Recipe(s): Belarusian Kotleta Pokvestyansky (Pork Chops) and Babka

We enjoyed another delicious meal along our virtual backpacking trek through Europe. This week, we are in Belarus, and the food did not disappoint! In Belarus, potatoes are king, and traditional Belarusian cuisine includes more than 300 potato-based dishes, and almost every Belarusian meal includes some type of potato dish. Today, we are enjoying porkchops in a mushroom sauce, and a very Belarusian and very delicious side dish - the Babka!

I've picked up the habit each week of turning on Spotify, and looking up a playlist of current hits in the country where I am virtually visiting while I am cooking our meal. I am finding it adds more fun and does more to transport me to our country of interest than I was expecting!

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BELARUSIAN KOTLETA POKRESTYANSKY (PORK CHOPS IN A MUSHROOM SAUCE)

Ready in: 35 Minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 4 Pork Chops

• 7 ounces / 200 grams Mushrooms, sliced

• 2 cloves Garlic, chopped

• 1 ounce / 28.3 grams Butter

• 1/2 cup / 119 milliliters Sherry Wine

• 1/2 cup / 119 milliliters Chicken or Pork Stock

• 1.5 teaspoons / 7.39 milliliters Cornstarch

• Salt

• Pepper

Directions:

1. Melt 1/2 the butter in a frying pan and add the mushrooms and garlic. Stir until the mushrooms shrink and soften.

2. Add the Sherry, Stock, and a little Salt and Pepper.

3. Add the Cornstarch.

4. Stir continuously.

5. Bring to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes.

6. In a separate pan, melt the rest of the Butter. Brown the Porkchops on both sides, then pour the sauce over the Porkchops.

7. Cover the pan and cook until the internal temperature of each Porkchop reaches 160 degress F.

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BELARUSIAN BABKA

Ready in: 1 Hour, 20 Minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 3 Potatoes, grated

• 1 Onion, chopped

• 1 3/4 ounces / 50 grams Bacon, diced

• 2 Eggs

• 1/2 teaspoon / 2.5 grams Flour

• 2 tablespoons / 28.3 grams Sour Cream

• Baking Grease

Directions:

1. Fry bacon with onions until translucent.

2. In a different pan, fry the grated potatoes for a few minutes.

3. Add the bacon and onions to the grated potatoes and stir in the flour and eggs.

4. Grease a baking dish and transfer the mixture to the baking dish.

5. Brush the top of the mixture with sour cream.

6. Bake at 350 degrees (F) / 177 degrees (C) for 45-60 minutes.

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We really enjoyed this meal! Let me know what you think!