This is a recipe I’ve cooked with students for several years in my Comrades in the Kitchen course and the version we prepared a few weeks ago was one of the best ever and inspires this post. “Kotlety” might be translated as “cutlets,” but a more accurate rendition would be “patties,” and they have a storied history in Soviet food culture–and a connection to the iconic American dish, the hamburger (for more of this story see Community Meal Meatloaf.)
Ingredients
1 lb. lentils
2 cups buckwheat groats
1 oz. dried porcini mushroom pieces
2 lbs. carrots
1.5 lbs green beans
2 large yellow onions
1 red onion
1 lb. musrooms
1 bulb garlic
1 bunch Italian parsley
1/2 oz dill (fresh or frozen)
4 eggs
1 15 oz can of Italian seasoning bread crumbs
1 15 oz can plain bread crumbs
6 oz French fried onions
2 tblsp onion powder
2 tblsp paprika
1-2 tblsp pepper
2-3 tblsp salt
Recipe
Prepare lentils according to package directions.
Place mushrooms in 3 to 3.5 cups water, along with rinsed buckwheat groats and 1.5 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil and then simmer on low until buckwheat is tender.
Prepare зажарка (zazharka–the Russian version of a sofrito): peel and grate carrots, trim and chop green beans, dice onions and mushrooms, adding each to a large saucepan with 2-3 tablespoons olive oil. Season liberally with salt and pepper, and saute all together until almost browned. Add minced garlic a minute or two before you turn off the heat. Let cool.
Combine lentils and buckwheat in large bowl, and stir in the zazharka and blend, adding bread crumbs, French fried onions, fresh dill, and remaining seasoning. Finally, add eggs and mix to combine until mixture forms into patties. Roll in seasoned bread crumbs, spray or brush with olive or avocado oil, place on parchment paper.
Bake in convection oven at 375 degrees for 15 minutes, turn and finish, 10-15 minutes, taking care not to let them get too browned. (You could also fry the kotlety in oil, but I prefer a more low calorie option.) Serve with mashed potatoes and dill pickle spears.
FoodIowa 