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LIGHT & LOCAL |
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I used to send postcards to all my friends whenever I visited another country, but I usually get home before the cards do.
So after returning from St. Petersburg, Russia, I'm choosing, in lieu of postcards, to share my impressions accompanied by a recipe.
Remember the 1963 movie "From Russia With Love," starring Sean Connery? Up until that time, the only impressions I had of Russia were Sputnik and the military might of the Soviet Union.
I also had images of great buildings with minarets and Russian soldiers wearing black fur caps to protect them from the cold.
When I visited, it was cold, all right, averaging 50 degrees in the daytime.
Despite the weather, St. Petersburg is a beautiful city lined with wide streets, beautiful rivers and canals.
Since I minored in art, I was absolutely blown away by the Hermitage, which contains more than 3 million works of art. I saw original pieces by Monet, Renoir, Gauguin and Da Vinci, and Greek statues.
Everywhere were kiosks selling souvenirs: Matreoshkas (nesting dolls), hand-painted lacquerware, amber and vodka.
And everyone sells Stolichnaya vodka — "Stoli," to the locals. I was surprised that people can drink in public places, such as buses, trains and trams.
The only time I had a chance to really taste Russian food was on tour. We ate at a restaurant where vegetable soup, chicken with a white sauce, potatoes, steamed veggies and some type of apple dessert were served.
Because I was disappointed they didn't serve beet borscht, I decided to make it upon my return. I served it with crusty bread and a salad.
My boyfriend added to the festivities by wearing his ushanka (black fur Russian hat) — and it wasn't even chilly. It didn't matter, because the soup was hot and delicious!
FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE BEET BORSCHT
Topping:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a shallow baking pan, place the potatoes and beets face down on the pan, spray with olive oil spray. Add garlic powder, salt (1 teaspoon) and pepper. Cover the beets with foil and bake for 1 hour or until tender. Cool.
Peel skins from potatoes and beets and slice into 1/2-inch pieces and set aside.
Meanwhile in a Dutch oven, put olive oil, onion, garlic, caraway seeds and the rest of the salt. Stirring occasionally over medium heat, saute until onions are translucent, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add celery, carrots, cabbage and 2 cups of chicken broth.
Cover and cook over medium heat until the vegetables are tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add ground pepper, dill, balsamic vinegar, honey and tomato puree, roasted potatoes and beets, the rest of the broth and cover. Simmer for at least 15 minutes. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve hot, topped with light sour cream or yogurt and finely chopped fresh dill.
Makes 6 servings.
Want a local recipe lightened up? Write Light & Local, Taste Section, The Advertiser, P.O. Box 3110, Honolulu, HI 96802; or taste@honoluluadvertiser.com. Carol Devenot is a Kaimuki-raised kama'aina, teacher and recipe consultant, and author of "Island Light Cuisine" (Blue Sea Publishing, paper, 2003). Learn more at www.islandlightcuisine.com.
