The most interesting experiences often arise from serendipity. I recently shared a kitchen and an evening of Ukrainian cooking with 31-year-old Evgeniy (Zhenia) Klopotenko, winner of the 2015 Ukraine’s Masterchef contest, a graduate of Paris’s Le Cordon Bleu culinary school, a Ukrainian TV personality and producer of jams and marmalades.
Young Zhenia is a trained chef with a mission: he is pioneering a campaign to resurrect Ukraine’s rich culinary traditions by teaching Ukrainians to be better, more innovative cooks. He is concerned that Ukrainian home and professional cooks have lost Ukraine’s classic recipes and that food cooked in homes and restaurants has been reduced to a handful of boring recipes. He wants to re-popularize and renew the national taste for pre-1917 Ukrainian recipes which vanished during 70 years of Soviet rule when more pedestrian fare and uniformity was promoted by the government and food shortages made cooking a challenge.
Zhenia is correct in observing that much of Ukrainian contemporary food is unhealthy, too greasy, under-spiced and overcooked and strayed from traditional and creative cooking. Ukrainian cooks are generally resistant to innovations, using the same limited ingredients and recipes that their mothers and grandmothers used during Soviet times. They are reluctant to cook with recently (post-Soviet) introduced vegetables, fruits and other ingredients (broccoli, celery, sweet corn, sweet potato, zucchini, limes, chilis, avocado, various lettuces, parmesan, yellow hard cheeses, brown sugar, molasses, oregano and a host of other unfamiliar herbs and spices).
Zhenia’s mission is to reintroduce cooks to the forgotten Ukrainian recipes while broadening their taste for and showing them how to incorporate new ingredients and new preparation techniques. Zhenia also is working to modernize and improve public school nutrition, and he recently spoke at a training event for Ukrainian teachers. Exhuberant and talkative, Zhenia puts on quite a show; the teachers love him.
To advance his mission to revitalize Ukrainian cuisine, Zhenia also is writing a cookbook, setting the stage for my meeting him. After my colleague Irina Ozymok learned more about Zhenia’s mission and forthcoming cookbook, she arranged for us to meet. While talking with Zhenia about his new cookbook, Ira mentioned that I also wrote a book on Ukrainian home cooking and suggested that Zhenia and I meet a few weeks later.
I, too, was smitten by Zhenia’s ebullient manner. He is a charmer who loves experimenting with new tastes, preparing, eating and talking about food just like I do. As we chatted, we recognized many common interests, especially concerning the woeful state of Ukrainian cooking.
Our Joint Cook-off Begins
Recognizing that Zhenia and I were kindred spirits, Ira suggested we cook together at a company team-building evening with my office staff and Zhenia enthusiastically accepted her proposal. To organize this cooking event, it was agreed that both Zhenia and I would select recipes independently and then cook them together.
Tapping his repertoire of traditional Ukrainian recipes, Zhenia began by preparing a starter of chilled creamy beet soup with quick pickles, white cheese and microgreens garnish. This dish is Zhenia’s riff on a Ukrainian summer classic and combines the natural sweetness of beets with the tartness of quick pickles and the saltiness of the brynzya (a sheep milk cheese similar to feta). Most Ukrainian chilled soups are based on buttermilk, kefir, yogurt, sour cream or milk. Zhenia’s version uses heavy cream.
Zhenia’s main course: hand-rolled millet with pork tenderloin paid homage to Ukraine’s culinary past. Historical records show this recipe for hand-rolled millet is at least 300 years old and comes from villages of Poltavska Oblast in eastern Ukraine. There are few cooks in Ukraine who currently know how to prepare this dish and it is usually relegated to ethnic cookery demonstrations and special occasions such as weddings, christenings, anniversaries or settling into a new house.
Preparation of hand-rolling millet fell out of favor with cooks because it requires ingredients deemed expensive by rural women: eggs, meat, butter or oil and wheat flour and it is labor intensive. The preparation involves coating tiny yellow grains of millet in a pasta-like mixture of flour and eggs until the separate grains attain a much larger spherical shape about the size of Israeli pearl couscous. While preparing hand-rolled millet alone may take up to 3 hours, a luxury that farm women rarely have, with numerous pairs of hands to help Zhenia and a few innovative shortcuts, the process was significantly shortened. Once baked and cooked in a flavorsome wine and cream sauce, the grains soften into delicious little nuggets with an al dente risotto-like texture, a wonderful companion to roasted pork tenderloin.
