Skoblyanka

Skoblyanka



This traditional Russian peasant recipe was shared with me by my friend, Vlacheslav Gonchar, who is a chef living in Astrakhan, on the Wolga River. Here is what he had to say about it:

Slava wrote: This is a simple, hearty dish of meat (from different types) with potatoes. The meat is partially frozen, so that it can be finely "scraped," which gives the dish its name.

I was pretty enthusiastic about the idea, so I did a little reading up on Skoblyanka, and found some very nice information:

In Russian cuisine, Skoblyanka has been a traditional dish that requires a comparatively short period of time to prepare. Its name derives from the verb "скоблить" (skoblit), which is “to scrape,” in accordance with the technique of preparing the meats, which should be cut in thin slices, not more than a few millimeters thick. To perform this procedure precisely, it’s better to use a piece of meat from a freezer, but not yet completely thawed. For cooks who do not want to wait until the meat is defrosted, this dish is a great choice. The Southern Urals claim to be Skoblyanka’s birthplace, where it’s also named “Cossack roast meat.” Initially, it was popular among Ural Cossacks, but later it spread geographically and socially, and the recipe became famous in other regions and became a popular peasant dish. The meat component differed not only from region to region, but even from household to household. The most common meat ingredients are beef and pork, but chicken and duck were also used. Areas with large bodies of water tend to use fish instead of meat, and in Far Eastern cuisine there appeared a more exotic recipe with sea cucumbers. Combining different sorts of meat was also a feature of Skoblyanka, which helped demonstrate a household’s wealth and provide a dish with various shades of taste.... Skoblyanka is a tender and nutritious delight that combines the functions of main and side dishes. The recipe gives the opportunity to experiment with ingredients, so feel free to choose those that you enjoy most! https://www.rbth.com/russian_kitchen/2017/05/10/skoblyanka-feast-on-roasted-meats-like-a-real-cossack_760221

Here is my friend Slava's recipe for Skoblyanka:

Skoblyanka There are many variants of this recipe; I am sending a beloved version in our family, with pork and beef: 200g Beef roast partially frozen 200g Pork neck, partially frozen 600g Potatoes, peeled and cut into bars 1 Large carrot, scraped and diced 2 Cloves of garlic, minced 100g Butter 1 tablespoon Sweet French mustard, with grains 100 to 150ml Light cream (10% or to taste) Greens (parsley, dill or green onions), to taste Salt and pepper, to taste Meat should be partially frozen. Finely shave the beef. Place on a heated frying pan and add half of the total amount of butter. Fry for about 10 minutes under the lid. Add finely-chopped pork, stir and fry together for another 10 minutes. In the frying pan, add half of the chopped garlic (1 clove) and the carrot, cut into cubes. Stir and fry under the lid. After the carrot has become soft, salt the mixture and put it aside under the lid. Potatoes are cut into bars, dried and fried in the second half of the butter. When the potatoes are soft, add the other half of the garlic to the potatoes. Add the potatoes to the meat mixture and combine thoroughly. For the sauce, add French mustard and cream. (Cream can be used fatter, according to your taste). Use an amount of cream so that the ingredients do not float in them. Stew everything together under the lid for 5-7 minutes. Do not allow the cream to boil and curdle. Salt and pepper to taste. The Skoblyanka is ready! Decorate the meat dish with greens and serve hot. Enjoy your meal!

It looks wonderful, especially as we start experiencing the cold months that are found in the Northern Hemisphere: simple, filling and delicious! This dish greatly appeals to my love of peasant food, and I am eager to try it!

Hello, Margi -

My apologies, that should have been 2 cloves of garlic, not 20!

Thank you for pointing that out - I have made the correction!

Ron

Margi, it probably doesn't need saying, but just in case: I would start by fileting the breast meat off the bones. Debone the legs and thighs as well, if you're using them. Then partially freeze the meat and slice it paper-thin, working, as Ron suggests, across the grain.

Depending on their width, you might want to slice the strips longitudinally as well.

Yes indeed- very, very thin slices, across the grain, as Brook suggests.

Remember, the root word of Skoblyanka is the verb "скоблить" (skoblit), which is “to scrape.”