An Incomparable, Unforgettable Russian Dinner

We had the very good fortune of experiencing an unforgettable dinner last night at the sprawling but very homey estate of a Russian couple, very close friends of ours.

It was a perfect evening for al fresco dining, so for the appetizers part, we sat out in the custom-built  (personally designed by the owners) expansive patio which included a well-designed grill/barbecue/fireplace center, a nice gazebo, a sauna/Jacuzzi, and one of those so-called resistance swimming pools. A large dining table and super-comfortable sofas and chairs completed the picture. Amazing.

 A typical Russian meal starts out with a wide spread of appetizers, more than enough to fill you up well before the main dinner is served. And when we arrived, we found the table groaning with a dizzying array of appetizers, which included: caviar piled high on thickly-buttered pieces of bread or crackers; fat slices of delicately pickled herring eaten with pieces of expertly boiled and dill-sprinkled  potatoes and fat slices of onion; a creamy beet salad; spicy pickled cabbage tinted a tantalizing pink with beet juice; a casserole of meaty mushrooms baked in cheese; a smooth and flavorful paté; a hearty eggplant salad; a bowl of mixed olives and sun-dried tomatoes; another bowl of freshly pickled baby cucumbers; and yet another bowl of mixed nuts.Whew!

The appetizers were staggering to behold, but as soon as I took my very first bite (a mountain of caviar on a piece of buttered pumpernickel bread), I couldn't take my eyes off the rest of the dishes and I couldn't wait to sample each and every one of them.

All of this deliciousness was chased down with numerous sips of smooth Russian vodka, of course, and toast after toast after toast, a wonderful Russian trademark of their hospitality, which made for a very joyous and convivial evening. I shouldn't forget to mention that there was also a surprisingly delicious herb-infused vodka, and great choices of red or white wine.

  It was a challenge to keep reminding myself not to eat too much--after all, these were just the appetizers, but I easily succumbed as I didn’t want to miss out on anything, because every single dish was utterly delicious.

Finally, the time had come for the pièce de resistance—a rice-and-lamb dish called plov. We were told this was the traditional Uzbekistan version of this dish, which is popular in several Middle Eastern countries as well as some former Soviet republics like Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Georgia, to name a few (my Google search offered that at least Afghanistan, Italy, Greece, India, and Iran also have their own versions).

Uzbek plov differs from other preparations in that rice is not steamed, but instead simmered in a rich stew of meat and vegetables called zirvak until all liquid is absorbed into the rice. Plov is commonly prepared with lamb or mutton, browned in lamb fat (from a very specific part of the animal), and then stewed for several hours with fried onions and carrots. It is usually spiced with cumin, coriander, barberries and garlic, with the whole bulbs buried in the rice or liquid during cooking, although sweet variations, with dried apricots and raisins aren't unheard of.

All the time that we were leisurely stuffing ourselves with the appetizers, there was this wonderful aroma wafting from the grill/barbecue center, where the plov had been simmering in a large cast iron skillet over a wood fire. But then, we protest, albeit weakly  --  how could we eat anymore, after all those appetizers?

We moved inside the house to the elegant dining room to feast on the plov – and, boy, what a feast it was. When we thought we couldn’t eat anymore, each of us had a huge helping of the dish (some even had seconds!!). The plov was exceptionally flavorful, perfectly seasoned and perfectly cooked (congratulations to the chef!!), with the lamb pieces so tender you could slice them with your spoon, and each grain of rice was bursting with the flavor of the braising liquid which it had completely absorbed. The three whole garlic bulbs had been cooked tender, and the cloves were now coaxed out of their shells to garnish the top of the rice. Whew again! 

We rounded off the evening with a rich cake topped with fresh fruits, a gluten-free chocolate & nuts tart, and endless cups of a specially brewed, loose Japanese tea, which we hoped provided  a much-needed digestive support considering the amount of food, vodka, and wine that we all had shamelessly ingested.

It was truly an evening to remember, thanks to our generous friends who are, unfailingly, the perfect hosts. They wrote the rules on how to entertain impeccably.