Zhenia’s final treat was mustard ice milk* with tomato jam, a surprisingly refreshing palate cleanser that did not taste anything like its component parts. The whole grain sweet mustard added a subtle note of spiciness to the vanilla ice milk, while the luscious berry-tasting tomato jam added a hint of tartness and beautiful color with the intriguing heat of chili.
My Turn in Our Cook-off
My contribution to this special event followed the overall theme of Ukrainian cooking. I adapted two of my family’s recipes: chicken baked with seasonal vegetables and meringue-topped apple-rhubarb pie.
The chicken baked with spring vegetables derives from what my grandmother, Babunia, prepared for her seven-person household at the Luboml, Ukraine homestead almost hundred years ago. Babunia told me when her children were little, her early morning routine before she milked the cows and tended the garden, was to assemble a one-pot dish for the mid-day meal. She combined whatever meat was available (and meat wasn’t available every day!) or grains with seasonal vegetables into a large pot that slowly cooked on the wood-fired stove until lunch, usually four to five hours later. By mid-day, a hot meal was ready and satisfied the hungry crowd with plenty of home-baked rye bread.
Although I never tasted Babunia’s wood-fire cooked meal, I always imagined that after working hard outside, it was delicious and nourishing but probably overcooked for current tastes. Thus, I adapted and simplified the idea of her one-pot, long-cooked meal, instead roasting the chicken and spring vegetables on a sheet pan, not for hours, but just until tender for a fresher taste.
My apple-rhubarb pie honors my aunt, Titka Hanna, who was our family’s fruit tart and pie baker. Titka Hanna baked large rectangular apple, berry or plum slab pies for countless family meals. I especially remember her meringue-topped pies and coated this pie in thick, fluffy meringue. A few stalks of rhubarb add a delightful citrusy, floral note to the apple filling.
Although Zhenia and I did not coordinate our preparations, serendipity again intervened: Our individual recipes combined to produce an innovative menu of traditional Ukrainian recipes adapted to modern tastes.
It was fun cooking with Zhenia. I was initially worried that the evening would merely be an exhibition but was pleased that it turned out to be participatory. My office colleagues did not shy away from hands on involvement in the cooking. Zhenia’s infectious enthusiasm, humor and creativity encouraged everyone to lend a hand, enjoying later the fruits of our collective efforts.
Chilled Creamy Beet Soup with Fresh Pickles
For soup:
10½ ounces (300g) cooked or roasted beets
3½ ounces (100ml) heavy cream, at least 33% fat
5 ounces (150ml) vegetable stock
Salt to taste
For quick pickles:
14 ounces (400g) Kirby cucumbers
3½ ounces (100g) honey
2 ounces (50ml) white wine vinegar
Salt to taste
For garnish:
4 ounces (113g) brynzya (or feta)
Assorted microgreens
Place all soup ingredients in a bowl of a blender or food processor and process until desired smoothness is reached. (Thickness and consistency of the soup can be regulated by adding additional stock or cream.) Chill for an hour.
Cut cucumbers lengthwise, scoop out seeds and slice into half-moons ¼ inch (0.6 cm) thick and place in a non-reactive bowl. Mix in honey, vinegar and salt and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
When ready to serve, divide soup into 8 wine glasses. Top with pickles and a few tablespoons of pickling juice. Garnish with brynzya (or feta) and microgreens.
Serves 6-8
Hand-rolled millet with pork tenderloin
For rolled millet:
7 ounces (200g) millet
2½ ounces (75g) all-purpose flour
2 eggs
Salt and pepper to taste
For the pork:
1½ pounds (680g) pork tenderloin
½ tablespoon cinnamon, ground
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion
½ teaspoon red chili, chopped fine
1 garlic clove
3½ ounces (100g) white wine
1 tablespoon honey
2¾ ounces (75g) heavy cream, at least 33% fat
For garnish:
4 tablespoons parmegiano, grated
Herbs or other greens
Place millet into a large, flat-bottomed bowl. Measure flour into a small bowl. Crack eggs into another small bowl and beat with a whisk until well combined.
Add a few tablespoons each of flour and eggs into the bowl with millet and start rubbing the mixture with a hand in a circular motion along the bottom and sides of the bowl until flour and eggs have adhered to individual grains of millet. Continue adding flour and eggs and rubbing until all ingredients are combined and the millet grains are completely coated and doubled in size.
Then dry fry the coated grains for 30 minutes in an ungreased skillet or bake on a sheet pan in a 350°F(180°C) oven until golden. Save skillet for later use.
