Ukrainian Noodles with Cabbage &
Mushroom Baba

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            FOOD FUNNY
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Thanks to Karl K. of McKinney, Texas for this one:

My wife and I had gone to a restaurant with several friends. We were
directed to sit in a corner booth with circular seating. Dismayed by the
number of crumbs on the seat, I asked if it could be wiped off.

The young hostess sat down at one end of the booth's seat, slid around
to the other side, then sprang up with a smile. "Did I get it all?" she
asked.

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            TODAY'S RECIPES
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I said it would be unthinkable to do a week of Ukrainian recipes without
at least one dish containing beets in yesterday's edition, and the same
is true of cabbage. Cabbage and noodle dishes are found all over Eastern
Europe, and this is a common variation found in Ukraine.

Noodles with Cabbage (Lokshyna z Kapustiou)

4 Tbs (60 ml) butter or vegetable oil
1 small head cabbage, cored and shredded
1 onion, chopped
1 cup (250 ml) drained sauerkraut (optional)
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 lb (225 g) dried egg noodles,
cooked according to the package directions and drained
1/4 cup (60 ml) dry bread crumbs toasted in
1 Tbs (15 ml) butter

Heat the butter in a large skillet over moderate heat and saute the
cabbage and onion until tender but not brown, about 10 minutes. Add the
optional sauerkraut and season with salt and pepper. Add the cooked
noodles and stir to combine. Serve garnished with the toasted bread
crumbs. Serves 4 to 6.

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Hunting for wild mushrooms in the Ukrainian forests is a national
pastime, but most of us don't have the opportunity to share this passion
so store-bought mushrooms will have to be substituted in this
traditional dish.

Mushroom Baba (Hyrbova Baba)

6 Tbs (90 ml) butter
2 lbs (900 g) any variety or varieties of mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup (60 ml) sherry
1 tsp (5 ml) Maggi seasoning* or soy sauce
1 tsp (5 ml) Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup (125 ml) heavy cream
The juice of 1 lemon
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
3 egg yolks, beaten
Lettuce leaves for garnish
Thinly sliced toasted bread or crackers

* Available from Amazon.com here
<http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000GHEGC/worldwiderecipes>.

Heat the butter in a large skillet over moderate heat and add the
mushrooms, garlic, sherry, Maggi, and Worcestershire sauce. Cook,
stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are wilted, about 5 minutes.
Add the cream and cook 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon
juice. Place about 3/4 of the mixture in an electric food processor and
process until finely chopped but not smooth or soupy. Combine with the
remaining mushrooms and stir in the egg yolks. Reheat gently, stirring
frequently. Pack the mixture into a glass or stainless steel bowl,
smoothing the surface, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate
overnight. Unmold onto a bed of lettuce leaves and serve with toast or
crackers. Serves 4 to 6.
Received on Tue Mar 6 22:16:14 2007