According to the ancient Ukrainian folk tradition, the Supper on the Christmas Eve  (Holy Supper) gathers all the family. You can’t be late for supper and it’s very important. On this day our ancestors didn’t eat anything until the evening. And only with the first star, which, according to the biblical legends, means the good news of the Jesus Christ birth, the Ukrainians began a festive meal.

Besides, Holy supper falls on the last day of the Christmas (Pilipiv) feast, so, all the dishes  for the holiday are meatless. But in spite of this it is called “a rich supper”, because the table consists of 12 dishes .

       The main Christmas dish – Kutya

Ingredients:

250 ml (1 cup) wheat kernels, cleaned and picked over
1.5 – 2 litres (6-8 cups) water
60 ml (1/4 cup) honey, dissolved in 125 ml (1/2 cup) boiling water
60 ml (1/4 cup) poppy seed
60 ml (1/4 cup) chopped walnuts

Directions:

1. Spread the wheat on a baking sheet and place in a 120° C (250° F) oven to dry for anhour.

2. Wash the wheat in cold water and soak overnight.

3. The next day, bring 6 to 8 cups of water to a boil with a pinch of salt and simmer thewheat for 3 to 4 hours, until the kernels burst and the liquid has thickened.

4. Meanwhile, scald the poppy seed and drain it. Place in a small saucepan, cover againwith water and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. Drain, and put through a food grinder twice.

5. Combine the honey and boiling water. Stir the honey mixture, poppy seed and choppedwalnuts into the cooled wheat mixture. Refrigerate

6. Serve cold.

Ingredients:

• 3 – 4 medium-sized beets (including stems and leaves)
• 1 large bottle (1.8 Liters or 7-1/2 cups) Mott’s Clamato Juice – Extra Spicy or The Works
• 1 Liter (4 cups) chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
• 3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1/4 to 1/2 head green cabbage, finely chopped or shredded
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 can tomato soup
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh or frozen dill (if using dried dill, use less)

Directions:

1. Peel the beets and cut off the stems and leaves. Thoroughly wash the beet stems and leaves and chop them into 1” pieces. Add the stems and leaves to a large soup pot.
2. Use a food processor or a cheese grater to grate the beets and add them to the soup pot.
3. Add all of the other ingredients and heat the soup on medium high heat until it boils. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the borshch for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
4. Serve borshch with a dollop of sour cream or a swirl of whipping cream and a splash of vinegar.

Ingredients:

• 1 small container dried mushrooms (1 oz. variety pack of wild, woodear, or anything
else available; this will really improve the flavor and aroma of final mixture)
• 1 small container diced onions (about 5 oz) or equivalent in freshly chopped onion
• 2 packets McCormick mushroom gravy mix (or your own mix of seasonings to taste)
• 2 containers sliced button mushrooms (6 oz each)
• 2 containers sliced baby bella mushrooms (6 oz each)
• 2 container sliced shitaki mushrooms, or stir-fry mix (4-6 oz)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Reconstitute dried mushrooms (pour boiling water over them in bowl and soak for 2-5 minutes; arrange cheesecloth in a strainer and pour mushrooms and liquid through it into a bowl; rinse mushrooms under cool water, pat dry; liquid can be strained again through cheesecloth and reserved for another use like borshch – can be frozen too)
2. Chop onions more finely in food processor; saute in olive oil until golden in two pans
3. Process sliced mushrooms and reconstituted dried mushrooms in batches in food processor, and sauté in the two pans with the onions

4. Mushroom gravy mix can be added at beginning, with button mushrooms, and mixed in well (one packet to each pan); can be added at end too, but it thickens the mixture and absorbs the mushroom liquid better if added towards beginning
5. Cook mixture until no liquid is apparent
6. Season to taste, allow to cool

Use varenyk dough; cut in squares about 2×2”; fill with filling; fold dough over to make a triangle and seal (as varenyk); bring two corners in and seal tips against each other, to look like tortellini; two vushka can be intertwined to make a ‘shchastia’ (good luck) for whomever finds it in their borshch; cook, freeze, thaw as varenyky; serve in borshch.

 Ingredients:

3. Place the chopped cabbage at the bottom of the tilted pan with the grated potatoes, but do not incorporate into the potato mixture. The cabbage is there only to absorb the water, but not the starch. Let it all sit for a couple of minutes; if you strain off the remaining liquid, try and keep as much starch as possible.
4. Line the bottom of an enameled dutch oven or high sided skillet with aluminum foil.
5. Assemble your holubtsi, stuffing the large cabbage leaves with the potato onion mixture. Discard the chopped cabbage.

6. Place the holubtsi in the cooking vessel, packing them tightly in layers.Once you are done packing them in, press gently to extract any remaining liquid and drain it off.
7. Add enough veggie broth or tomato sauce to cover completely. Cover the pot and cook on the stove top on low heat  for 2-3 hrs, until cabbage is tender. DO NOT bake, this will dry them out

Ingridients

Cooking steps

Boil a glass of beans. Finely chop an onion, grate carrots. Pour oil into the frying pan, put onion and carrots. Then fry it a little bit, and after pour 2 tablespoons of flour and mix well. Fill up your dish with brewing from the beans and mix it again. Add cabbage and beans. Mix and pour tomato juice. Add a salt and stew, immediately stirring.