LITHUANIAN TRADITIONAL FOODS

 
 

FRUITS AND VEGETABLESi
Vaisiai ir darþovës

The most popular vegetables have always been cabbages, beets, carrots, cucumbers, onions, rutabagas, turnips, radishes, parsnips and horseradish. Cabbage is eaten fresh and fermented, seasoned with caraway seed, cranberries, apples and salt. Beets are used fresh, fermented and are available all year round. In summer, cucumbers are eaten fresh and in autumn and winter, fermented and pickled. Onion is the traditional, primary, aromatic vegetable. Other popular aromatic plants are dill, caraway, marjoram, garlic and horseradish. 
Almost every household in Lithuania has an orchard where the apple is the main tree. There are also pear, plum and cherry trees and gooseberry and currant bushes. 
The forests are full of goodies: raspberries, wild strawberries, blueberries, cranberries and nuts.
Fruits and berries and some vegetables are seasonal. During summer they are eaten fresh. For winter supplies, fruit and berries are dried, made into preserves, sauces, fruit leathers and fruit cheeses.
 
 
 

PICKLED CUCUMBERS
Rauginti agurkai

10 k (20 lbs) pickling size cucumbers
5 garlic cloves
10 horseradish leaves
7 stalks of mature dill, 
with seeds
10 blackcurrant leaves
20 cherry leaves

Use a crock or wide mouth glass jar, rinsed with boiling water. Place a layer of seasonings in bottom of container, add a layer of cucumbers, continue layering until container is full, end with layer of seasonings. Prepare brine solution, if pickles are for immediate use, 2 or 3 days of fermentation, place 1 1/4 cup salt in 40 cups of water. When pickling for winter use, add 4 cups of salt in same amount of water. 
Fill container with brine, weigh down with cover, keep in cool place, do not freeze.
 
 

PICKLED RED BEETS
Rauginti raudonieji burokëliai

Choose small, even sized, raw beets. Peel, wash and place in glass, wooden or enameled container, cover with brine solution, made with 1 teaspoon salt in 4 cups water.ZAdd several black bread crusts. Place saucer at top of container and weigh down to keep beets covered with brine.ZBeets are ready in 1-2 weeks. Such beets are fermented in cool spot and keep well for the whole year. They are used to make soups, in salads and in many other dishes. Fermented beet juice is used as a natural acidifier in soup, meat, fish, vegetable dishes and in drinkZpreparations. Raw beets make true fermented beet juice.
 

PICKLED COOKED BEETS
Rauginti virti burokëliai

Peel cooked beets, cover with cold brine solution made with 1 teaspoon salt in 4 cups water. Add one black bread crust, weigh down, place container with beets in a warm spot. 
Beets are ready in 3-4 days.
 

BEETS WITH HORSERADISH
Burokëliai su krienais

4 beets, cooked, finely grated
1 cup grated horseradish root
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt to taste

Mix grated beets with grated horseradish, vegetable oil, lemon juice and salt. 
This beet salad is served with meat dishes.
 

BEETS WITH FAVA BEANS
Burokëliai su pupomis

2 cooked, pickled beets, cubed
1/2 l (2 cups) cooked fava beans
3 onions, sliced
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 bay leaves
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon caraway seed
salt to taste

Peel cooked favas, cut into halves. Fry onion slices in hot oil with pepper, salt, and bay leaves. Mix beets, favas and onions, sprinkle with caraway seed.
 

BEET SALAD
Burokëliø salotos

2 cooked pickled beets, cubed
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 onions, sliced
1/4 teaspoon pepper
salt to taste

Fry onion slices in hot oil. Cool and mix with cubed beets, adjust seasonings and mix well.
 

BEETS WITH HERRING
Burokëliai su silke

2 cooked beets, peeled and coarsely grated
2 onions, finely chopped
1 cup sauerkraut juice
1/2 k (1 lb) smoked herring, 
skinned and boned
1/2 teaspoon sugar

Cover grated beets with sauerkraut juice, sugar and onions. Cut smoked herring into small pieces and mix with beats. Blend well.
This salad is served with black bread, fried in oil.
 

