w. Estonian Pork chops, Pig's Feet, Pork Roast, Tallinn Steak Schnitzel and the Old Toomas Cocktail.
From the November, 1970 issue of Soviet Life Magazine a look at Estonian cuisine. Pork feet, chops and roasts, a beef schnitzel and a cocktail!
ESTONIAN PORK CHOPS
1 3/4 pounds rib of pork
3 ounces lard
8 tablespoons sour cream
4 large onions
Salt and pepper to taste
Divide pork into 4 equal portions, leaving the bone in. Pound the chops, season with salt and pepper and fry rapidly in lard on both sides until well browned.
Chop onions and fry until golden brown.
Add sour cream to the pork chops and heat slowly for 5 minutes.
Before serving, arrange chops on plates, pour the sour cream sauce from the frying pan over them and top with fried onions.
Serve with marinated fruit. fried potatoes, green peas or any other vegetable. Serves 4.
PIG'S FEET
4 pig's feet
2 bay leaves
10-12 peppercorns
1 onion
1 cup dried peas or beans
Salt to taste
Cut each pig's foot in half lengthwise, wash well. Cover with cold water and bring rapidly to a boil. Pour off boiling water, wash feet again. cover with more cold water and bring rapidly to a boil. When the water is boiling turn down the flame, add bay leaves, pepper, salt and onion (previously cut in half and fried on all sides).
Simmer for 4-5 hours.
This is one of Estonia's most popular dishes and is served hot or cold. If served hot, it is garnished with boiled beans or peas. (These should be washed. covered with boiling salt water and boiled for three hours). Beer is the drink that is served with it.
Served cold, the pig's feet may be eaten as an appetizer before a meal—also with beer. Before serving cold, remove the feet from the stock and place them in a dish. Pour the strained stock over them and refrigerate until set. Serve with green peas. Serves 4.
OLD TOOMAS COCKTAIL
2/3 tumbler brandy
1/2 tumbler Old Tallinn liqueur. This is exported to many countries but if not available, use a Cointreau-type liqueur.
1/3 tumbler cherry liqueur
20 glace cherries
Mix brandy and liqueur in a cocktail shaker and cool. Moisten rims of glasses with lemon juice. then sugar them (turn the glasses upside down and dip lightly in the juice. then in powdered sugar). Put a few cherries in each glass and pour.
Serves 5.
ROAST PORK, ESTONIAN STYLE
2 1/4 pounds loin or rib of pork
3 to 4 ounces lard
2 carrots
2 onions
Salt and pepper to taste
Season the pork with salt and pepper and fry rapidly until nicely browned all over (the fat should be heated before frying).
Then add chopped carrots and onions and fry over a low flame for 15 minutes.
Transfer the pan to the oven, adding a little meat stock or water and roast 40 minutes per pound at 325°F.
Serve hot with fried potatoes.
If you like caraway seed, add one tablespoon before putting the pork in the oven. Serves 4-5.
TALLINN SCHNITZEL
1 1/4 - 1 1/2 pounds fillet steak
4 eggs
4 anchovies or spiced sprats
Salt and pepper to taste
Divide steak into four equal portions, beat, season with salt and pepper and fry on both sides in previously heated fat until the steaks are done.
Fry eggs.
Before serving steaks place a fried egg on each, topped with an anchovy or sprat, and top with meat gravy from frying pan. Fried potatoes and other vegetables are usually served with Tallinn Schnitzel.
Serves 4.