Georgian Meatballs with Pine Nuts and Sour Cherries
Serves 6
These are delicious, nutty and very flavoursome meatballs, which contain both dried fruit and meat, a favourite marriage in the cuisines of Bulgaria, Georgia, Armenia and Hungary.
I like my meat ground rather coarsely, so these meatballs are chunky. I first tasted this dish in Djvary, a small Jewish-Georgian restaurant in Tbilisi, where the owner, the delectable Mr Guledany, very kindly agreed to let me have the recipe. The original was prepared with lamb and served with the most delicious khachapuri bread.
200g ground veal 1/8 tsp ground allspice
200g ground chicken 1/8 tsp powdered cinnamon
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped 1 egg white, lightly whipped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed a small bunch of fresh coriander, finely
50g dried sour cherries, chopped chopped
50g pine nuts, roughly chopped and lightly a small bunch of fresh mint, finely chopped
toasted salt and pepper
1/2 tsp Hungarian paprika 2 tbsp vegetable oil
Combine the ground veal and chicken in a bowl, then add the onion, garlic, sour cherries, pine nuts, paprika, allspice and cinnamon. Mix well, then add the egg white, and mix again. Finally add the chopped fresh herbs and mix thoroughly.
Shape the mixture into small balls, not unlike golf balls.
Heat the oil in a frying pan, and sauté the meatballs, a few at a time, turning occasionally, until brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Borscht
Beetroot Soup
Serves 6
‘Borscht: the centre of everything!’
Ukrainian proverb
There are two soups popular in Russia – shchi (a cabbage soup) and borscht. It is interesting that shchi is the most common, and yet it is borscht that is better known around the world. Almost every household in Russia has its own version of borscht and indeed, if you look around, not one recipe of that delicious crimson soup is the same as another! Strictly speaking borscht is a meat and beetroot soup, originating from Ukraine, and the recipe below was given to me by a Ukrainian. I have tried and tested it and I think it is perfect!
1 x 400g piece pork belly 4 medium beetroots, peeled and grated
15g butter 250g white cabbage, finely shredded
3 carrots, peeled and grated 1 sour green apple, peeled and grated
salt and pepper 1 large potato, peeled and grated
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped 200ml soured cream (optional)
Place the pork belly in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for an hour until the pork is cooked, skimming as necessary. Remove the pork and chop finely, then place back in the saucepan with the cooking liquid.
Meanwhile in a large frying pan melt about a third of the butter and sauté the carrot, seasoning with salt and pepper and stirring all the time. When the carrot has become translucent, add the onion and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Remove the cooked carrot and onion to a large bowl. Add the remaining butter to the frying pan, along with the grated beetroot. Cook for 10 minutes, until the beetroots release their juices and their colour changes to deep purple.
Place the cooked carrot, onion and beetroot in the saucepan with the chopped pork and finally add the cabbage, apple and potato. Season to taste and add more water if needed, depending on the consistency you want for your borscht. I usually add about 500ml of water at this stage. Bring to the boil and almost immediately reduce to a simmer. Continue simmering on a very low heat for at least 2 hours, uncovered, stirring occasionally. I like to simmer my borsht for at least 3-4 hours on the lowest heat….The colour is like nothing else, a deep crimson!
Just before serving, add a dollop of soured cream if desired.
Food for sharing from Central and Eastern Europe by Silvena Rower is publishesd by Mitchell Beazley ISBN 1-84553-156-7
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