Prepare the pork tenderloin while the millet grains are drying: Cut the tenderloin in half lengthwise and pound lightly with a mallet to achieve an even thickness.
Combine and evenly distribute cinnamon, salt and pepper on all sides of the pork. Pour a few tablespoons vegetable oil in a skillet and brown pork on all sides.
Then place the pork on a sheet pan and roast in a 350°F(180°C) oven for 15 minutes. After roasting, let pork rest for another 15 minutes.
Fry onions, chili and garlic in the skillet used to brown the meat. Add the millet grains, wine and cream. Cut pork into 1-inch chunks and heat through in the sauce. Ladle in bowls and top with a few chunks of pork. Garnish with parmegiano and greens.
Serves 8
Mustard ice milk with tomato jam
For mustard ice milk:
17½ ounces (500g) vanilla ice milk or gelato, purchased
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard (sweet variety)
For the tomato jam:
1¼ pounds ounces (500g) plum tomatoes
8 ounces + 1 tablespoon (250g) granulated sugar
Red chili, a few slices, finely chopped (optional)
1 tablespoon (15g) fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
Soften purchased ice milk until malleable. Stir in mustard until well incorporated.
Place mixture into a lidded container in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up or until ready to use.
Quarter tomatoes. Place in medium saucepan. Add sugar and cook on medium heat for 15 minutes. Add basil when tomato mixture has thickened and remove from heat. Cool to room temperature. Then store in a lidded jar and chill until ready to use.
To serve: Scoop ice milk into dessert glasses. Add a tablespoon of tomato jam on the side.
Serves 6-8
Baked chicken with Seasonal Vegetables, Lemon, Garlic and Rosemary
4½ pounds (2k) chicken pieces – drumsticks, thighs, wings and 2 breasts, each cut into 2 pieces, or all one kind
4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 head garlic
1 pound (454g) small onions, white or red
1 pound (454g) new potatoes, if possible, otherwise small red potatoes
4 carrots
1 large red pepper
1 large yellow pepper
2 zucchini or other squash
1 pound (454g) mushrooms
1 lemon, large, sliced thinly and deseeded
6 branches fresh rosemary or more to taste (Italian parsley can substitute)
½ cup (118ml) extra virgin olive oil
Garnish: 1 lemon, thinly sliced, optional
Heat oven to 400°F (200°C).
Wash and dry chicken pieces. Remove excess skin and all visible fat from chicken pieces. Cut breasts in half and remove tips of wings. Place chicken pieces in large bowl. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons salt and pepper. Stir with a spatula to distribute salt and pepper. Set aside.
Wash and dry potatoes. Do not peel if new potatoes. Remove eyes and blemishes with the tip of a knife. Leave whole if small or cut in half or quarters, if large. Place in a saucepan, cover with boiling water and parboil for 8 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and place in cold water for 2 minutes, then dry with paper towels and add to chicken.
Separate and peel garlic cloves. Leave whole. Add to chicken.
Peel onions, if small add whole to chicken. If large cut into quarters attached at root end and add to chicken.
Cut carrots into ¾ inch (2 cm) thick rounds. Cut red and yellow peppers in half and clean out seeds and membrane. Cut each half into quarters and then in approximately 2 inch (5 cm) pieces. Cut zucchini or squash in quarters lengthwise. Remove seeds and cut quarters into 2 inch (5 cm) pieces. Wash and trim ends of mushroom stems. Leave whole or cut in half if large. Slice lemon into thin slices. Add cut vegetables and lemon to chicken.
Strip leaves from rosemary branches. Discard branches. Mince rosemary leaves and add to chicken, along with remaining 2 teaspoons salt. Stir to combine.
Pour oil over chicken. Toss to evenly coat all ingredients.
Transfer chicken mixture into one or several large rimmed sheet pans so that ingredients are in one layer with space between pieces. Roast for 60 minutes, checking periodically for browning. A half point in baking, turn over chicken so pieces brown more evenly and continue cooking until potatoes and carrots can be pierced with a fork and chicken pieces are browned.
Serve a piece of chicken with a spoonful of vegetables and plenty of sauce.
Lemon slices, if too burned, should be discarded and may be replaced with fresh slices.
Serves 8
Meringue-topped Apple Rhubarb Pie
For the dough:
3 egg yolks, reserving egg whites for meringue topping
4¼ ounces (150g) granulated sugar
4 ounces (113g) room temperature butter
2⅛ ounces (58g) sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
scant 2 teaspoons (9.2 g) baking powder
Pinch (3g) baking soda
¼ ounce (7g) vinegar
14 ounces (440g flour) (separated into 2 portions – 11 ounces (312g) and 4½ ounces (128g) flour
For the filling:
5-6 medium-sized Golden Delicious apples** (about 4½ cups)
1 lemon, zest and juice
2 rhubarb stalks about 16 inches long (about 1½ cups) (if unavailable, replace with two more apples)
7 ounces (200g) granulated sugar
8 teaspoons ounce (20g) potato or cornstarch
For the meringue:
6 egg whites
7 ounces (200g) granulated sugar, finely ground
Pinch of salt
Preparing dough: Using a mixer or by hand, in a large bowl whisk together egg yolks, sugar and butter until smooth, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Blend in sour cream and vanilla.
Then in a small bowl combine baking soda and vinegar, mixing well and add to the egg mixture. Finally, add baking powder and whisk until smooth again.
Add in 11 ounces (312g) flour and mix (with spoon or mixer) until just incorporated. Empty dough on well-floured work surface. Gently knead the dough to bring it together, adding remaining 4½ ounces (128g) flour to make a soft dough that does not stick to hands.
Pack dough into a plastic bag and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes up to overnight.
Preparing filling: While dough rests in the refrigerator, zest lemon into a large bowl. Squeeze juice of the zested lemon and add to the zest.
Peel, quarter and core apples and slice into ¼ inch (½ cm) pieces and place into the bowl with zest. You should have about 4½ cups of sliced apples.
Cut rhubarb stalk into 1 inch (2.5cm) slices. You need about 1½ cup of rhubarb slices. Add rhubarb to the sliced apples, sugar (amount of sugar depends on the sweetness of apples and tartness of rhubarb, adding more if necessary), potato starch and give a quick stir.
Preheat your oven to 350°F(180˚C) with the baking rack in the middle.
Assembling tart: Butter 12-inch x 16-inch (30cm x 40cm) baking pan.
On a well-floured surface, roll dough to the size that fits the pan with 1¾ inch (10cm) overhang on all sides. (I roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap to prevent sticking to surface and for easier moving of dough to pan.)
Transfer dough to pan. Tuck overhanging edges under dough around the circumference of the pan and press dough into pan corners with your fingers. The edges of dough should come up about 2 inches (5cm) along the walls of the pan. With your fingers press against the top of the edges to make them even.
Arrange apple-rhubarb mixture including accumulated juices neatly on the dough, then shake it to allow the mixture to spread and settle evenly.
Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, cover with foil if edges are browning too fast. Test apples for softness and remove pie, if soft.
Pie is ready when the pastry is golden and apples are soft. Topping pie with meringue is optional
Preparing meringue: While pie is baking, place 3 reserved egg whites plus 3 additional egg whites into a thoroughly cleaned, grease-free bowl of a mixer. Make sure that the beaters are also grease-free.
Add a pinch of salt to egg whites and whip on high speed for about 15 minutes. Then add sugar a tablespoon at a time and continue whipping until the egg whites gain volume and look lustrous and pearly. (Meringue is ready when it holds its shape in stiff peaks and sugar granules can no longer be felt.)
Once the pie is golden in color, remove from oven and quickly spread or pipe the meringue mixture all over the top, working fast so the pie does not cool down much. Put pie back into the oven and bake for another 10 minutes, or until the meringue is just starting to become golden and is slightly crispy on the outside to the touch. If the meringue browns too fast, tent a piece of foil over the top.
Remove pie from oven and allow to cool before cutting and serving.
Serves 16
Zhenia’s recipes can be found on his webpage at https://klopotenko.com and on Facebook under “Klopotenko Evgeniy” Videos of Zhenia’s TV shows and cooking demonstrations are available on YouTube by searching for his name. The webpage, Facebook site and YouTube videos are in Ukrainian and Russian.
*Zhenia used purchased plombir, a light eggless ice cream popular in Ukraine, as a base for this dish. Ice milk is the closest substance with a similar taste and texture, not overly rich, I could find in America.
**I recommend using Golden Delicious apples which keep their shape when baked.
One year ago:http://www.kitchenepiphanies.com/aquachile-verde-shrimp-scallop/
Two years ago:http://www.kitchenepiphanies.com/mile-high-strawberry-pie/
Three years ago:http://www.kitchenepiphanies.com/a-tomato-lovers-panzanella/