The “Family Jewels”: Hot Beet Soup Burokėlių Sriuba, Potato Pudding Kugelis, Rhubarb Cobbler Rabarbarų Pyragas, Mushrooms With Sour Cream Grybai su Grietine, Tiger Ears Tigro Ausytės

LET’S COOK LITHUANIAN
with Dana Siliūnas.

The “Family Jewels”

HOT BEET SOUP
Burokeliu sriuba

1 lb. boiling beef
2 1-lb. cans of beets
1 1-lb carton sour cream
Vinegar
Sugar

Cook the boiling beef. To the broth add the beets, which have been shredded; salt, pepper and pinch of mixed spice (optional). Also add enough vinegar and sugar to give sweet-sour taste. Bring to boil and to carton of sour cream keep adding some of the broth until it is sufficiently warm enough to be added to the soup without curdling. Serves 6.

Note: If using home canned beets in vinegar and sugar, omit the vinegar and sugar in the above recipe and pour enough juice from the home canned jar to give the sweet-sour taste.

MUSHROOMS WITH SOUR CREAM
Grybai su grietine

2 large onions, chopped fine
2 Tbs. oil
1/2 cup sour cream
1 lb. mushrooms, fresh or canned. Dried mushrooms may also be used, but they must be washed well and soaked in hot water at least 1 hour. Drain and wash again.

Clean fresh mushrooms, cut lengthwise. If mushrooms are canned, drain well (liquid may be reserved for other uses). Saute onions in oil until tender but not brown. Add mushrooms, saute 5 minutes until done. Add salt to taste. If mushrooms are canned, do not add salt because they are already salted. They are also cooked, simple heat them through. When mushrooms are done, reduce heat, add sour cream and stir while heating until sour cream liquefies. Do not bring to a boil. Serve hot, with potatoes or black rye bread.

POTATO PUDDING
Kugelis
5 lb. new white potatoes
1 medium onion
6 oz. bacon
5 oz. can evaporated milk
3 eggs, beaten
1 Tbs. butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Grate potatoes. Fry bacon and let cool. Add the bacon drippings and crunch up the fried bacon and add to the potato mixture. Mix all together and pour into greased (9rrxl2″x3rr) pan. Bake at 425° for V2 hour, then at 325° until set and brown on top (about one hour). Cut in squares and garnish with sour cream.

TIGER EARS
Tigro ausytes

2 packages yeast
1/2 cup warm water
2 tsps. salt
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbs. shortening
1 egg
4 2/3 cup flour
1 cup water

Dissolve 2 pkgs. yeast in 1/2 cup warm water. Add 2 tsps. salt, the sugar, flour, water.

Break off pieces about the size of an egg. Roll out 3/4 thick on floured surface. Deep fry in shortening. When brown and crisp, dust with sugar and cinnamon.

RHUBARB COBBLER
Rabarbaru pyragas

3 cups rhubarb (cut in small pieces)
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup flour
1 Tbs. butter
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup sweet milk

Arrange rhubarb in a 7 1/2” x12” baking dish. Cover with sugar and dot with butter. Cream shortening and sugar. Add egg and beat. Sift flour and baking powder together. Add alternately with milk. Pour over rhubarb. Bake 50-60 minutes at 350°