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International Cuisine

Exploring the world through food.

Lithuanian Cucumbers and Honey

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Lithuanian cucumbers and honey are called agurkai su medum.  This simple combination was actually invented by Jogailia, the Grand Duke of Lithuania.  A recipe that is super simple and delicious.  I had never thought of combining cucumbers with honey but it is honestly somewhat addicting.  We really enjoyed it as a starter on a hot summer day as part of Lithuanian meal.  The food is quite hardy generally speaking so this was a light lovely way to begin our meal with a dish that dates back to the Gothic period. Today this dish is common throughout eastern Europe.  Enjoy!

Lithuanian Cucumbers and honey

Lithuanian Cucumbers and Honey
 
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Recipe type: Appetizer
Cuisine: Lithuanian
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 2 baby cucumbers
  • 2 tablespoons honey
Instructions
  1. Use a fork to scrape the sides of the cucumbers and then slice (the scrape makes the cucumbers almost look like flowers)
  2. Arrange on a plate
  3. Drizzle honey over the cucumbers, You can heat up the honey to make this task easier if you honey is not very liquid

 

Lithuanian Cabbage Rolls (Balandeliai)

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Lithuanian cabbage rolls are called balandeliai there.  Of course cabbage rolls are made in numerous countries throughout the world, especially throughout Eastern Europe, and Lithuania is no exception.  Each country has their own name for it and of course the ingredients vary slightly but usually not by much.  They are made with some type of ground meat beef, pork, veal or lamb or a combination and have rice with onions and bell pepper.  The meat mixture is then rolled into cabbage leaves and either simmered on the stove in a tomato based sauce or cooked in the oven. These were made with a light tomato and sour cream sauce that made them delicious!

Lithuanian Cabbage Rolls

Lithuanian Cabbage Rolls (Balandeliai)
 
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Recipe type: Main Dish
Cuisine: Lithuanian
Serves: 18 rolls
Ingredients
  • 1 whole head cabbage
  • 1 carrot, chopped
  • 1 cup finely chopped onion
  • ½ cup finely chopped bell pepper
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 cup cooked rice
  • 1½ pounds ground beef or lamb or pork (or a combination)
  • 1 clove, minced garlic
  • 1 large beaten egg
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • 1 cup beef or chicken stock
  • 3 tablespoons sour cream
Instructions
  1. Remove core from cabbage. Place whole head in a large pot filled with boiling, salted water. Cover and cook 3 minutes, or until softened enough to pull off individual leaves. You will need about 18 leaves.
  2. When leaves are cool enough to handle, use a paring knife to cut away the thick center stem from each leaf, without cutting all the way through. Chop the remaining cabbage and place it in the bottom of a Dutch oven or large saucepan along with the copped carrot.
  3. Saute chopped onion, and bell pepper in butter in a large skillet until tender, and let cool.
  4. In a large bowl, mix cooked rice, cooled onion mixture, meat, garlic, egg, and salt and pepper until well combined.
  5. Place about ½ cup of meat on each cabbage leaf. Roll away from you to encase the meat. Flip the right side of the leaf to the middle, then flip the left side. You will have something that looks like an envelope. Once again, roll away from you to create a neat little roll.
  6. Place the cabbage rolls on top of the chopped cabbage in the Dutch oven, seasoning each layer with salt and pepper. Combine tomato sauce with beef or chicken stock and pour over rolls. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer on the stovetop for 1 hour.
  7. Serve with pan juices and a drizzle of sour cream, or mix the pan juices with sour cream and ladle it over the cabbage rolls.
  8. Cabbage rolls freeze well, and can also be made in a slow cooker

 

Lithuanian Kugela (Potato, onion and Bacon Casserole)

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Lithuanian Kugela is considered to be the national dish.  A casserole made of grated potato, onions with bacon bits and drippings.  It should be topped with some sour cream of course, as there is simply a love of sour cream on just about everything.  Every Lithuanian household has their own recipe secrets for this dish and it is sometime made with chicken and other meats as well.  So I guess you would call this your basic Kugela recipe.  It is hearty and if you like bacon and potatoes, you will absolutely love this dish.

