Whisky Marinated Flank Steak Broiled with Mushrooms & Onions

If you celebrate St. Patrick’s day here is a recipe you will not regret to cook. Tasty and absolutely stress free dish. Very few ingredients are needed and only few minutes takes to prepare it. Please enjoy our second video. I am looking forward to your comments.

Russian Monday: "Kurnik" - Chicken Pie with Mushrooms, Kasha, Eggs & Homemade Chicken Broth

This is not your everyday meal, but rather a very special occasion one. If you have invited dearest friends for dinner or perhaps you’d like to spoil your family with a great dish, this is what you need to cook! It is complicated and time consuming, but it is worth every minute of your time.

Roast Leg of Lamb with Rosemary Marinade & Roasted Vegetables

Lamb leg is considered the choicest cut for roasting, although a boned shoulder or a rack of lamb is also delicious. Legs are usually sold range in weight from 5 to 10 pounds. You may have the leg prepared couple different ways for your cooking. A French way - leg has the shank bone left in and trimmed. An American way - the shank bone is removed, and the meat turned under and either tied or secured with a skewer. If you have trouble carving a leg of lamb, have the shank bone left in, the other bones removed, and the roast rolled and tied. This gives you even slices and presents no trouble at table to the carver.

Russian Monday: Roasted Lemony Duck with Buttery Quince - “Utka & Aiva”

Many people, when they think of duck, think only of roast duck. In reality there are so many interesting ways to prepare duck that, with the real connoisseurs, roast duck often takes a a back seat. For instance, steamed or boiled duck may be attractively combined with vegetables in Chinese-style recipes. Or duck may be braised and served with any one of a number of delicious sauces. But, personally I always come back to roasting the duck, with different herbs, spices, fruits and grains. Here is a recipe I created for upcoming holidays - roasted duck, with ginger and sweet honey, stuffed with lemons. I served it with fried pan buttery quince and few fermented and pickled vegetables. If you looking to cook something different for Christmas I hope you will try my recipe for simple roasted duck.

Blackened Shad Roe & Sautéed in Butter

Shad was known as elft, the eleven fish, to the early Dutch settlers. It was on the 11th day of March each year that the first shad were caught and cooked on a plank, a method the settlers learned from the Indians. Shad were so abundant in colonial days that it became quite fashionable among some of the well-to-do. Many of them ate shad on the sly, fearing others would think them unable to afford more expensive food.

Filet Mignon Steak with Blue Cheese & Rosemary Butter, Spicy Potato on a Side

Simple dinner idea with a twist under 40 minutes time. Butter blended with fresh herbs, known as a compound butter, makes a simple but delicious embellishment for any kind of steak.

Russian Monday: "Kortofelnaya Zapekanka" - Beef & Potato Сasserole

Recipes using ground meat were very popular when I lived in Russia, probably because ground meat is the kind of ingredient that allows a lot of variety.  Potato casserole with ground meat is the dish used to be cooked by our moms and grandmas. I don’t know the origins of it, but I can say for sure that it is traditional dish of Russian cuisine.

Cauliflower Cake with Flax Seeds

Cauliflower Cake is a very fresh idea for serving your vegetables for dinner. This dish looks impressive on a plate and goes well with any seafood combination or roasted chicken. I really liked it the next day, we had it for breakfast with some avocado slices. If you decide to make it I promise you'll enjoy this rustic cake.

Shepherd's Pie With Truffle Oil

Pure white flakes fall gently from the heavens, blanketing the entire world in a sparkling mantle. All sounds seem hushed. The air is crisp and cold. Whether you're spending an active day outside or passing a quiet afternoon beside the fire, the Shepherd's pie is the favorite of comfort food will warm both body and soul on any winter day.

Braised Rabbit with Mustard - Lapin a La Moutarde

This historically traditional French dish is sure to climb into a top spot on anyone's favorite comfort food list. My own personal experience at BOUCHON had inspired me to bring this amazing dish to life. With simple fresh ingredients, I was able to perfectly compliment the Rabbit's flavors, which always are a welcomed change from our typical everyday sources of protein. Easy to make, without being too fancy, yet fit for every occasion or holiday. Enjoy!

