Russian Cookbook

2 tablespoons butter
5 bay leves
2 tablespoons dried dill
1 kg boned and rolled loin or shollder of pork
100 gr white wine
500 gr fresh plums
Salt and pepper, to taste

Brush a roasting pan with oil, then sprinkle with dill and bay leaves. Put the pork in the pan, brush with the remaining butter, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in a preheated moderately hot oven (190°C/375°F/Gas Mark 5) for about 2 hours or until the pork is tender.

Fifteen minutes before the end of the cooking, put the wine in a separate heavy pan and bring to the boil, add the plums and simmer gently for about 15 minutes, until tender but still whole.

Slice the pork neatly, then place in the center of a serving platter. Remove the plums from their cooking liquid and arrange around the edge of the platter. Keep hot.

Boil the remaining plum cooking liquid for a few minutes, stirring constantly. Drizzle a few spoons of the plum cooking liquid over the pork, and serve immediately hot.

1 kg boned and rolled loin or shoulder of pork
5 garlic cloves, peeled and cut into halves
2 tablespoons butter
3 dill sprig
3 bay leaf
1 cups milk
Salt and pepper, to taste

Make a few incisions in the pork with a sharp knife, then insert your halves of garlic.

Melt the butter in a large flameproof casserole, add the pork and fry over moderate heat until browned on all sides. Add the dill and bay leaf, then pour in the milk and bring slowly to the boil.
Cover and cook in a preheated moderate oven (160°C/325°F/Gas Mark 3) about 3 hours until the pork is very tender, turning it over during cooking.

Transfer the pork to a serving dish. Boil the milk rapidly for a few minutes to reduce, discard
the dill and bay leaf and serve immediately, with the sauce handed separately.

2 tablespoons butter
2 onions, peeled and thinly sliced
500 gr. top round steak
5 tablespoons vodka
100 gr. thinly sliced mushrooms
Salt and pepper, to taste

Melt half the butter in a frying pan, add the onions and fry gently for 10-15 minutes until gold.

Melt the remaining butter in a separate pan. Add the steak and cook over moderate heat for 3 to 6 minutes on each side, to taste. Transfer to a warned serving platter, sprinkle with salt and pepper and keep hot.

Stir the vodka into the meat juices in the pan and scrape up any sediment. Add the mushrooms, increase the heat and cook rapidly until the liquid is glazed and reduced.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Sprinkle the steak with the onions, mushrooms and pan juices and serve immediately.

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.