Category: vegetable

Simple Yeast Free Cabbage Hand Pies. Pärmivabad kapsapirukad

handpies (26)Waiting for a white ship is something Estonian. This is a concept and myth about freedom.

The concept dates from 1861 when several hundred followers of the religious prophet Juhan Leinberg (the so-called prophet Maltsvet), mostly peasants, waited for a few weeks near Tallinn for a white ship to take them away to a more prosperous and free country. The concept soon spread widely because it was used in literature.

After the Soviet regime was restored in Estonia in 1944, the concept quickly acquired a specific meaning – the white ship stood for the end of Soviet power, either by means of the intervention by Western countries or by diplomatic pressure. Waiting for the white ship was a popular concept especially in the post-war decade, and the ruling regime had to work strenuously against it.

When outside is winter, without snow and cold.  Concept about waiting for liberty and changes is still actual. Please, spring, come as soon as you can!

24 February is the national day of Estonia, marking its declaration of freedom in 1918. Celebrate with us !

handpies (20)

Continue reading “Simple Yeast Free Cabbage Hand Pies. Pärmivabad kapsapirukad” →

Advertisement

Potato and Turnip Casserole with Currants Sauce. Kartuli- kaalikavorm sõstrakastmega

kartulikaalikavorm (14)Today 30 years ago took place The Baltic Way.

The Baltic Way was a peaceful political demonstration which took place on 23 August 1989 when approximately two million people (which is 25% of Baltic State population) joined their hands forming a 600 km long human chain through the Baltic countries, thus demonstrating their unity in their efforts towards freedom.

We were ready for everything: Estonians promised to eat even potato peelings in name of an independent state.

Potato skins are still very delicious dish. But this year I will introduce more advanced recipe 🙂
Let’s add some turnip and currants.
A light vegetable dinner. Sweet turnip and potato are complemented with the tartness of red currants. You get an even better and different result using black currants. to reduce baking and cooking time, use pre-cooked vegetables.

Perfect dish to use leftovers.

Continue reading “Potato and Turnip Casserole with Currants Sauce. Kartuli- kaalikavorm sõstrakastmega” →

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls. Kapsarullid

kapsarull1 (4)

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls are dish what is known, I believe, in everywhere. But every nation has its own recipe, something different, which give for this dish special touch and make it different,

Cabbage rolls are an everyday dish in Estonia. Ok, it takes some time for preparation, so we probably make them for weekend dinner.
In my recipe, Cabbage leaves stuffed with minced meat. But you can stuff them using only vegetables,

It’s also one of those dishes that combines everything in one: your proteins and some vegetable, Obviously, you still want a few side dishes, it’s perfect with potatoes or rice or some buckwheat

Continue reading “Stuffed Cabbage Rolls. Kapsarullid” →

Green Soup from Weed. Roheline supp

roheline supp1 (3)In the old times spring meant two good news. At least the grass arises and the cows began to give milk.

So, ancient Estonian spring dishes contain a lot of milk, dairy products and greens.

Goutweed tastes like carrots and celery. Nettles are a  bit sweet. Dandelion tastes like honey, but could be little bit bitter. To decrease the bitterness, leave leaves in to the cold salty water to set. And wood sorrel is sour.

Nettles need to be kept in the boiling water 1-2 minutes. Goutweed and wood sorrel are eatable when fresh.
NB! Use only young, fresh, new, small weeds, grown in a pure and clean environment.

naat
goutweed
Nettle
nettle

Continue reading “Green Soup from Weed. Roheline supp” →

Broad Bean Soup. Kõrtsisupp

k6rtsisupp1(6)Beans are traditional Good Friday dish.

Barley has been cultivated in Estonia longer than any other crops – for over 4,000 years. And pearl barley has been a staple food for Estonians through the ages; it has even been a food fit for celebrations. In the olden days, the tradition in Estonian villages was to make sauerkraut soup with pork and barley groats on Thursdays and Sundays.

You can cook this soup on the traditional way: swell beans and barley overnight. Prepare beautiful and delicious broth, and cook up to 2 hours.

But I recommend the easier and faster ”everyday version”:

This soup has enough flavours, so you can cook this without meat. If needed add some meat leftovers or strengthen flavour with ready broth.
And Use prepared/canned beans and barley groats.

Continue reading “Broad Bean Soup. Kõrtsisupp” →

Estonian Potatoes and Groats Mash. Mulgipuder

mulgipuder1 (4)Mulgi-Mulgimaa is a district in South-Estonia with its own culture, food and dialect.

