Delicious “Kūčios” Recipes: Potato & Herring Salad Bulvių ir Silkių Mišrainė, Fried Marinated Smelts Marinuotos Stintos, Marinated Mushrooms Marinuoti Grybai, Potato Salad Bulvių Mišrainė, Beet Salad Vinagretas

LET’S COOK LITHUANIAN
with Dana Siliūnas.

DELICIUS “KUCIOS” RECIPES

Meatless dishes for a traditional Lithuanian Christmas Eve dinner

POTATO & HERRING SALAD
Bulviu ir silkiu mišraine

6 large boiled potatoes
1 large dill pickle, diced
3 Tbsps. capers, drained (optional)
3 Tbsps. onions, finely chopped
2 Tbsps. chopped pickledherring fillets
1 tart apple, peeled and chopped

Dressing:
1/4 cups olive oil
1/3 cup vinegar (tarragon or dill)
Salt and pepper
Boil the potatoes, peel and cut in !4-inch slices while hot. Mix the dressing and pour over the potatoes while they are still hot. Combine with the rest of the ingredients. Chill before seving.

POTATO SALAD
Bulviu mišraine

5 cups diced, boiled potatoes
1 cup diced, hard-boiled egg
1 cup diced dill pickles
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 Tbsp. chopped parsley
1 Tbsp. chopped onions

Dressing – Mix the following:
1/2 cup salad dressing or mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp. mustard powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and pour the dressing over all, mixing thoroghly with a wooden spoon and fork. Keep in a cool place for two hours before serving. (Variation: add Vz cup diced fresh cucumbers for a special fresh flavor). To preserve the potatoes from turning dark, cover them with a little salad dressing after they are diced.

FRIED MARINATED SMELTS
Marinuotos stintos

2 lbs. smelts
Salt and flour
Oil for frying

Clean smelts, remove heads (they may be purchased cleaned and fozen) and the insides. Mix flour with salt, place in a paper bag, drop the smelts in the flour mixture and shake until covered. Fry in hot oil until done. Cool. Prepare marinade, cool and pour over smelts to cover. May be served in 6-7 hours.

This method may also be used to marinate other types of firm-fleshed fish which remain intact when cooked.

Marinade:
1 onion
1 stalk celery
10 black peppercorns
3 black leaves
3 cloves
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 cup white vinegar
2 cups water
Pich of salt (the fish was already seasoned when fried. The salt may be completely omitted).

Mix ingredients in saucepan and simmer 10-15 minutes until onion and celery is tender. Cool and use.

MARINATED MUSHROOMS
Marinuoti grybai

About 2 lbs. small white fresh mushrooms
3 Tbsps. lemon juice
1 tsp. salt (or less, to taste)
6 cups boiling water
1 medium onion
1 clove garlic

Marinade:
3/4 cup white vinegar
2/3 cup liquid from cooked mushrooms
7 crushed black peppers
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. sugar
2-3 Tbsps. olive oil

Bring water to boil, add salt, lemon juice and cleaned mushrooms (if small, leave uncut). Simmer 5 minutes. Drain well. Cut onion crosswise and separate into rings, chop garlic fine. In a glass container, place alternating layers of mushrooms and onion with garlic. Meanwhile, bring 2h cup mushroom liquid to boil, add all remaining ingredients, bring to boil and simmer about 5 minutes. Cool liquid and pour over mushrooms. Add oil on top (do not mix with mushrooms and marinade), Keep refrigerated overnight and seive the following day.

BEET SALAD
Vinagretas

1 cup cooked beets, finely chopped
1 cup apples, peeled and chopped
1 cup celery, finely chopped
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
1 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp. mayonnaise Salt, pepper to taste

Blend the sour cream and mayonnaise with onions, salt and pepper; pour over the beet, apple and celery mixture. Mix lightly. A sliced hardboiled egg and parsley may be used as a garnish.