Back to Cookbook Reviews

A YEAR OF RUSSIAN FEASTS By Sheilah Kaufman
SEND EMAIL TO SHEILAH

"Foreigners who spend time in Russia soon learn that there are actually two Russias - one public and the other private. The public Russia is typically cold and dark, backward and wary. The private Russia - the Russia of tea at a friend's kitchen table or of sautéed mushrooms in a village dacha - is almost unfailingly cozy and kind."

This August I hope to be in St. Petersburg to help celebrate the 300th anniversary of St. Petersburg. Unfortunately, I will not be able to go behind the scenes to the private Russia, but Catherine Jones has done it for me.

In A YEAR OF RUSSIAN FEASTS by Catherine Jones (Jellyroll Press, Bethesda, Maryland). Travel with Catherine on a journey that takes you to a springtime bliny festival, an Easter feast, to a small Russian village to discover and preserve nature's bounty, on a mystical quest for fall mushrooms, and to Red Square for New Year's and Christmas celebrations. Stop along the way for a vegetarian dinner, a birthday party, a baptism, a tea party, and a Russian wedding. Her intimate style makes you feel a part of the Russian celebrations she describes.

This cookbook offers an unprecedented behind the scenes look at a "private" Russia that Catherine Jones discovered during her three years of living in Moscow. The book offers a personal glimpses into the timeless feasts and rituals of Russian culture and scenes of everyday Russian life. The recipes are the best of her collection and each recipe has a story behind it. The book is a must read for anyone traveling to Russia, for anyone who has been there, or for anyone who dreams about going.

A Walnut Birthday Cake

In their endorsement for A Year of Russian Feasts, Sergei Krushchev and his wife Valentina Golenko-Krushchev, write, "This book perfectly reflects the way of life, traditions, and food of Russia. In our family the Walnut Birthday Cake enjoys great popularity. We make it according to the recipe, given to us by the author two years ago."

Walnut cakes come in endless varieties in Russia. This rich cake, with a buttery, shortbread-like crust and nutty meringue topping, is the best. Serve it with tea or coffee or for dessert, topped with a dollop of whipped cream. It is even better the second day, after the topping has settled into the crust.

Makes one 9-inch cake, serves 6 to 8

Unsalted butter and flour for greasing and flouring the cake pan

Shortbread Dough

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3 large egg yolks (reserve the whites for the filling)
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
Walnut Filling
  • 2 cups chopped walnuts
  • 1/3 cup dark or golden raisins
  • 1/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar
  • 3 large egg whites
  • 1/8 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
  • Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
  1. Adjust an oven rack to the second-to-the-lowest level and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan, dust lightly with flour, and set aside.
  2. To make the dough, combine the flour and butter in a medium bowl. Using your fingers, in a quick rubbing motion, mix the flour and butter until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs. Add the salt and baking soda and continue mixing until well incorporated. Set aside.
  3. Combine the egg yolks and sugar in a small mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the yolk mixture to the flour mixture and mix with a wooden spoon until all of the ingredients are well blended.
  4. Transfer the dough to the prepared cake pan. Using your hands, evenly press the dough over the bottom and up the sides of the pan, forming a neat and even 1-inch overhang about 1/4 inch thick all around. Prick the bottom of the dough with a fork and refrigerate the dough-lined pan while you make the filling.
  5. To make the filling, combine the walnuts, raisins, and brown sugar in a medium bowl and mix until well blended. Set aside.
  6. Combine the egg whites and lemon juice in the large bowl of an electric mixer and beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Increase the speed to medium and beat for about 30 seconds, or until foamy. Add the granulated sugar and beat for 30 seconds more. Increase the speed to high and beat for about 1 minute, or until stiff peaks form.
  7. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the walnut mixture until just combined, then fold in the melted butter. Distribute the walnut filling evenly in the dough-lined pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the crust and meringue top are golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Check the cake after 20 minutes; if the top is browning too fast, place a piece of foil loosely over it. Allow the cake to cool completely, then invert it upside down onto a plate and, using another plate, flip it over so it is upright. Serve the cake at room temperature. (Leftovers should be covered and stored at room temperature.)

RUSSIAN CREAM AND SUMMER BERRIES

Similar to Italian panna cotta, this light yet indulgent Russian cream-served with a mixture of fresh blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, or currants that have been quickly sautéed to release their juice-is the perfect finale to any meal. This recipe comes from a British friend, Fiona Black, whose grandmother got it from a Russian friend living in England.

Russian Cream can be chilled in decorative molds and unmolded onto serving plates. Or, the slightly cooled cream mixture can be divided among large wine goblets or margarita glasses and chilled. For a dazzling effect, spoon the sauce into the glasses and garnish with fresh mint sprigs.

Cooking Notes: If you are using frozen berries, thaw and drain off the watery juices before cooking them with the sugar. Do not be tempted to substitute yogurt for the sour cream. It reacts with the gelatin and makes the cream grainy. Serves 6

Russian Cream

  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 envelope gelatin
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 1/2 cups sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or other extract, such as orange or lemon Berry Sauce
  • 5 to 6 cups fresh berries, cut in half or into quarters if large, or one 15- to 16-ounce bag frozen berries, thawed and drained
  • 1/2 cup sugar, or to taste
  1. To make the Russian cream, combine the sugar, gelatin, and water in a medium-sized nonreactive saucepan, stir, and let stand for 2 minutes. Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly until the gelatin dissolves.
  2. Remove from the heat and gradually whisk in the heavy cream, sour cream, and vanilla. Pour into a heatproof serving bowl or into 6 individual heatproof serving dishes large enough to hold some berry sauce as well, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or until the cream has set.
  3. To make the berry sauce, combine the berries and sugar in a large saucepan or skillet and place over high heat. Shake the pan or gently stir the berries until the sugar has melted and the berries just begin to give off their juices. Do not overcook; fresh berries should remain firm. Remove from the heat, cool slightly, and then transfer to a heatproof serving bowl.
  4. Serve the Russian cream with the berry sauce.
 
Top of Page   |   Back to Cookbook Reviews