February 03, 2014

7 Russian Dishes for Olympic Viewing


7 Russian Dishes for Olympic Viewing

OK, so you are recovering from the Super Bowl and starting to look ahead to next weekend’s opening of the Sochi games. Which of course means a viewing party, which means food, which means Russian food!

Here’s our list of a seven ideal Russian culinary delights to accompany your Olympics viewing (for full recipes, we of course recommend our fine cookbook, A Taste of Russia, by Darra Goldstein):

 

Vodka. You knew we’d start there, right? It wouldn’t be a Russian feast without vodka, the “little water of life.” Pop down to the liquor store and get a bottle of Stoli (but wait, that’s not even made in Russia any more!), or better yet Russian Standard for the freezer. (For suggestions on the better vodkas, check out vodkaphiles.com, where thousands of visitors have rated hundreds of vodkas.) But if you really want to make an impression, throw together a home-infused vodka concoction, like limonovka or chesnochnaya. It just takes a day or two, so get one started now.

Stolichny Salad. This wonderful, creamy potato salad is a Russian zakuski table mainstay (and also known as Salad Olivier). Packed with the carbs beloved of all couch potatoes, it also has some protein mixed in there (in the form of chicken) to give your muscles something to be happy about. Throw together a few pounds of this and toss it in the fridge – it’s your go-to dish for all 17 days of the games.

Pelmeni. This Siberian treat is a small dumpling stuffed with a nicely herbed meat. Boiled then slathered in butter and sour cream, it is the perfect accompaniment for a cold winter day full of curling, downhill skiing and ice dancing. Best of all, you can make up a big batch of them ahead of time (or bribe someone more capable in the kitchen to do so on your behalf), freeze them, and have them at the ready for that hockey final.

​Shashlyk. This Russian favorite is doubly appropriate because it is a dish from the Caucasus, where the games are being held. Order up some lamb from your local butcher, marinate it overnight, then roll out the barbeque and serve up a few skewers full of this delectable meat dish for friends. Ideally, it should be served alongside slices of warm, cheese-filled bread known as khachapuri.

Pirozhki. These small pies, filled with savory meats, mushrooms, onions or cabbage are the perfect finger food. Bake them for dinner and you’ll not only warm up the house nicely, but you’ll fill it with the irresistible aromas of baking bread and tasty fillings.

Canapes of Salmon. Looking for something with a bit more upscale panache? Pick up some nice smoked salmon at the store (many stores actually even carry Russian Pacific Salmon) and serve up these bite-sized treats with vodka and some good dill pickles.

Poor Man’s Caviar. We like this far better than the fish egg stuff. Two varieties are common: one made with eggplant, another with chopped mushrooms. Both are delectable atop crackers or with some of that khachapuri. And probably alongside a shot of that chesnochnaya vodka you made...

Leave us a comment to tell us what sort of Olympic feast you are planning.


[Photo credits: Bernd Hutschenreuther (pelmeni); Alexander Sherstobitov (salmon); Vvoevale (stolichny salad); Arboreus (pirozhki); Russian Life (vodka); Wikimedia commons (shashlyk)]

Tags: foodolympics
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

Tolstoy Bilingual

Tolstoy Bilingual

This compact, yet surprisingly broad look at the life and work of Tolstoy spans from one of his earliest stories to one of his last, looking at works that made him famous and others that made him notorious. 
The Moscow Eccentric

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.
White Magic

White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.
Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod is a mid-sized provincial city that exists only in Russian metaphorical space. It has its roots in Gogol, and Ilf and Petrov, and is a place far from Moscow, but close to Russian hearts. It is a place of mystery and normality, of provincial innocence and Black Earth wisdom. Strange, inexplicable things happen in Stargorod. So do good things. And bad things. A lot like life everywhere, one might say. Only with a heavy dose of vodka, longing and mystery.
A Taste of Russia

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.
The Little Golden Calf

The Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.
Russian Rules

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.
Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar is a hilarious and insightful memoir by a diplomat who was “present at the creation” of US-Soviet relations. Charles Thayer headed off to Russia in 1933, calculating that if he could just learn Russian and be on the spot when the US and USSR established relations, he could make himself indispensable and start a career in the foreign service. Remarkably, he pulled it of.
Fish: A History of One Migration

Fish: A History of One Migration

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.
Fearful Majesty

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.
The Latchkey Murders

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955