Russian Monday: "Manti" - Steamed Buns Stuffed with Lamb

"Manti" (steamed buns with lamb filling) is a traditional meat dish of the people of Central Asia, Turkey, Mongolia, Korea, as well as of the Tartars and Bashkir of Russia. It is believed that manti originates from the outer regions of China, where Uyghur people of Xinjiang region have a dish named “mantou” which literally means “steamed bread”. Gradually, the recipe of the dish has spread from Xinjiang through Central Asia and beyond. But even today, Uyghur cooks are considered to be the best manti specialists in the world.

Country Chicken with Garlic Sauce

Here, chicken thighs and drumsticks are slowly cooked in a flavorful garlic sauce with a white wine, thyme and spices to create a comforting meal. To make a one-dish meal before putting the chicken in a oven add some mushrooms, potatoes or butternut squash. Delicious!!

Purple Autumn: Black Lentil Stew with Beets & Fig Balsamic Vinegar

What a beautiful evening it is outside tonight as I write this! The air is still warm enough to be comfortable, but a cool breeze is coaxing the still-vibrant summer vines to dance tonight under the almost full moon. Katydids and crickets are busy making "a little night music" while toads, from tiny to plump, jump from sidewalk to lawn, entertaining our little dog as my husband I stroll with her on our evening walk.

Russian Monday: "Kartofelnye Zrazy" - Potato Cutlets Stuffed with Mushrooms

Zrazy is a dish of Lithuanian, Belarusian, Polish and Ukrainian cuisines. Word “zrazy” is of polish origin, it means “slices”, “cut pieces” of something. Despite its Polish name, for the first time the dish is mentioned in the Lithuanian historical records of 14th century.

Russian Monday: "Pozharsky Cutlets" - Ground Chicken Cutlets with Homemade Breadcrumbs

The Pozharsky cutlets have become a popular dish of the Russian cuisine at the beginning of the19th century. Their name and origin are attributed to prince Pozharsky, one of the noblemen of the time.  Moscow’s crown prince was visiting, and Pozharsky’s favorite veal cutlets were to be served. But as ill luck would have it, no fresh veal was found in any of Pozharsky’s kitchens. To save the day, the prince ordered his chef to prepare the cutlets with chicken. The dish was so much to the liking of the crown prince, that  he asked for its recipe. Since then, these chicken cutlets have spread through the kitchens of the nobility and later on they became popular among ordinary people.

Roasted Spicy Orange Chicken Thighs

This is a real show-off chicken dish with a citrus flavor. Serve it on a hot rice with avocado salad. A company meal, "but it couldn't be easier!"

Crown Roast of Pork with Pomegranate

Sending the warmest Christmas wishes to you and your family. May the good times and treasures of the present become the golden memories of tomorrow. Wish you lots of love, joy and happiness. 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Dark Chocolate Brandy & Cherry Cake

The rich chocolate sponge, moistened with brandy and cherries, is still one of my favorite of all the chocolate cakes. Dark chocolate cherry cake is a perfect party dessert. The cake can be make in advance and it always looks impressive.

Oysters on Ice with Shallots, Red Wine Vinegar, and Lemon

Raw oysters are one of those shellfish that you either love or hate. They do, however, have a reputation as an aphrodisiac, which has helped increase their popularity. If you have never eaten a raw oyster before, make sure that you squeeze lemon juice on it and watch to make sure it contracts before you eat it.

Roasted Rolled Turkey Breast with Garlic & Herbs

We have four people in our family and for us to cook the whole turkey for Thanksgiving is never "too much". But if you would like to cook something different or have decided not to cook the whole bird, here is a time saving substitute. Roasting the breast on its own will ensure moist, tender meat. This recipe gives it a lot of flavor using lemon juice, garlic and fresh herbs.