In about a year (G!d-willing), I’ll be marrying the only son of a proud, Russian (ok, technically Belorussian) mama. Since I speak neither Russian nor Hebrew and my future mother-in-law doesn’t speak English, I figure the best way to win her over is with food. If I can prove to her that I’ll at least be able to hold my own in the kitchen, she just might be willing to let her son come live with me here in the US. So I’m on a mission. Over the course of the next 11 months, I’m going to learn how to make her best recipes. Or at least the ones I know my fiance really likes.
Through a UN-like game of telephone through Igor, my future mama-in-law Marina gave me the recipe for the amazing marinated mushrooms she served at the shabbat lunch where she found out that her son was leaving her for some American girl (well, she didn’t say it that way but I know that’s what she was thinking). To say that I don’t like mushrooms is an understatement but these are magically out of this world. So far out of this world that I was almost able to forget that I was eating fungus. (The things we do for love.) Hope you enjoy this delicious, easy recipe. Now, if I could only make tea properly…
Marina’s Marinated [Magic] Mushrooms
Ingredients:
1 lb whole, fresh button mushrooms, cleaned by brushing off any dirt
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable or olive oil
1/3 cup white vinegar
1 tsp. salt (‘flat, not pregnant’)
1 tsp. sugar (‘flat, not pregnant’)
2 cloves
2 -3 garlic cloves, sliced
3-4 bay leaves
A few cloves whole allspice
A sprinkle of black peppercorns (or add more to taste)
Directions:
Place all ingredients in a large saucepot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 mins. Transfer to a large glass jar and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. [Serve to precious, only son who will eat them up and never admit to you that your version never tastes quite like his mama’s.] Will keep for several days when chilled. [Best served at the beginning of a very, very long meal with enough food to feed an army. The kind of meal that only a Jewish mama can make.]
Yes, the bracketed comments are mine, but I swear she said them under her breath as she dictated the recipe.
(Photo: wloh009)
Menu
First of all, let me commend you on your foolish bravery. Anyone who attempts to establish a family fully knowing that they will inevitably obtain a Russian-Jewish mother-in-law, especially mother of an only child, is either brave, foolish, or both (speaking from experience, btw).
Secondly, you are not using the right mushrooms for the recipe. Any Byelorussian mushroom recipe is meant for wild mushrooms, and not for the farm-grown fungi. However, I would strongly discourage you from driving up north in late summer or fall and picking your own wild mushrooms — although good and plentiful, it is very easy to make a serious mistake, so stick with the farmed stuff.
Thirdly, if your future S.O. is indeed from Belarus, and you want to impress him, think potatoes. Like in 3000 different potato dishes, but G-d forbid French fries. Potatoes were (are) the most popular food in Belarus. So get a copy of the Ultimate Potato Cookbook from Amazon, a sack of tubers from Cub, and start mashing.
All the best
Not the kind of magic mushrooms I dream about. Nevertheless I enjoy your sense of humor and hope your fiance does too.
@Dmitry – Funny. That’s what people keep telling me. I think that’s why Igor says he should move here instead of the other way around. (Of course, this is all in jest – his parents are lovely people. Even if his mother is just a tad bit overprotective).
Wonder if Marina changed the recipe to button mushrooms since they’ve been living in Israel for 20 years (Do people go mushroom hunting in Israel like we do here? Hmm…I’ll have to find out). I’d certainly love to try the wild varieties and have friends/family who could help me make sure I don’t end up getting the wrong kind and going down the rabbit hole!
And, love the potato idea. That might be next on the list as I attempt to win over the future MIL!
@Lucy – Thanks. Luckily for me, Igor’s sense of humor very closely resembles mine. But he’s an Israeli, so he’s usually much, much less censored. I’m working on teaching him the concept of ‘being PC’ (with rather comical results at times).
O.k, just to make things clear, we do go (or at least used to) mushroom hunting! It was a lot of fun, that’s an old Russian/Belorussian family tradition (just like fishing!)
