Baba recommend grass fed organic beef short rib, but you can use any kind you like.
When you finally get out from bed, melt Ukrainian Cocaine over medium heat in large stock pot or Dutch Oven. This ingredient also known as salo, pork or beef fat from credible source. Better animal is treated, better it taste. If organic beef is not in budget, at least buy organic fat. Big difference.
If salo smoke, give it stern lecture and start over.
Baba Law: Always better throw out cheaper ingredient to save taste for more expensive one.
Cut up rib in small section. Toss rib in pot. Flip around so it get nice brownie colour from salo. Take out from pot. Wait! Is not yet time to use finger.
Make two pile of rib.
Here is Baba incredible secret taste: throw kapusta (sauerkraut) in bottom of pot, then layer of onion.
Pour in boil water. Put one layer of rib on top, they be happy here.
Make second kapusta and onion layer, add clove, salt, pepper, apple slice and brown sugar. Not stupid diet-schmiet Aspartame; this give you real headache, not like one you pretend. Monk fruit sweetener is not so bad for you, but remember added Erythritol is poison for your pets!
Put rib on top. You see Baba intrepid scheme? As rib cook, juice flow down through two layer kapusta. Oy yoi yoi so delicious.
Apple slice take away acid taste from kapusta, so it turn sweet. Make sure to use home made or jar kind. Tin kapusta taste like old Russian sock. If you are brand new subscriber, I will send along my Fermented Kapusta recipe. Make sure my email is in your Contacts list so will not go to Spam folder! Ukrainiansoulfood(at)gmail.com
How to cook:
If you is instant type person, simmer on medium heat for 1-1.5 hour. Check on rib at 45 minute.
If you enjoy cooking that is like best kind of romance, cook all day on lowest heat. Turn down TV and check every hour to make sure is enough moisture. Add little bit boil water when necessary, and only when necessary. Also like love, don't interfere when things is going good.
Serve with side dish of vegetable nalysnyky, crepe. Chapter Four in Baba's Kitchen: Ukrainian Soul Food is dedicated to crepe and pancake.
Choose Mushroom Filling, page 57. Following book direction, throw more kind of attractive veggie in pan with butter and smetana (sour cream). For example: hothouse pepper, spinach, onion or leek.
Ingredients:
-Organic beef short rib, 3 lb. Maybe butcher will cut in small section. Tell him Baba sent you.
-Kapusta, 4 cup
-Medium onion
-Whole clove, 4
-Salt, 1 tsp.
-Coarse black pepper, good shake
-Salo, as much will cover your size pot bottom
-Apple, one small, sliced
-Brown sugar, 1 tbsp.
Optional: bay leaf, 2
Crepes:
As in Baba's Kitchen, with mushroom filling.
Nutrition note: Reserve half of kapusta at room temperature to preserve probiotic and good vitamin that cooking deplete. Mix together just before serve. You want to strike balance between incredible taste and creating strong lover.
Smachnoho!
Eat like crazy!
