Food For A Russian-Themed Dinner Party
When most people think of ethnic foods that they can make for dinner, they might think of Indian, Italian, or maybe Mexican cuisine. However, there are many other types of world cuisines that are quite enjoyable and relatively easy to make at home for even the non-gourmet.
Below is a sample of some of the types of foods you would likely find in an authentic Russian restaurant. So, if you've always had a hankering to taste Russian food but have never been to a Russian restaurant, then this list will help you create your own delicious Russian meal at home.
Bliny's With Sour Cream
The bliny is a classic staple of the Russian menu. It's similar to a crepe. They are served most often as appetizers and accompanied with sour cream. While you can find recipes online and try and make them at home from scratch, a simpler solution would be to just buy them pre-made. You can find them at bakeries that cater to a Russian and Eastern European clientele.
Kasha and Wild Mushrooms
Kasha is one of the classic staples of Russian cuisine. It's basically buckwheat. The Russian people eat it in a similar way to how other cultures use rice or pasta. It's a foundation upon which you can make many different meals.
You should always add something to the kasha and not simply serve it by itself since it will be slightly bland. A popular recipe is to cook it with wild mushrooms. This will allow you to serve the kasha as a main course. As an additional benefit, it will be vegan- and vegetarian-friendly in the event you are entertaining people who do not eat meat.
Borscht
A famous Russian soup is borscht. It's a hearty soup made with beets. The beets give the soup a brilliant dark purple color and an earthy, semi-sweet flavor. If you want to cook the borscht from scratch, you will want to have access to fresh beets. However, you can also get really good quality borscht already made. It is sold in glass jars in many specialty stores.
Osetra Caviar
Finally, no Russian meal would be complete without some excellent caviar. Russian cuisine is perhaps most famous for this single delicacy. In the past, it was very hard to get good caviar. However, now you can order Russian Osetra caviar online and have it shipped directly to your door. It is best served chilled.