Author: Nadia
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Classic Russian Cotletas (Cotelettes)
Russian cotleta is not to be confused with American cutlet. Cotleta (french cotelette) is one of Russian traditional and very much loved dishes made of ground meat. It came to Russia from Europe and initially was a deep-fried slice of meat with rib bone, but later became a ground and spiced meat patty, coated with bread crumbs and pan-fried. Since the 19th…
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Avocado, Zucchini and Watercress Salad
Next to mama’s elaborate posts informed by years of experience and accompanied by beautiful photos, mine are beginning to look more amateur than I would like. But there is not much that I can do about the scarcity of time. I suppose, our recipes reflect our lifestyles. Mine are usually about quickly throwing something tasty…
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Buttermilk Cookies
Time for baking! This is one of kitchen activities that is relaxing, comforting and satisfying for me (grandfather’s genes, maybe). I love to knead, to pat and touch dough, especially yeast dough, when you can feel how the dough is alive and growing under your fingers. But today’s recipe is another type of dough that uses…
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Wild Strawberries Thrill
You are not mistaken – these are wild strawberries. I’ll tell you more: those strawberries were unexpectedly found by Alex when he was moving the lawn and ran into a small strawberry field that spread between two lots. It is beneficial sometimes to have a neighbor who doesn’t give a damn about his lawn – it offers Mother Nature…
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Pork "Chili" Stew
I’ve been away on vacation to the land of red earth and blue skies, where the food is hot and the people are easy-going – New Mexico. Incidentally, this means that I have been away from the kitchen and, to tell the truth, a bit loath to return to it. But, nostalgia for spicy New…
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Shrimp Scampi My Way
Once long time ago we were visiting Lui-Lui, an Italian Pizzeria & Restaurant in New Hampshire. Recent immigrants and inexperienced out-eaters at that time, we had a vague understanding of local and international food. Dishes in the menu looked intriguing and mysterious. Calsone, antipasto, bruschetta, prosciutto, ciabatta, and what not. Among those difficult to pronounce viands was shrimp scampi.…
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Summer Eggplant and Tomato "Sandwich"
Summer is around, and with everything blooming, growing and producing, one longs for something right from the garden. Eggplant is one of these fruit of agricultural labour that is particularly good during summer time. Winter eggplant that is grown and forced to produce fruit artificially, has a bitter taste and requires special handling, hence more time for…
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Dolma – Delight in Grape Leaves
Many times I heard about this dish and saw how to make it in cooking shows, but never endeavoured to cook it myself. Why? The answer is simple: grape leaves that are used in this recipe are not your regular easily available product, and I do not grow grapes in my garden. What a pity. But during my…
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Chicken Tenders with Brussel Sprouts
After working day aggravated by a few errands around town, I had no time for intricate preparations. Besides, my empty stomach was already beginning to play its hungry overture. It’s good to plan ahead for such days, so from yesterday’s shopping I had fresh chicken tenders, and some Brussels sprouts waiting to be used in my fridge. This…
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Daikon Salad
This favourite of ours was inspired by Asian salads that became popular in Russia in the 80-s. Korean salad, as we called it, was made mostly of carrots with the addition of garlic, red and black pepper, salt, white vinegar (there was nothing else in stores), and sunflower oil (also the only option we had at that time). Daikon, Japanese…
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Fish "On a Pillow"
On Saturday I was woke up by thunderstorm , and couldn’t get back to full sleep after that. The gloomy and pouring day dawned upon Boston harbor. I dragged myself out of the bed, since this very Saturday, when it rained cats and dogs, and when the best would be to sit at home at…
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Lamb Tomato Soup
Last weekend New England was covered by a sudden heat wave. It was hot and humid, very much like in August, but not typical in the beginning of the spring. So my anticipation of cool refreshing lazy mornings faded as soon as I stuck my head out of the window at waking up. OK, there…
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Stuffed Peppers, Spring Cabbage Salad
Today was one of those (relatively few) days, when I forsake all my youthful yearnings for extreme sports, shopping, museums, nightlife, and instead settle for a day of picture-perfect domesticity. I decided to take it to a relative extreme and spent a few solid hours in the kitchen, cooking enough food to last us a…
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White Grapefruit and Salmon Salad
Cooking can be just about the food, or it can be a therapy: a release from a grueling day at work, or from the sadness that settles on you suddenly in a blanket of volcanic ash. And therapy it was for me yesterday night, when I composed this overture of a salad: sweet, refreshing, and…
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Almost-Healthy Tomato Salad-Toasts
This weekend I was visiting my parents in the suburbs of Boston, where the grass is greener, and the air mostly smells of spring, and much less of the city garbage, where the sun is hot on your back and the earth breathes easily under the feet of children and farmers’ ploughs. This means that…
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Nettle Soup
Spring time is here, with all kinds of plants sticking from the ground, stretching for the sun and new life, many of them medicinal, among which some are quite edible and make a fabulous addition to one’s table. Stinging nettle is one of them. What?! – you might say, – How am I supposed to…
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Lazy Tomato Salad
One hot summer day I felt lazy to peel, slice, and mix. That’s how this minimalistic tomato salad was born. “Is that all? – asked Alex when he saw a shallow dish. – I will not eat this”. That was the verdict. But when we tried it, we were amazed how sweetness of tomato, tanginess…
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Smoked Chicken Pilaf
This is a fool-proof tasty dish, since the chicken used in this recipe is already cooked. One only has to have some skills to cook rice. This pilaf, accompanied by fresh vegetables, was our today’s dinner – nice re-energizing after a long working day. What you need: One smoked chicken leg with thigh, deboned and…
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Cabbage Soup Re-configured
Today was one of those days when everything is just right. I woke up refreshed after a good night sleep full of interesting, yet elusive dreams, and stared through the bedroom window into Sunday morning drizzle. Yes, we had a rainy weekend. Frustrating for some, but not for me. Gardening is necessary at this time…
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Your Two Casual Chefs
Who are we? We are mother and daughter, living our lives in suburban Massachusetts and in New York City, cooking our pleasure in our separate kitchens, and sharing it with each other over cell phone conversations. The cutting board is our palette, the kitchen – our studio, where we create the quick and the decadent,…
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