Ukrainian Christmas

Ukrainian Christmas Eve today...

"Khrystos rodyvsia"! (Christ is born!) 

"Slavite Yoho!" (Let Us Glorify Him!) 

Here are 3 recipes from the 12 meatless dishes served on Christmas Eve Traditionally

Holubtsi (Cabbage Rolls)

To prepare the cabbage:
Place one large head of cored cabbage in a deep pot of boiling water to which salt has been added. Remove the leaves as they become soft. Cool and drain the leaves and remove any remaining core. Cut the leaves to the desired size (personally I cut them about 3" wide). Grease a cassarole dish and place a few leaves of cabbage to line it. Put a tablespoon full of filling (filling recipe follows) into each leaf and roll it up tucking in the edges of the leaves as you roll. Arrange the holubtsi in layers, adding some fried onions and garlic (to taste, sauteed in olive oil) between the layers. When the dish is filled place extra prepared cabbage leaves over the top to prevent scorching. Cover and place in 325 degree oven for 1 1/2 to 2 hrs or until both the cabbage and filling are tender. For a nice variation you could also use grape or beet leaves.

Fillings:

2 cups rice

2 cups water

2 tsp. salt

1 medium onion (chopped)

4 tbsp olive oil

Pepper

Wash rice well. Add water and stir in salt. Bring to boil and cook for one minute. Stir and cover. Turn down heat and simmer until rice starts to get tender. Take off of heat and let stand covered until the rest of the water is absorbed. The rice at this stage will only be partly cooked. Saute chopped onion in olive oil and add to the rice. Season to taste. Cool and roll into cabbage.

Beets with Mushrooms

3 cups chopped beets	1 clove garlic
1 medium onion, chopped finely	salt and pepper to taste
3-4 tbsps. oil	1/2 tsp.lemon juice
1 cup mushrooms (fresh or canned)

Chop the raw beets finely and then boil in a bit of water until tender yet firm. Add lemon juice to beets. Simmer for 5 minutes. Rinse mushrooms in hot water. Drain. Saute onion in oil, then add mushrooms and crushed garlic and simmer for a half hour. Combine with beets and simmer a further 15 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste and serve hot.

Borshch

1 cup fresh or dried mushrooms	3 cups shredded cabbage
1 large onion - chopped	1/2 cup tomato juice
3 tbsp. vegetable oil	3 peppercorns
2 cups beets, sliced into strips	2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup diced carrots	lemon juice (to taste:tart, not sour)
1 potato, diced	salt and pepper
1/2 tsp. dill (fresh or frozen)	8-9 cups water
1 tsp. parsley (fresh)

Saute onion in oil until transparent. Add mushrooms- saute slightly and set aside. Cover beets, carrots, potato, parsley/dill with water and cook until barely tender. Add cabbage and cook until slightly tender. Add onions, mushrooms, tomato juice and salt and pepper to taste. Add lemon juice with caution since you want the borshch tart, not sour. Bring to boil and serve.