Dougherty Family Recipe Box

Category: Ukrainian Christmas

  • Cabbage Rolls

    Ingredients

    Rice Filling

    • 2 cups short grain white rice
    • 2 cups boiling water
    • 2 teaspoons salt
    • 1 medium onion chopped fine
    • 4 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 1/2 teaspoon pepper

    Rolls

    • 1 large head green cabbage
    • boiling water
    • 1 1/2 cups water
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • salt
    • pepper

    Method

    1. Wash the rice in a sieve until the water comes off clear.
    2. Add to the boiling water, stir in salt.
    3. Bring to a brisk boil and let cook 1 minute.
    4. Remove from heat and cover.
    5. Let stand until water is absorbed (rice will be paritally cooked).
    6. Cook onion in the oil until light golden colour.
    7. Mix onion with rice, salt, and pepper.
    8. Cut core out from cabbage.
    9. Place cabbage in a deep stock pot and pour boiling water into the hollow of the core until the head is covered completely.
    10. Let cabbage stand until leaves are soft and pliable.
    11. Preheat oven to 350°F.
    12. Drain, then take leaves apart very carefully.
    13. Cut the hard centre rib from each leaf.
    14. Cut larger leaves into 2 or 3 pieces.
    15. Line the bottom of a casserole dish with a few leaves.
    16. Put a spoonful of rice filling in the centre of a leaf then roll lightly.
    17. Arrange rolls in layers in the casserole dish.
    18. Sprinkle each layer with some salt.
    19. Mix together 1 1/2 cups water, oil, and pepper.
    20. Pour water over the cabbage rolls.
    21. Cover the top layer with a few more leaves of cabbage.
    22. Tightly cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil.
    23. Bake until cabbage and filling are cooked (about 2 hours).

    Source

    Traditional Ukrainian Cookery (out of print).

  • Kutya (wheat)

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup high grade durum wheat
    • salt
    • 1/2 cup poppy seed finely ground
    • 1/3 cup honey
    • 2/3 cup water

    Method

    1. Rinse the wheat in a sieve under running water.
    2. Put the wheat in a pot and cover with lukewarm water.
    3. Keeping the same water that the wheat was soaked in, bring the water to a boil, cover, and simmer until the wheat is tender (anywhere from 2 to 6 hours depending on variety of wheat).
    4. Stir the wheat periodically, adding salt halfway through cooking.
    5. Boil honey with 2/3 cup water until a syrup is formed, then remove from heat.
    6. Stir wheat, syrup, and ground poppy seed together (should be medium-thin, not thick).
    7. Serve warm garnished with chopped nuts.

    Source

    Traditional Ukrainian Cookery (out of print).