Russian Cookbook

2 cucamber
1 fillet of salted hearing,
2 hard-boiled eggs
2 tablespoons canola oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 teaspoon grated horseradish
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste

Cut the cucumber lengthwise, remove seeds and cut into pieces. Cut boned fish and eggs into small pieces. Place all ingredients in a deep bowl and mix with the dressing prepared with oil, horseradish and lemon juice, shower with the chopped dill.

500g boneless lamb, cut into 2.5cm pieces
1/2 cup plain flour
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 lamb kidneys, cut into halves lengthwise
5 baby turnips
15 baby carrots, peeled and left whole
15 baby potatoes, peeled
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup dry rye breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons fresh dill, very finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, very finely chopped
2 clove garlic, very finely chopped
30g butter, melted
Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).

Dust the meat pieces lightly with the flour. Heat the oil in a frying pan over moderately high heat and cook the meat in two batches, turning until browned. Remove to an ovenproof 2-litre casserole and set aside.

Brown the kidneys quickly on both sides. Put these on top of the lamb, add the turnips, carrots and potatoes, and pour over the wine stock. Season well. Cover and bake in the oven for about 1 -1.5 hour or until the meat is tender.

Mix the breadcrumbs with the dill, parsley, garlic and melted butter. Remove the casserole from the oven and stir the meat and vegetables. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture on top, return to the oven, and bake, uncovered, until the topping is golden and crisp -about 15 minutes.

8 small new potatoes, peeled
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
2 tablespoons fresh horseradish
1 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
1 head iceberg lettuce, separated into leaves
250g pickled herrings or 2 cans (125g each) sardines, drained
1 can (425g) sliced beetroot, drained
1 small onion, thinly sliced
Pepper, to taste

Cook the potatoes and eggs in boiling water over moderate heat for 10 minutes. Remove the eggs and plunge into cold water to cool. Continue boiling the potatoes until tender – about 10-15 minutes more.

Drain the potatoes, slice them 5mm cube , and place in a medium-sized bowl.

Shell and quarter the eggs, then set aside.

Combine the sour cream, horseradish, dill and pepper in a small bowl. Spoon half the dressing over the potatoes and toss until lightly coated.

Arrange the lettuce leaves on a large platter and mound the remaining dressing in the center.

Arrange the potatoes, herrings, eggs and beetroot decoratively around the sauce. Separate the onion into rings and scatter over all.

500 g hake fillets
1 cup fish (chicken) stock
1 bay leaf
500 g cooked potatoes, halved
1 red (bell) pepper, seeded and diced
2 spring onions (scallions), sliced
½ cucumber, unpeeled and diced
3-5 large red lettuce leaves

Salt and pepper, to taste

Dressing

½ cup Greek (strained plain) yogurt
2 tablespoons olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons capers

To garnish

2 hard boiled eggs, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

Put the hake fillets in a large, shallow pan with the fish stock and bay leaf. Bring to the boil then lower the heat and poach the fish gently for about 10 minutes until it flakes easily. Leave it to cool, then remove the skin and bones, and separate the flesh into large flakes.

Put the baby new potatoes in a bowl with the red pepper, spring onions and cucumber. Gently stir in the flaked hake and season with salt and pepper.

Make the dressing by stirring all the ingredients together in a bowl or jug. Season and spoon or pour over the salad. Toss gently.

Place a lettuce leaf on each plate and spoon the salad over it. Mix the finely chopped hard-boiled eggs for the garnish with the dill. Sprinkle the mixture over each salad.

Note:

You may also use halibut, sole or cod.