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Susan Jung

With Russia all the rage on the fashion racks this season, why not have a Russian-themed cocktail party and serve a selection of zakuski? Traditionally, this array of hot and cold 'small bites' was just a prelude to dinner, but if your selection is extensive  enough, it will suffice as a meal.

Some zakuski,  such as pickled herrings, smoked fish, cheeses, cold meats and pickles,  can be purchased from the supermarket. The following recipes can all be made in advance. Be sure to serve the zakuski with ice-cold vodka.

Blini (pictured)

Serve these small, two-bite blini with an array of toppings: salmon roe (or sturgeon caviar if you can afford it), smoked salmon or other fish, sour cream, minced red onion, chopped chives and chopped hard-boiled eggs (separate the  white from the yolks before chopping).

60ml warm water (45 degrees Celsius)

7 grams dry yeast

20 grams sugar, divided

60 grams plain flour

60 grams buckwheat flour

? tsp salt

240ml milk, scalded then cooled to 45 degrees

2 large eggs, separated

40 grams unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

Oil for the pan

In a small bowl, stir the water with the yeast and five grams of sugar.  Let the mixture stand until it bubbles. In a  larger bowl, mix the plain and buckwheat flours with the salt. Whisk the egg yolks with the milk, stir into the flour mixture then add the yeast/water and butter. Whisk to combine thoroughly. Cover  with plastic wrap and let stand for a few hours until bubbly, or refrigerate overnight.

If the batter has been refrigerated, let it  reach room temperature. Whip the egg whites with a dash of salt until foamy. Whip in the remaining sugar  until  the mixture forms soft peaks. Gently fold the whites into the batter.

Heat a flat skillet and brush it lightly with oil. Spoon a little of the batter (enough to form rounds  3-4cm in diameter) into the skillet set over a medium-low heat. Spoon as many circles of batter into the pan as will fit without crowding. As they cook, bubbles will rise to the surface and pop - when the bubbles pop and stay hollow (rather than filling in),  the blini is ready to flip. Cook the second side until light brown then put on a plate. Adjust the heat if necessary - the blini should take about 30 seconds on each side. Continue to cook more blini, stirring the batter each time (the heavier buckwheat flour will have sunk to the bottom of the bowl). Brush the pan with more oil as needed. Serve with a selection of toppings.

Eggplant caviar

One story of how this was named  claims the tiny eggplant seeds   resemble caviar.  Whoever named it must have  been knocking back shots of vodka because it looks nothing like its namesake.  I know which I'd rather have, but since I'm not often given the choice, I will happily eat this.

1 kilo Chinese or Japanese eggplant

50ml cooking oil

1 large onion, finely diced

4-5 garlic cloves, diced

1-2 small red chillies, seeds removed, finely minced

1-2 anchovy fillets in oil, drained, then mashed to a paste

200 grams small local tomatoes, diced

About 50ml freshly squeezed lemon juice

80ml extra virgin olive oil

Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put the eggplants directly on the flame of a gas stove, turning them  so the skins blister and blacken evenly.  Put them in a colander to drain and cool, then  pull off the skin.

Heat the cooking oil in a large skillet, add the onion and cook over a low heat until soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic and chillies and cook slowly for about five more minutes.  Add the anchovy then roughly chop the peeled eggplants, add them to the skillet and mash with the back of a wooden spoon. Stir in the tomatoes and some salt. Turn the heat to very low and cook the mixture for  45 minutes to one hour, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Taste for seasoning and add salt, if needed, then stir in the lemon juice, olive oil and freshly ground black pepper. The mixture should be glossy and moist; if necessary, add more olive oil. Scrape into a container, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (or longer) to allow the flavours to blend. Serve cool, but not straight from the fridge, with thinly sliced black bread.

Marinated mushrooms

The flavour of these mushrooms is  lighter and less tart than  versions I've tasted in Russian restaurants.  Their influence is probably more Italian than  Russian, but they still taste good. Use whatever fresh mushrooms look best in the markets, choosing the  smaller specimens if possible. The mushrooms should be cooked quickly in small batches - if the pan is crowded,  the liquid won't evaporate and the mushrooms will stew for too long.

1kg fresh mixed mushrooms

About 80ml cooking oil

About 60ml extra virgin olive oil

About 30ml fresh lemon juice

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

20 grams fresh parsley, chopped

Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

If the mushrooms are large, cut them into halves or quarters. For enoki mushrooms, cut off the stems and break the bundles into smaller clumps. If the mushrooms are dirty, rinse them briefly in cold water then drain and pat dry with paper towels.

Heat a wok, add about 20ml oil and heat until very hot. Add ? of the mushrooms and a light sprinkling of salt. Cook quickly over high heat, stirring constantly, until they give off their juices and then re-absorb them. This should take only a few minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and continue with the remaining mushrooms, cooking them in a total of four batches.

When all the mushrooms are cooked, toss with the extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, garlic, parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Allow to marinate at room temperature for about two hours, or in the fridge for longer. Taste for seasoning and add more salt, lemon juice and olive oil, if needed. Serve at room temperature.

Styling: Rachael Macchiesi



Soviet reunion