FAVA BEANS WITH HAM
Pupos su kumpiu

1 l (4 cups) cooked fava beans
30 g (1 oz) smoked ham, cubed
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons freshly 
grated horseradish root
100 g (1/2 cup) chopped scallions

Cut cooked favas into halves, pour into bowl, add cubed ham, horseradish, cover with sour cream and mix well. Just before serving, cover with scallion greens.
 

NAVY BEANS WITH BACON
Pupelës su laðiniukais

1 cup cooked navy beans
100 g (3 oz) bacon, cubed
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 teaspoon flour

Fry cubed bacon, add onion and sour cream mixed with flour. Blend well and heat, stirring for about 3-5 minutes. Pour bacon-onion-sour cream sauce over beans, mix well.
Serve hot with hot potatoes.
 

FAVA BEANS OR PEAS SERVED WITH BEER
Pupos ar þirniai prie alaus

1 l (4 cups) favas or peas
1/2 cup caraway seed
salt to taste

Soak favas or peas for 12 hours, then cook in well salted water. Water should cover legumes. When legumes are soft, drain, add caraway seed, shake well so that caraway covers all the legumes. Pour favas or peas into a bowl and serve along with beer.
 

GARLIC WITH FAVAS
Èesnakynë

12 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 cup cooked favas, shelled and cut into halves
2 carrots, peeled and finely grated
200 g (3/4 cup) sour cream
salt to taste

Mix garlic, favas and carrots, add sour cream, pinch of salt and blend all ingredients.
This is eaten with white or black bread.
 

SAUERKRAUT
Rauginti kopûstai

10 k (20 lbs) cabbage; 1/2 k (1 lb) carrots, peeled and coarsely grated
200 g (6 oz) salt; 1 cup caraway seed
100 g (3 oz) sugar; 1/2 l (2 cups) cranberries

Use wood, glass or enameled container, rinsed with boiling water. Place several cabbage leaves at the bottom of container. Chop cabbage and mix with carrots, cranberries, caraway seed, salt and sugar. Add in layers of 20-25 cm/10 inches and tamp down each layer so that no air pockets remain. Fill container to about 10 cm/4 inches from top, cover with linen cloth, place cover and weigh it down. There has to be about 2-3 cm/1 inch of liquid above cover. Let ferment at 65F/16-20C. After 3 days, take off cover and with a wooden stick poke holes in the cabbage to let escape gas formed during fermentation. Five days later, clean cover, weigh down again and move container to a cold place.
Some homemakers will place small, whole cabbage at the bottom of container. These fermented cabbage heads are used in salads or other dishes. Every homemaker has her own recipe for sauerkraut, the choice and quantity of seasonings varies. Most homemakers desirous of perfect, crisp sauerkraut make sure that the moon is in the right phase when preparing sauerkraut.
 

SAUERKRAUT AND FAVA BEAN SALAD
Raugintø kopûstø ir pupø salotos

1/2 l (2 cups) sauerkraut
12 l (2 cups) cooked fava beans
1 cup vegetable oil; 2 onions, sliced
1 teaspoon caraway seed; 1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon pepper
salt to taste

Sprinkle sugar on sauerkraut, add favas, mix. Fry onion in hot oil and pour into sauerkraut-fava mixture. Add caraway seed, pepper and salt to taste. Blend all ingredients.
 

SAUERKRAUT SALAD WITH HORSERADISH
Raugintø kopûstø salotos su krienais

1/2 l (2 cups) sauerkraut
1 cup sour cream; 2 tablespoons freshly 
grated horseradish root
1 onion, finely chopped; 1 teaspoon sugar

Combine all ingredients, mix well. 
Serve with hot potatoes or with meat dish.
 

SAUERKRAUT SALAD WITH ONIONS
Raugintø kopûstø salotos su svogûnais

1 l (4 cups) sauerkraut; 3 onions, finely chopped
100 g (3 oz) vegetable oil; 3 bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Place sauerkraut into bowl. Fry onion in hot oil, add pepper, bay leaves. Add onions to sauerkraut, mix and let sit for a couple of hours so that oil soaks into sauerkraut.
This salad is served with cooked potatoes or with meat dishes.
 

