mushrooms – A Year Cooking the World

I read an article about Lithuania a few years ago, about a small town on the coast called Palanga, which has an 18km long sandy beach. According to legend there is a pagan shrine in Palanga where a beautiful priestess named Birute used to tend. Hearing of her beauty, Kestutis, the Grand Duke of Lithuania wanted her to become his wife but she did not consent as she had promised the gods to remain a virgin. He forced her to marry him in a lavish wedding in his home town of Trakai. Kestutis was later murdered and Birute returned to Palanga serving the shrine until she died. Legend claims that she was buried in the hill which is now named after her. I’ve not managed to visit Palanga as yet but it’s still on my bucket list.

Lithuania or Lietuva to the locals is one of the three Baltic states. In the 14th century the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was the largest state in Europe, including most of present day Belarus and Ukraine along with parts of Poland and Russia. On 1 January 2015, Lithuania adopted the euro as the official currency and became the 19th member of the Eurozone.

Vilnius is the capital with a population of 543,000 is well known for it’s Unesco inscribed medieval old town, the largest in Eastern Europe. Other highlights include Vilnius Cathedral, Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania and the Museum of Genocide victims (dedicated to thousands of Lithuanians who were murdered, imprisoned or deported by the Soviet Union from WWII until the 1960s). Another highlight is The Curonian spit, a 98km curved sand dune spit separating the Curonian Lagoon from the Baltic Sea which was formed about 3rd millennium BC.

Lithuanian dishes feature pork, potato, berries, mushrooms and dairy products among other ingredients. The cuisine takes influence from its Baltic neighbours as well as Polish and Ukrainian food. I came across recipes for Kugelis (potato pudding), Cepelinai (potato-based dumplings), Blynai (crepes), Pyragas (Lithuanian style cakes) and Šaltibarščiai (cold borscht soup). I decided to make Suktiniai or Zrazai (stuffed beef rolls) which we had with mash potato. It took a little bit of effort bashing out and rolling up the beef, but the result was really tasty, especially the sauce that accompanies it.

Rating: 9/10

Serves: 2
Prep time: 40 mins
Cook time: 50 mins

1⁄2 cup dried mushroom, porcini preferred
1 tbsp butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
4 oz button mushrooms, chopped
1⁄4 cup fresh rye breadcrumbs
1⁄4 tsp salt
1⁄4 tsp freshly ground pepper
350 – 400g steak (I used 2 bavette steaks)
freshly ground pepper
salt
4 tbsp flour
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp sour cream

Rinse the dry mushrooms and place in a small bowl. Cover with boiling water and let stand for a few hours
Preheat oven to 175 c
Remove the dried mushrooms with a slotted spoon. Chop the mushrooms. Strain and reserve the soaking liquid
Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the onions and both types of mushrooms and fry over medium high heat, until the liquid released by the mushrooms start to evaporate, about 10 minutes.
Remove to a bowl, add the breadcrumbs, salt and pepper, and mix well. Set aside. (You can prepare to this point, and refrigerate until you are ready to complete the dish).
Cut the steaks into 6 pieces and place them individually in between clingfilm and bash to 1cm thick. Salt and pepper both sides.
Place a spoonful of the filling at one end, and roll it up, tucking in the sides. Use toothpicks to secure the rolls
Heat the remaining butter and oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Dredge the rolls in flour, tapping off the excess, and brown on all sides in the skillet for 5 mins
As the rolls finish browning, remove them to a Dutch oven or similar covered casserole dish, keeping them in a single layer.
Reduce the heat to medium, add 1/2 cup chicken stock to the skillet and heat, scraping and mixing in with the pan juices. Add the mushroom soaking liquid and cook for 5 mins
Pour the juices over the rolls, add the bay leaf, cover tightly and place in oven, for about 45 minutes. Test with a knife – the roll should pierce with no resistance.
Remove the rolls to a serving dish, removing the toothpicks and place in the oven to keep warm
Put the juices into a saucepan and heat for a few mins, then take off the heat and add the sour cream, mixing well
Serve with mash

Making the filling for Zrazai (Beef rolls)

Nidos_kopos_2008 — Curonian Spit Lithuania

Baltic Sea Lithuania — Baltic Sea, Lithuania

Andorra is probably best known for its ski resorts. Grandvalira is the largest ski area in the Pyrenees, with 210 km of ski slopes. It was founded in 2003 when two of the oldest ski resorts Pas de la Casa-Grau Roig and Soldeu-El Tarter joined together. This year it is hosting the Freeride Junior World Championship, the Speed Skiing World Cup trials and the seventh annual Skiers Cup.

Andorra is the only co principality in the world. A principality is a place ruled by a prince, such as Monaco. Andorra, however, is a co-principality, having two princes who jointly share the position, neither of whom are actually from Andorra!

Its population is about 84,000 and boasts the third highest life expectancy in the world.

Tourism is its biggest industry, with 10.2m visitors every year, which is no doubt encouraged by its tax haven status and duty-free shopping.

Andorra la Vella is the highest capital in Europe at 1023 meters above sea level.

Apparently, by law the male head of each family in Andorra is required to own a gun in case of attack or emergency.

Its cuisine includes Escudella, which means ‘bowl’ (a stew containing more cholesterol than most people consume in a year!), Trinxat (cabbage & bacon potato cake), Brac de Gitano (cream roll) and Cunillo (rabbit & tomato stew). I decided to cook the simple but tasty Truites de Carreroles (mushroom omelette).

Rating: 7/10

Enough for a healthy breakfast for 2:

1 large shallot, thinly sliced

3 tbsps unsalted butter

1⁄2 tsp salt

1⁄4 tsp black pepper

1 1⁄2 cups portabella mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon (or 1 tsp. dried)

5 large eggs

1⁄2 cup coarsely grated gruyere cheese

Cook shallot in 2 tbsp butter with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes.

Stir in mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in tarragon and transfer to a bowl.

Beat eggs with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper until well combined.

Heat remaining butter in same skillet over medium-high heat until foam subsides, then add eggs and cook until underside is set, about 1 minute.

With a fork, pull set eggs to center, letting uncooked eggs run underneath.

Before eggs are completely set, add mushroom mixture and cheese to one half, on the side away from handle.

Fold other half of eggs over filling with a heatproof rubber spatula.

Tilt the pan as you roll the omelette onto a plate.