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Russian Pickled Cabbage

1 big cabbage
1 beet
1 piece of hot pepper
1 whole peeled garlic
salt
vinegar

Cut cabbage in big squares
Cut beet into thin french fries
Cut pepper into pieces

Place in jar in layers, and put the garlics on top. Fill with boiling juice (1Tablespoon salt for 1 liter of water and vinegar) Leave in a warm place 2 or 3 days. Cannot be stored for a long time.

Russian Salt Cabbage

10 kg cabbage (about 22 lbs)
750 grams carrots (1.65 lbs)
250 grams salt (8.8 oz)

Chop cabbage, chop carrots and mix Mix in salt Put in a jar and press it, put on a wooden circle(like a lid) and put a weight on top. Every day take the lid off and make holes with a wooden stick in the cabbage After 3 or 4 days put the jar in a cold place. After 2 to 3 weeks it's ready.

How to Make KVAS

1 lb stale black bread or 1 lb stale pumpernickel bread
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons raisins
2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves or 1 tablespoon dried mint leaves
2 tablespoons Active dry yeast
1/4 cup luke warm water

Oven must be preheated to 200 degrees. Cube the bread and then spread on a cookie sheet and place in oven for 1 hour.
Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil and drop in the bread.
Remove from heat, cover with a towel, and allow to sit at room temperature for 8
hours.
Strain through a fine sieve and press the juice from the bread.
Sprinkle the yeast and 1/4 teaspoon of sugar in the cup of lukewarm water
and stir to dissolve the yeast completely.
Set aside in a warm place covered by a towel for approx. 10-12 minutes or until. mixture doubles in volume.
Add the mint leaves, and remaining sugar, stir well, then re-cover with the
towel and set aside for 8-12 hours more at room temperature.

Again strain the mixture through a fine seive. Pour into a 1 gal. container, add the raisins, cover the top with plastic wrap, secure with a rubber band, and place in cool NOT cold, spot for 4-5 days or until the raisins are floating
and the sediment has sunk to the bottom.

Pour off the clear amber liquid and rebottle in a clean jug or bottles. Refrigerate until ready to use. In Russia this is a beverage as well as cold soup stock. This drink is delicious and unheard of in other parts of the world.

Russian Pickled Cherry Tomatoes

In sterlized jars put garlic and dill Wash strong ripe Cherry tomatoes Fill jars with hot juice (1 Tablespoon salt to 1 liter of water) Cover with sterlized lids.
Place in pot with hot water, sterlize for 5 to 7 min. (counting from when the water boils.) Put jars upside down, cover with a towel and leave till cool.

My Favorite Red Borscht

Now you can't can this recipe. I just put it here, so I wouldn't ever lose it!

2 pounds red beets, peeled
1 large onion, peeled
1 bunch fresh dill
Salt and pepper to taste
Lemon juice to taste
4 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and quartered, optional
1 firm medium cucumber or half an English cucumber, peeled if necessary and diced, optional
4 medium red or white new potatoes, boiled until tender and kept hot, optional
Sour cream

Grate beets and onion together on a box grater or food processor outfitted with basic blade (pulse carefully) or grating disk. Place mixture in large saucepan with dill-stem bundle and 6 cups of water to cover.

Bring to a boil, then adjust heat so liquid simmers steadily but not violently, until beets are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Add salt and pepper, remove dill stems, and chill.

When soup is cold, taste and add lemon juice, salt and pepper as necessary. Chop as much of the dill fronds as you would like for garnishing. Serve borscht in bowls, with garnishes of your choice and the dill. Pass sour cream at table.

My Note: Here's how I make cold Borscht. I cook some beets, cool them, grate into a bowl, add some boiled water, then let cool in the fridge. Cut up some kind of meat, add it, cut up a cooked potato, add it, and chop up a couple hard boiled eggs, add them, then, chop up a cucumber, and add it. Add more cooled water, and salt to taste. Let chill. To serve, spoon into bowls, add a dollop of sour cream, and sprinkle chopped dill on top. Yum!