Lithuanian Kugela

Lithuanian Kugela (Potato, onion and Bacon Casserole)
 
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Recipe type: Side Dish
Cuisine: Lithuanian
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • 1 pound bacon, diced
  • 1 large onion, grated
  • 5 pounds Russet potatoes, finely grated, and soaked in water
  • ½ cup flour
  • 1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
  • 6 eggs
  • salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
  2. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
  3. In a large skillet over medium heat, fry bacon pieces until crisp; remove to paper towels.
  4. Reserve half of bacon drippings, and set aside.
  5. Return skillet to stove; stir onions, and cook until soft and translucent.
  6. In a large bowl, stir together reserved drippings, bacon, onion, and potatoes.
  7. Mix in flour, evaporated milk, and eggs.
  8. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  9. Pour into baking dish, and bake in a preheated oven until top is nicely brown, about 1 hour.
  10. Cut into squares, and serve with sour cream.

 

Lithuanian Vegetable Salad (Darzoviu Misraine)

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Lithuanian vegetable salad is very similar to a potato salad.  It is one of the best salad’s  of its kind, we have had.  It is called darzoviu misraine the way we made it or it is known as balta misraine if you do not include the beets.  You can add or subtract vegetables according to your taste, however, the two ingredients that must be included are sour cream and salt.  This salad is typically served at room temperature or cold alongside any number of main dishes.  We enjoyed it with kugela and cabbage rolls as part of our Lithuanian feast. Enjoy!

Lithuanian vegetable salad

Lithuanian Vegetable Salad (Darzoviu Misraine)
 
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Recipe type: Salad
Cuisine: Lithuanian
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 2 medium potatoes, cooked, peeled and diced, about 2 cups
  • 1 medium beet, roasted, peeled and diced, about ½ cup
  • 1 carrots, peeled, cooked and diced, about ½ cup
  • ½ cup peas, cooked
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 small pickle, finely chopped
  • 1 hard-boiled egg, chopped
  • 1⁄4 cup minced fresh dill
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
  1. Cook the vegetables first, the potatoes, beets,carrots and peas but make sure to just cook until tender, you don't want to overcook any of them.
  2. Once cool enough to handle, chop the potato, carrots and beets into bite size pieces.
  3. All vegetables should be at room temperature when you start mixing them together.
  4. Place vegetables, egg and pickle in a large bowl.
  5. Sprinkle half the salt and half the dill on the vegetables.
  6. Add some freshly ground pepper.
  7. Add half the sour cream and stir carefully, taking care not to mash the vegetables.
  8. Repeat with remaining salt, pepper, and sour cream.
  9. Serve cold or at room temperature.

 

Lithuanian Apple Cookies

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Lithuanian apple cookies are moist and amazing treats.  They are not too sweet and after eating a hearty Lithuanian meal, it made for the perfect ending.  Lithuanians love to add sour cream to just about everything and these delightful cookies are no exception.  I suppose that is what makes them so moist, along with the apples of course.  Apples grow in the cold Lithuanian climate so an appropriate dessert to end with.  You can use any apple you like, for this recipe I used the Granny Smith and we loved it!

Lithuanian apple cookies

Lithuanian Apple Cookies
 
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Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: Lithuanian
Serves: 24 cookies
Ingredients
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 egg
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon sour cream
  • ¼ cup oil
  • a pinch of salt
  • 2 cup apples
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • icing sugar to sprinkle (optional)
Instructions
  1. Peel and core apples, cut into small cubes and sprinkle with lemon juice
  2. Beat egg with sugar, vanilla sugar, cinnamon and salt. Add sour cream and oil and continue beating.
  3. Sift flour with baking soda, add beaten eggs and apple cubes.
  4. Cover a baking tray with baking paper. Place tablespoons of the batter on the tray. Bake 15-20 minutes in 360 degree oven (they should be lovely brownish on the top). Cool down and sprinkle with icing sugar if using.

 

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