Second, we don’t only eat potatoes, we can also drink them, in the form of Vodka! So as you can see the Belorussian kitchen is very diverse.
And last but not least, it doesn’t matter where you come form in the old Soviet Union, everybody likes Borscht, a good one too! The real test will be cooking a kosher Borscht that will taste as good as the original one.
Best of luck with that one my soon to be wife 🙂
Em, funny post. Here’s a hint as to potatoes.
Ask Marina about “draniki” — and you’ll get a delightful new latke recipe.
I’m from Ukraine, so I might not be right on target here, but when I think Belorussian cuisine, I think draniki.
Igor’ — you’ve never heard of holodnik? 🙂 That borsch is always kosher! Seriously, though, I was definitely surprised when I first found out that people make borsch with meat. But the kosher problem is, of course, easily solved — it’s either meat, or sour cream, but not both. Or (and I just now thought of this, having tried it in other soups but not borsch), if you’ve got to have the meat, but still want that sour taste, try adding a little bit of lemon juice.
Happy New Year, all!
@Igor: If you like fishing, Minnesota is definitely a place to be — year round occupation here. See, Emily, I am already spoiling your husband.
As to potato vodka, tastes vary. Not a big fan here. Samogon from buraki, on the other hand, that is something…
As to the good borsch, mixing meat and sour cream is the least of the problems here. Finding the right kind of ingredients, that is a problem. Meat here, especially the kosher variety, is so bad, with such a horrid chemical aftertaste, that you cannot eat it even in kotletki, let alone using it in borsch. Whenever my wife or mom want to make borsch, we go to the farmers market first, for fresh veggies, and then to a natural food market (Coop in the cities, for example) for some decent quality organic fatty meat on the bone. Certain types of non-dairy creamers do fine as a replacement for sour cream, but nothing ca replace a piece of quality cow.
Same goes for holodnik, by the way. Wilted or unripe veggies you get at the supermarket just do not do it justice.
Wow, Em – looks like you’ve started a real eastern-european cooking discussion here. Not a column to be reading before lunch, for sure! 🙂
Let me know if you’d like my Ukrainian grandma’s always kosher, phenomenally good, real borsch recipe! Or her draniki recipe, for that matter. I’ll be happy to share.
And January might be a good time for trying out that tea! With all the snow and sub-zero temperatures and all…
@Mike: After a consultation with Igor today, draniki makes the list. Holodnik doesn’t for him, but definitely does for me. Sounds delish!
@Dmitry: “Likes” is an understatement for the boy’s obsession with fishing. One of our first stateside dates was a 45 min stroll down a tackle aisle at Gander Mountain (see, more things I do for love). I think I’ll get him a fishing license as a wedding present. Now, if I could just find him a fishing buddy or two (guys fish with buddies, right?)… And will definitely take the meat/veggie thing into consideration. I try to source local when possible.
@Jenna: Tea is a go for Jan. Let’s find a good time to get me set up and making it right (since you’ve let me know that Lipton bags served in coffee cups won’t cut it). And, I’m running my year-long editorial calendar past you. Want to make sure I’m not missing anything crucial from the list!
Hope all three of you had a lovely NYE! I have a feeling it’s going to be a very good year…
@Emily: I myself am not into fishing or hunting — something about the kill that puts me off. I prefer other outdoor activities like camping, canoeing and year-round kayaking, skiing, snow shoeing, animal tracking, etc.
However, as far as loose leaf tea, I would strongly recommend a house brand from Caspian Bistro, o University and Washington, by the U. They sell it by the pound, and it is the best loose leaf tea mix in Twin Cities.
I think it’s wonderful you’re embracing your soon-to-be-MIL’s cooking. I think that’s the highest form of flattery 🙂
Best of luck to you both and that recipe looks delicious!
PS: Also NOT what I was thinking when I saw the title of this post 😉