Ukrainian Beet and Pickle Salad &
Grandfather's Soup

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            FOOD FUNNY
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Thanks to Sharon Mitcheltree for these handy reminders:

Guide To Good Cooking

1. It is time to clean out the refrigerator when something closes the
door from the inside.

2. Never make fried chicken in the nude.

3. Thou shalt not weigh more than thy refrigerator.

4. Never take a fishing pole to Sea World.

5. Fast food is hitting a deer at 65 mph.

6. Don't name a pig you plan to eat.

7. Never stare at an orange juice carton just because it says,
"Concentrate"

8. You can catch more flies with honey than vinegar... assuming you want
to catch flies.

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            TODAY'S RECIPES
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It would be inconceivable to publish a week of Ukrainian recipes
without including beets at least once. This salad is popular
during Lent and makes a colorful presentation. You can use
drained canned beets to save some time if you like and still get
excellent results.

Beet and Pickle Salad (Taratuta)

6-8 medium beets, trimmed
3 dill pickles, thinly sliced
1 large onion, thinly sliced
3 Tbs (45 ml) vegetable or olive oil
2 Tbs (30 ml) prepared horseradish
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Lettuce leaves for garnish

Cook the beats in boiling salted water until tender. Cool, peel,
and thinly slice the beets. Combine the beets, pickles, and
onions in a bowl. Whisk together the oil, horseradish, salt, and
pepper and drizzle over the salad. Toss gently and serve on a
bed of lettuce. Serves 6 to 8.

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My sources don't agree on the origin of the name of this dish.
Some say it's such an old and familiar recipe that it's like an old
grandfather, and some say that it's a favorite of older folks. My
guess is that both explanations are right. The little dumplings
are called "zatirka" or "styranka" and make the soup special.

Grandfather's Soup (Didivs'ka Iushka)

3 Tbs (45 ml) butter
1 large onion, chopped
2-3 large potatoes, peeled and diced
3 cups (750 ml) water
Salt to taste
1/2 cup (125 ml) all-purpose four
About 1/4 cup (60 ml) milk
1 cup (250 ml) half-and-half (light cream) or milk

Heat 2 Tbs (30 ml) of the butter in a large pot over moderate heat and
saute the onion until tender but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add the
potatoes, water, and salt and bring to a simmer. Meanwhile, mix the
remaining butter, flour, and enough milk to make a stiff dough. Drop
pea-size balls of the dough into the soup and cook until the potatoes
are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the half-and-half and return to a
simmer before serving. Serves 4 to 6.
Received on Tue Mar 6 08:34:45 2007