips