Moscow Borshch and Kiev Cutlet: 2 Soviet recipes 1963

A Soviet cafeteria in 1970

From a Soviet magazine in 1963, two Soviet recipes from when Moscow and Kiev were united in the comradeship of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

MOSCOW BORSHCH

For four helpings: 220 gr. beef, 120 gr. ham. 100 gr. sausages, 120 gr. ham bones, 500 gr. beet root, 330 gr. fresh cabbage, 100 gr. carrot, 30 qr. parsley. 100 gr. onion, 60 gr. tomato paste, 20 gr. wheat flour, 120 gr. butter or fat, 120 gr. sour cream, 30 gr. 3 per cent vinegar, salt, sugar, celery, pepper, fennel and bay leaf to taste.

Put chopped ham bones into a saucepan of cold water together with beef and lightly browned root vegetables (done in pan without fat) -- carrot, celery and onion (whole), with salt. Cover and simmer on a moderate flame for four hours, skimming at intervals.

After putting the broth on, prepare vegetables -- wash, peel and cut into slivers beetroot, carrot, root of parsley or celery, put Into a saucepan. Add a little butter, tomato paste and granulated sugar, fat from broth. peppercorns, bay leaf and salt, cover and stew until half done, stirring from time to time. Cut up onion and fry slightly in butter.

Strain broth and again put on to cook.

Shred cabbage, put Into boiling broth and simmer until half done.

About 10-15 minutes before it is done put stewed vegetables and fried onion into broth and add sauce made as follows: fry flour in butter, dilute with some of the broth, add salt, granulated sugar and a little vinegar.

When serving borshch put into each plate a piece of ham and a piece of the meat cooked In the broth (you may also warm up the sausage in the broth and put this in the plates, first slicing It). Add sour cream, chopped parsley and dill.

KIEV CUTLET

For four helpings: 600 gr. chicken fillet, 100 gr. butter, 60 gr. fat for frying, 2 eggs, 100 gr. wheat bread, salt to taste.

Remove tendons and skin from fillet, slice in from the side and open out flat. Beat lightly, lay a piece of butter on the centre of each piece, first creaming the butter with egg yolk. Fold up the fillet so that the butter is completely enclosed, smear with egg and salt. Dip twice in white bread crumbs.

Fry in deep fat at a temperature of 180C and serve immediately.

Serve with French fried potatoes and green peas dabbed with butter.

YURI BOLSHAKOV Chef of the "Russian Cuisine" Restaurant. Moscow