Cuisine
Borscht, salo, fermented vegetables and slow bakes from a larder built for long winters.
7:10Understand the technical foundations of authentic Ukrainian borsch, from managing beetroot acidity to incorporating traditional smoked pears, based on chef Yevhen Klopotenko's UNESCO-backed research.
3:57Discover how the potato revolutionised Ukrainian cuisine and learn the professional techniques behind deruny, the iconic, ultra-crispy potato pancakes presented by chef Yevhen Klopotenko.
Questions from the pass
Salo is cured pork fatback, seasoned with salt, garlic, and black pepper. To serve, chill it until firm, then slice it paper-thin. Present it raw on dense rye bread with raw garlic cloves, green onions, and hot mustard. For hot dishes, render it down into shkvarky (cracklings) to top varenyky or borscht.
Authentic borscht gets its deep ruby colour by cooking beets separately from the broth. Grate or matchstick the beets, then sauté with fat and an acid like vinegar or lemon juice before simmering. This acid stabilizes the betalain pigments. Add this mixture to the pot during the last fifteen minutes of cooking.
Varenyky are traditional Ukrainian boiled dumplings, virtually identical to Polish pierogi but named differently. The dough uses wheat flour, water, and sometimes sour cream. Common fillings include mashed potato with fried onions, brined curd cheese, or fermented cabbage. Boil them for three to four minutes until they float, then toss in butter or melted salo.
Fermentation is key to the winter larder. Ukrainian cooks use wild lacto-fermentation for whole cabbages (kvashena kapusta), tomatoes, and gherkins in a 2-3% salt brine. Beets are fermented to make beet kvass, a sour liquid base used to add acidity and depth to traditional winter borscht and stews.
Holubtsi are cabbage rolls stuffed with minced pork, beef, and parboiled rice or millet. Wrap the filling in softened white cabbage leaves, pack them tightly into a heavy pot, and submerge in a tomato and sour cream sauce. Bake slowly at 160°C for two to two and a half hours until the cabbage is tender.
The library is just the prep work
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