My mother is Mulk and so am I. Mulgipuder means Mulgi’s porridge. This dish is very old though. In former times when people had wood burning stoves, the porridge was placed on a stove in the morning where it had time to cook and get simmer and better. People just had more time.

Mulgid (the people who lived in Mulgimaa) were wealthy. But because in early times animals were more important than people, they were usually to ones who got to eat the porridge first. And if there was anything left from the dish it was passed on to the rest of the family. Like my mother used to say – the Mulgi’s porridge was a pig food (Bon appétit! Sorry!)

Despite all, I and Estonians love this dish. It’s very, very nourishing and filling with an option to cook it completely vegan-friendly!

Potato and pearl barley porridge, i.e. potato-barley mash, originates from Southern Estonia. People in Southern Estonia (the Mulgi people) started boiling potatoes and pearl barley together in the second half of the 19th century as the combination was very filling. By the last quarter of the 19th century, this porridge was known all over Estonia. In the second half of the 20th century, this dish reached cafeterias as well and it has by now become a national dish that is served at various official events.

Continue reading “Estonian Potatoes and Groats Mash. Mulgipuder” →

Buckwheat Salad. Tatrasalat

One more recipe about ” what to do with boiled buckwheat”.

I love buckwheat and in my opinion, it is goes with everything. This is one possible combination

boiled buckwheat
red onion
pickled cucumber
boiled beetroot
tatrasalat 1(6)
You can serve this with oil- acid sauce, but I like more mayonnaise- sour cream (smetana/creme fraiche) sauce. It makes salad more creamy and nutritious
tatrasalat 1(2)

Cabbage Soup. Värskekapsasupp

v kapsasupp1 (4)
Cabbage Soup. Värskekapsasupp

Do you know old story about Axe Soup?

Long long time ago. Poor Soldier came from War.
He was tired and hungry.

Knocked on the door and asked for food. The hostess was stingy and said that she is poor herself and have not any food.
Ok, said Soldier. But do you have an axe? Lets cook an ax soup, then.
This sounded interesting, the hostess heard for the first time about ax soup  and agreed.

Soldier put cattle on the stove and added water and an ax. Let it simmer, tasted and said: it is too strong. To make this lighter, we have to add something. Do you have some meat?
Yes, agreed hostess and went to the pantry for meat.  During this time soldier hid  an ax and changed water.
Hostess brought meat, soldier added this in to the cattle. Let simmer, tasted and asked. This is still too strong. You have very strong ax,.. To make this lighter, please bring some barley…
then they added some vegetable to make soup ” lighter”.

Finally was soup ready.  Look, said Soldier: we cooked this so long, that ax is just dissolved!
Hostess tasted soup and was amazed: so delicious, who might have known that ax is so delicious!

This is story about envy, greed and deceit. And how to cook something about nothing 🙂

Now you probably already know, that I prefer dishes which take time max 30 minutes. And this soup is the same. You can cook it in a decent manner: prepare stock and use meat and spend hours to have perfect dish.

But at the afternoon, you have not time. And this is the simplest version to prepare soup. In my opinion cabbage suits with sausages. But you can cook vegan version, or use minced meat or bacon or…. whatever you like.

Cabbage Soup

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Print

 

v kapsasupp1 (3)
Cabbage Soup. Värskekapsasupp

Ingredients

    per eater
  • 1 potato
  • 1/2 carrot
  • 1/2 onion
  • ca 100 g cabbage
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • meat “leftovers”, use what do you have at home. Ham, sausage, meat,…
  • salt, pepper, bay leaf

Continue reading “Cabbage Soup. Värskekapsasupp” →

Puree Soup with Pumpkin and Smoked Cheese. Kõrvitsa püreesupp suitsujuustuga

k6rvitsasupp (8)
Puree Soup with Pumpkin and Smoked Cheese.

It reminds me story from childhood 🙂
I was I believe 5 years old and my sister 3. We went with our family to the forest. To pick blueberries and mushrooms. And middle in the forest. Big a compost or garbage ” mountain”. Full of pumpkins.
My mother took both berry buckets and father took two big pumpkins.
Walking. My sister starts to whine.. I am tired. Take me to the arms…
Father sigh, laid one pumpkin down and took sister.
Walking.
Now was my turn. I am tired. Please..please… I can not anymore.
And.
yes. We left both pumpkins in the forest…

 

Pumpkin became a commonly-used vegetable in Estonia in the 1920s–1930s. And now we love pumpkin 🙂

Continue reading “Puree Soup with Pumpkin and Smoked Cheese. Kõrvitsa püreesupp suitsujuustuga” →