Marat's Kitchen

Skillet Pasta with Sausages

2009-01-26T22:13:00.001-08:00

Ingredients
1 can diced tomatoes............$0.60
3 bratwurst sausages...........$2.50
1 package fettuccine pasta...$1.20

Other ingredients: 3-4 cloves garlic, a dash of basil, a sprinkling of olive oil, a pinch of salt, about a 1 Tbs. Basil Pesto, grated cheddar cheese.

Of note:
Pasta, in its various forms, has been delighting the a-hungered for up to 4000 years old (that reference is to Chinese millet noodles, but still). There are over 350 shapes of pasta, but the basic ingredients of all of the traditional Italian varieties are the same: durum wheat flour and water.

Baked Creamed Spinach

2009-01-24T13:27:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

1 lb of fresh spinach.
1 cup of milk.
1/2 cup of cheddar cheese, ( or any cheese) grated.
2 tablespoons of butter.
2 tablespoons of flour.
1 teaspoon of salt.

Preparation Instructions:

Place fresh spinach in a suitably-sized pot with water still on the leaves. Cook till wilted. Allow to cool, then squeeze out the excess water. In a saucepan, melt the butter; then add the flour.
Add the milk, salt, cheese, and gently cook whisking for 3-4 minutes.
Combine the sauce with the spinach in a baking dish, sprinkle some more cheese.
Bake at 375°F for 25-30 minutes.
Note:Spinach is known as a rich source of iron and calcium.Spinach is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin A, manganese, folate, magnesium, iron, vitamin C, vitamin B2, calcium, potassium, and vitamin B6. It is a very good source of dietary fiber, copper, protein, phosphorus, zinc and vitamin E. In addition, it is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, niacin and selenium

Винигрет ( Vinaigrette Salad Russian Style)

2009-01-22T13:36:00.001-08:00

Ingredients: 2-small beets, 1-small onion, 2-potatoes, 1-can of sweet peas, 2-carrots, 2-3-pickles, salt, salad vinegar, olive oil, 3 cups of Квашенная капуста/home-made sauerkraut (look for recipe on previous post).
Total Expenses..........less than $4.00
Note: This salad is completely vegetarian. It consist of beet which is good sources of folic acid,vitamin C, magnesium,potassium and dietary fiber. Many people are averse to beet having only experienced crinkle-cut slices steeped in overpowering vinegar or canned vegetable. This is a shame because fresh beet has much to commend it in terms of flavor (sweet, slightly earthy), texture (smooth and velvety) and color (dark red/)

Квашенная Капуста

2009-01-20T15:29:00.001-08:00

Квашенная Капуста, or home-made sauerkraut, is a completely vegetarian dish consisting mostly of cabbage, which is an excellent source of Vitamin C. It also contains significant amounts of glutamine, an amino acid, which has anti-inflammatory properties. In the next post I will show you how to make an amazing Russian-style vinaigrette using this sauerkraut.

Ingredients
1 cabbage............$1.80
3-4 carrots..........$o.50
1Tbs salt
5Tbs sugar
Water
Total...................$2.30

Голубцы ( Golubzi)

2009-01-19T20:30:00.000-08:00

INGREDIENTS

1 head cabbage..................$1.20
1 lb Ground Beef...............$2.69
1 onion..............................$0.25
1 can crushed tomatoes....$0.55
fresh cilantro....................$0.40
1 1/2 cups rice...................$0.50

Total.................................$5.59

Other ingredients: salt, black pepper, sour cream

Servings: feeds five hungry Russians

Of note:
This recipe is gluten free.
Cut the sour cream, and it is also dairy free.

Eggplant & Sausage Part 2

2009-01-19T10:42:00.000-08:00

Eggplant and Sausage

1 Eggplant...................................$1.50
1 can crushed tomatoes..............$0.55
3 or 4 cloves of garlic..................$0.12
Couple bunches fresh cilantro...$0.30
2 bratwurst sausages..................$1.80

6 potatoes...................................$0.70

Total..........................................$4.97

Other ingredients: olive oil, butter, black pepper, salt, soy sauce
(these are basic kitchen staples and used in small amounts in this recipe)

Servings: about three (of generous size)

Of special note:

This recipe is GLUTEN FREE
If you leave out the butter when baking the potatoes, it is DAIRY FREE
If you leave out the sausage (easily done; you may want to add more spices to replace its role in spicing up the dish) this recipe is VEGETARIAN

Eggplant & Sausage Part 1

2009-01-19T10:40:00.000-08:00

Simple, Fast, Delicious

2009-01-17T19:20:00.000-08:00

This is not a picture of our kitchen. Should we build our own house, however, we might come up with something similar, because it fits so well with the unique cooking style that is Marat's: natural,international , basic, and fresh. And cute (well that's mostly the cook).

This is how it works at our house: I mention the fact that I might, in fact, die of starvation (not that I ever by any means exaggerate) and Marat heads for the kitchen, where from our (continuously empty, when I look in them) cupboards and fridge he pulls forth basic, no-grocery-list needed ingredients from which to concoct something that is generally delicious, and quite often alarmingly nutritious. The final result is always ready in less than an hour--usually closer to 10-20 minutes--and makes up a meal that is unique (but still comforting) and immensely satisfying. I mean, this stuff was good enough to woo me into marriage. Who doesn't wanna know how he does it?

so This is how this blog will work: I'll write, and he'll cook. On camera. (The cooking, not the writing). You'll tell him how his recipes worked for you, or suggest things you'd like to see him cook--(if it's something Russian, you're in luck, 'cause that's where he's from)--and your feedback will inform the next cooking video. And if you want a written recipe, you can ask, but I'll warn you right now that you'll never see him using a measuring cup (at least not properly). Sound good?

The title of this post paraphrases Marat's cooking goals: simple, fast, and delicious. He'll take his natural talent, complete lack of professional culinary training (yikes!), and perhaps a bit of Russian vocabulary (to make it interesting) and give it all to you. Enjoy!