HORSERADISH SAUCE
Krienø padaþas

1/2 cup freshly grated horseradish root
200 g (3/4 cup) sour cream; 1 teaspoon sugar
salt to taste

Mix sour cream with horseradish, sugar and salt. Mix well.
Serve this sauce with meat, fish and egg dishes.
 

HOT HORSERADISH SAUCE
Karðtas krienø padaþas

3 tablespoons freshly grated horseradish root
20 g (4 tablespoons) butter; 1 tablespoon flour
1 cup vegetable broth; 1/2 cup sour cream
juice of 1/2 lemon; 1 teaspoon sugar
salt to taste

Brown flour in melted butter for about 3 minutes, add vegetable broth, horseradish, lemon juice and salt. Blend well and bring to a boil on low heat. Add sour cream, heat gently, but do not boil, until sauce thickens.
 

ONIONS STUFFED WITH BEETS
Burokëliais ádaryti svogûnai

4 onions; 1 cooked, pickled beet
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 tablespoons fermented beet juice
pinch of sugar; salt to taste

Scoop out onion centers, leaving solid walls. Chop scooped out onion centers. Dice beets, add salt, pepper, chopped onions and sugar. Mix all ingredients and fill onions with beet mixture. Place filled onions on a serving platter, cover with fermented beet juice. 
Serve with lamb, pork or game dishes.
 

ONION SALAD WITH BEETS
Svogûnø salotos su burokëliais

4 onions, sliced
2 cooked pickled beets, sliced
1 cup fermented beet juice; 1/2 teaspoon sugar
pinch of pepper and salt

Place sliced onions in a bowl, cover with beets, pour fermented beet juice over beets and onions, sprinkle with sugar, salt and pepper and marinade for 3 hours. 
Serve this salad with pork, lamb and beef dishes.
 

TURNIP SALAD
Ropiø salotos

1 medium turnip
100 g (1/2 cup) chopped scallions
9 dill branches, chopped
200 g (3/4 cups) sour cream
salt to taste

Peel turnip and grate coarsely, cover and shake well. Add sour cream, scallions, dill and salt. Mix well.
This salad is eaten with potatoes as a late afternoon snack or with meat dishes.
 

BLACK RADISH SALAD
Juodøjø ridikø salotos

2 medium black radishes, peeled 
200 g (3/4 cup) sour cream
9 dill branches, chopped
salt to taste

Cut black radishes into thin shavings, sprinkle with salt, cover and shake to soften the shavings. Add sour cream, salt and blend well. Sprinkle with dill.
This salad is eaten with hot potatoes.
 

SILK GRUEL
Ðilkinë koðë

1 cup dried peas, soaked; 3 raw potatoes, 
peeled and grated; 1 1/2 l (6 cups) water

Cook well soaked peas until soft. Add grated potatoes to peas, salt and continue cooking until potatoes are cooked.
This is eaten with fried bacon or covered with melted butter.
 

PEA GRUEL
Þirniø koðë

1/2 l (2 cups) dried peas, soaked
1 tablespoon flour; 100 g (3 oz) bacon, diced
salt to taste

Cook well soaked peas. When peas are soft add flour and salt, cook for 5 more minutes, stirring constantly. Pour gruel into a bowl and cover with fried bacon pieces.
 

FAVA BEAN GRUEL
Pupø koðë

1/2 l (2 cups) fava beans, soaked
3 potatoes, peeled and grated; 1 cup milk
100 g (3 oz) bacon, chopped; 1 onion, 
finely chopped; salt to taste

Cook well soaked favas until soft. Mash beans, add milk, salt and grated potatoes. Stirring with wooden spoon, cook until potatoes are done. Pour gruel into a bowl, cover with fried bacon and onion mixture.
 

BRIASED SAUERKRAUT
Troðkinti rauginti kopûstai

1/2 l (2 cups) sauerkraut; 200 g (6 oz) bacon, chopped; 1 onion, finely chopped

Fry bacon with onion, add to sauerkraut and simmer on low heat until sauerkraut has softened, about 30 minutes. 
Serve with hot potatoes and meat dishes.
 

