R's Reuben

I'm noticing that my mother is taking this food blogging as an opportunity to do a bit of playful jabbing at her daughter. Never one to stand for injustices, I've decided to choose the latter of "if you can't beat them, join them".

I may be a fussy eater, but my mother cannot deny that I am a good kid (at least as far as she knows). I'm not the one who would pour cement on her neighbour's garden and then sing "Ruben, Ruben, I've been thinking...what the hell have you been drinking. Tastes like whiskey, smells like wine. Oh my god it's turpentine" (cough*Giz*cough).

In fact, I'm known for being, as my brother affectionately refers to me, the gift from god.

But, I digress...My original intention, which reminds me of my mother's little ditty, was to blog about R's Reuben.

This time, I'm going to try something a little different. A video log (vlog) of R's dish. The video is not great. But, I'm just learning.

R's Reuben

R has class two nights a week and works full time. So, we're often looking for quick meal options. R's reuben, although relatively conservative, makes for a great quick dinner.

The sandwich is made from rye bread, corned beef, margarine, sauerkraut, swiss cheese and thousand island dressing.

I won't post ingredient proportions.

Cabbage Rolls

Coming from a city in the midwest with a large Polish and Ukrainian population, this dish would be considered a staple in either ethnic home. I've learned that everyone creates their own version and whether you call it holopchi (hole-op-chee) or cabbage rolls, it's all good. Some prefer a combination of more rice to meat while others do the exact opposite. Some people add bacon, others don't. It's not exactly a Rachel Ray 30 minute special, but the extra time you spend is so worth it, especially if you're making alot. These freeze well and when reheated, you'd think you just made them. They also warm up well in the microwave.

Usually in the spring, when the beet leaves are young and small, a dish called beet leaf holopchi is made filling the young beet leaves with dough and smothering them in a creamy dill sauce. At first I thought this sounded a little gross, but, I guarantee you, it's highly addictive. I'll find and create this recipe as the warmer weather comes and vegetables begin to grow again in our part of the world.

I'm sharing my personal recipe and I'm sure holopchi purists may take issue but hey, it's my blog and I'll fry if I want to.

Ingredients:

1 medium size head green cabbage
3 lb ground meat (I used 1 lb each of minced beef, veal and pork)
1 large onion diced very small
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups raw rice - any rice will do (I've even used minute rice and it works)
1 28 oz can of tomato juice
salt and pepper to taste

Filling:

1. Place minced meat, eggs, raw rice, salt and pepper in a bowl.
2. Saute finely minced onion until just lightly carmelized.
3. Add to bowl and mix well until all ingredients are combined.

Process:

1. With a sharp knife, carefully cut a square around the core. If you don't do this it'll be such a pain to get the leaves off.
2. Place cabbage in a stock pot and add water as high as you can without giving it cause to boil over. If you can, put a lid on the pot.
3. Bring water to a boil and turn down to medium. As the steam works it's way through the cabbage, the leaves will begin to loosen up.
4. With a pair of tongues gently take each leaf off one at a time and place in large colander to cool.




5. Cut away the centre rib from each leaf. I started doing this and then just got impatient and managed with the rib in. When it cooks it'll all soften up anyways.



6. Fill each leaf with a heaping tablespoon of filling - sometimes more if the leaf is very large. Place the filling in the centre of the leaf on the portion that's closest to you.






7. Start to roll away from you, folding the sides to the centre and continue to roll
8. Repeat until you've used up all the filling and as many of the leaves as you can.




9. Pour scant amount of tomato juice on bottom of the roaster to just cover.
10. Line with leftover cabbage leaves. This keeps the cabbage rolls from potentially burning on the bottom
11. Add all the cabbage rolls to the roaster and add the remainder of the tomato juice.





Note: I find I like more tomato juice especially for a reheat when alot of the juice seems to disappear so I added more. I didn't have any more tomato juice so I used V8 and it was fine.
12. Cover roaster and cook in 350 F oven for 2 - 3 hours. After 2 hours, I checked them and they weren't tender enough so I just turned the heat down to 325 F and left them for another hour. That was the magic.

Blintzes

A few days ago Psychgrad and I seemed to be making similar recipes. Psychgrad posted salad and then I did...she posted soup and then I did. So, Psychgrad seemed to think that if she was my inspiration, then perhaps it would be good to plant a suggestion for a dish that's been a long time favourite of hers. See the comment here. Okay - I got the hint. If this is the motivation she needs to come for a visit - unfortunately Psychgrad lives several hours from me - then I'm happy to oblige.

Here are the blintzes you ordered.

Blintzes are not new. They are simply a dish one might see in many cultures, in a variety of forms with an endless number of fillings. Historically in pre Christian times, this dish had significance as a symbol of the sun and the changing seasons. With this significance in mind, I am submitting this recipe to Ben's Food for Plastic II Challenge.



Even though we're still a couple - ok a few - weeks away from spring, I hereby announce that I'm so done with winter. Bring on spring!! Bring on the blintzes!!



Crepes



2 eggs
2 tblsp oil
1 cup milk
3/4 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
butter (for frying)

Cheese Filling

2 cups pressed cottage cheese
1/2 cup light cream cheese
1 egg yolk
2 tblsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla
juice of 1/2 lemon

To Make the Crepes:

1. Beat eggss, oil and milk very well.
2. Add flour and salt
3. Refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour (this is a crucial step)
4. For each blintz, melt approximately 1 tsp butter in a 7 inch skillet. If you're using a non stick pan you really only need to do this once or twice.



5. Pour about 1/3 of a soup ladel (approximately 3 tblsp of batter into the heated skillet and working quickly spread all around the surface of the pan.



6. Cook over medium heat until lightly browned on one side (about 1 1/2 minutes).
7. Flip to second side for about 30 seconds - 1 minute.





To Make the Filling:



Note: Many people prefer to use straight cream cheese - I think the texture and the calorie count using a combination of more pressed cottage cheese and some cream cheese gives the final product a nicer texture.



1. Mix all ingredients together until smooth.


2. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Process:

1. Put a heaping tablespoon of filling on the lower quadrant of the crepe. I like to put the filling on the side that's done more since you fry the other side again.



2. Fold the bottom part of the crepe over the filling towards the centre


3. Fold both sides towards the middle.



4. Roll blintz creating the configuration you like as you roll.



5. Continue #2-#4 until all batter has been used (you should get 12-14 crepes from this recipe - it's fine to double the recipe, just double the filling recipe too)



To Serve:
1. Warm blintzes in 1 tsp of butter in skillet.
2. Add any topping you like - strawberries, blueberries, sour cream



Psychgrad: I saved you some



That was mean - I actually did save some for Psychgrad - in the freezer for when you come to visit. How motivated do you feel now?



Note to Psychgrad: I've saved this set of Disney glasses for you since you were 8. I'm thinking maybe you really don't want them (who says I'm not a quick study). Maybe I'll just save them for my grandchildren...hint...hint...hint!!!



Mickey says bye bye!!!