Ryazhanka Fermented Caramelized Milk Food

CHINESE-STYLE BARBECUED RIBS

Steps:

• In a food processor or blender, mince garlic and scallions. Add hoisin, ketchup, honey, soy sauce, rice wine or vodka, rice vinegar and five-spice powder. Process until well blended. Taste for sweetness; the mixture should be sweet like barbecue sauce, not candy. Adjust the taste with honey, soy sauce and vinegar.
• Set aside 1/3 cup marinade for basting. Transfer remaining marinade to a container or pan large enough to hold the ribs, or to large resealable plastic bags. Add ribs and turn until well coated. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, and up to 2 days, turning occasionally in the marinade.
• Heat oven to 300 degrees. Set up a rimmed baking sheet (or two) with an oven-safe wire rack that fits inside, the kind you'd use for cooling cookies. Line the bottoms of the pans with foil or nonstick baking mats. Place the racks inside the pans and place the empty pans on the bottom rack of the oven. Pour in hot water until it comes about halfway up the sides of the pan. (Do not skip the water: The steam helps cook the meat to the right tenderness.)
• When the oven is hot, remove the ribs from the marinade and place on the racks, meaty side up. Bake without basting, 1 hour for baby back ribs, 2 hours for St. Louis style ribs. Check the water level occasionally to make sure it hasn't cooked off.
• Remove ribs from the oven and raise the oven temperature to 450 degrees. Pour off any water from the baking sheet and return the ribs to the racks. (Alternatively, you can finish the ribs on a medium-hot grill; see below.)
• Return ribs to the oven and roast (or grill), basting 2 or 3 times with reserved marinade, for 20 to 30 minutes (less time for baby backs, more for spareribs). Watch the ribs carefully to make sure that the edges don't burn, and don't baste them too close to the end; they should be dry and sticky, not wet on the surface.
• Use a big knife to cut between the bones, making sure that each rib has meat on both sides. Mound on a platter, sprinkle with scallions and cilantro, and serve immediately.

RYAZHANKA (FERMENTED CARAMELIZED MILK)

Steps:

• If using an oven, heat to 225 degrees. Place the milk in a Dutch oven (if baking the mixture) or large, heavy saucepan (if using a slow cooker) and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring from time to time so the milk doesn't scorch. It will take about 15 minutes to get to a simmer.
• Transfer to the oven, if using, and bake, uncovered, until the top is a deep caramel brown, about 6 hours. If using a slow cooker, transfer the milk to the slow cooker, cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 4 to 6 hours, until the top is caramel brown. You can discard or save the skin that develops on top of the milk, refrigerating it in an airtight container. Traditionally, the skin is served on top of a glass of ryazhanka.
• Transfer the cooked milk directly to jars or first to liquid measuring cups to cool the milk and determine how much you have. Let cool at room temperature, uncovered, to 115 degrees. You do not want to add kefir to hot milk, as the heat will kill the bacteria. Add 1 tablespoon kefir for every 2 cups cooked milk. (You'd use 1 tablespoon kefir per pint jar, 2 tablespoons per quart jar, or 3½ tablespoons kefir total for 7 cups cooked milk.) Stir or whisk the kefir until fully incorporated. If the mixture isn't already in jars, divide among jars. Cover the jars with coffee filters and secure around the tops with rubber bands or string.
• Leave the jars in a warm place until the ryazhanka develops a consistency that's thicker than kefir but thinner than yogurt, 24 to 48 hours, depending on the temperature of your kitchen. You might see some separation between liquid and solids. The flavor will be both sweet and sour from the fermentation. Cover the jars with their lids and refrigerate until chilled. The ryazhanka can be refrigerated for up to 7 days.

UKRAINIAN MUSHROOM AND ONION DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Make filling: place dried mushrooms in a small bowl and add 1/4 cup boiling water. Let soften, about 10 minutes. Strain, reserving liquid and mushrooms separately.
• In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until golden but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add button mushrooms and cook, stirring, until mushrooms have released their liquid, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drain liquor. In a food processor, combine both kinds of mushrooms. Spoon in porcini liquid, leaving behind any silt in bottom of bowl. Pulse together until finely ground but not pasty: about 3 or 4 pulses. Add salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
• Make dough: In a small bowl, combine egg yolk, oil and 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water and whisk 1 minute. Place flour in a large bowl and make a well in center. Add a third of the egg mixture and lightly mix in with fingers or a fork. Repeat 2 more times. Using hands, fold dough together until soft: if crumbly, gently work in more water; if sticky, add flour. Transfer to a lightly floured board and knead 3 minutes. Form into a ball, transfer to a bowl and refrigerate 45 minutes.
• Lightly flour a work surface and a pan or board for the finished dumplings. Divide dough into 3 sections. Using a well-floured rolling pin, roll each section out until very thin and in a rough rectangle. Use tip of a sharp knife to cut dough into 1 1/2-inch squares.
• Drain any excess liquid from filling. Place 1/2 teaspoon filling in center of each square. Fold squares in half to form triangles, sealing filling inside. (If dough is becoming dry, lightly moisten fingertips to seal.) Pinch the 2 opposing corners together to seal tightly. Place on floured surface: do not stack. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
• In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook dumplings until they float, 2 to 4 minutes. Drain and serve in hot borscht, or just with sour cream.