STUFFED CABBAGE HEAD
Ádaryta kopûsto gûþë

1 k (2 lb) cabbage, fresh or pickled
1/2 k (1 lb) ground pork
2 onions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon butter; 1/2 cup milk
4 slices white bread, soaked and squeezed dry
1 cup sour cream; 2 eggs, beaten
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
pinch of salt and pepper

To make stuffing mix meat with bread, fried onions in butter, garlic, eggs, salt and pepper. Mix all ingredients well.
Parboil cabbage in salted water, cook for about 10-15 minutes. Remove from cooking water, drain well. Place cabbage in a well greased roasting pan, gently spread cabbage leaves and fill with stuffing between leaves, press leaves together. Pour 1 cup of vegetable or meat stock into roasting pan and bake in preheated oven at 425F/200C, until cabbage is lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Cover cabbage with sour cream, cover roaster and return to oven for 15 minutes more. 
To serve cover with roasting juices and hot potatoes.
 

PEA DUMPLING
Gurguzai, þirniø virtiniai

1 l (1 qt) dried peas, soaked
2 onions, finely chopped; 3 tablespoons butter
pinch of salt and pepper
SAUCE
200 g (6 oz) bacon, finely chopped, or 
6 tablespoons butter; 100 g (3 oz) sour cream

Cook soaked peas in salted water until soft. Drain and mash peas to a fine texture. Add salt, pepper, fried onions and mix well. Form oblong dumplings using spoonfuls of pea dough. Place dumplings into casserole dish, cover with sauce made with fried bacon or melted butter with sour cream. Cover casserole, bake in preheated oven at 350F/180C, for about 30 minutes, until flavors are blended.
Serve hot.
 

VEGETABLE NUTS
Darþoviø rieðutëliai

1 cup cooked peas; 1 cup cooked navy beans
3 cups cooked carrots; 1 cup bread crumbs
2 eggs, beaten; 1 onion, finely chopped
1 cup cooked mushrooms; 2 tablespoons butter
1 cup sour cream; pinch of pepper and salt
2 parsley sprigs, finely chopped; flour
oil for frying

Take peas, beans and mushrooms and process in food processor or use meat grinder to make a fine puree. Add eggs, bread crumbs, onion fried in butter, parsley, salt and pepper, blend well by hand or use food processor. Form walnut sized dumplings, roll in flour and fry in hot oil until nicely browned, about 10-15 minutes. 
Arrange fried nuts on serving platter and cover with sour cream. Serve hot with bread.
 

CARROT PANCAKES
Morkø blynai

1 l (8 cups) raw carrots, peeled and grated
2 eggs; 4 tablespoons potato flour
6 tablespoons sour cream
5 tablespoons sugar
salt to taste; oil for frying

Beat egg yolks with salt and potato flour, add to grated carrots. Mix well. Beat egg whites and fold gently into carrot mixture. Place spoonfuls of carrot mixture into hot oil, brown both sides. 
Carrot pancakes are eaten hot with sour cream, sprinkled with sugar.
 

BAKED APPLE SAUCE
Kepta obuolienë

8 sour apples, peeled and thinly quartered
6 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons sugar

Melt butter in a heavy bottomed skillet, add apples, bake on low heat until apples are soft. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon, bake for 10-15 minutes. 
This is served with chicken, turkey and veal dishes.
 

APPLE CHEESE
Obuoliø sûris

5 k (10 lbs) apples, peeled and thinly sliced
1 1/2 k (3 lbs) sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Mix apples with sugar and let rest 48 hours, until juice is formed. Pour off juice into a preserving pot, cook on low heat until half juice has evaporated in cooking, and remaining juice darkens and thickens. Add 3/4 of apple slices and cook stirring constantly until apple mass is quite thick and no juice remains, about 1 hour. Add remaining apple slices, cinnamon and cook until last addition of apples is soft and light color, giving the cheese a marbled effect. Pour apple mass into a damp cheese bag, tie and place between two boards and weigh down for 2 days. Hang cheese in airy spot to dry. Store in a cool but dry place.
This is a Lithuanian delicacy served with wine, coffee and tea.
 

 

 
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