Immigrant influences on our food
Pierogi and blueberries showcase some of country’s diverse tastes
In this third and final instalment of Eat Over Canada, our series celebrating the nation’s culinary bounty in the run-up to our July 1 sesquicentennial, we turn our attention to one of Canada’s many immigrant groups and one of our most luscious natural products.
Our country is home to more than 1.2 million Ukrainian-Canadians, the world’s third largest Ukrainian population after Ukraine and Russia. They farmed and brought dill, poppyseed, buckwheat, spinach, horseradish and sunflowers to the Prairies.
When I visited Ukraine a few years ago, our group had dinner at a private home where we were served pierogi. They reminded me of a similar curvaceous dumpling I had tasted in Saskatoon when I attended Canola Camp. It turned out our hosts had moved from Saskatchewan to Ukraine.
This pierogi recipe comes from chef David Robertson, who learned to make them as a kid in North Vancouver. You will find his pierogi in the freezer at his Dirty Apron Cooking School & Deli in the fall.
As for natural bounty, Canada is the world’s largest producer of wild blueberries, a favourite among Canada’s First Nations. British Columbia grows 93 per cent of cultivated blueberries but they can also be found in Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia. I’m sharing a recipe for Blueberry Buckle that uses berries in both the batter and the streusel topping.
Pierogi with Dill Sour Cream
The key to great pierogi is the dough, and this dough recipe is very approachable. (Adapted from The Dirty Apron Cookbook by David Robertson, Figure 1 Publishing)
Makes: 16 to 20, 4 to 6 servings
Pierogi dough
2 cups (500 mL) all-purpose flour
½ tsp (2 mL) salt 1 large egg, well beaten
½ cup (125 mL) sour cream
¼ cup (60 mL) butter, cut into small pieces and softened
Caramelized onions
1 tbsp (15 mL) butter
1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
2 onions, sliced
Potato-onion filling
3 russet potatoes, peeled, boiled and mashed
½ cup (125 mL) heavy cream
3 tbsp (45 mL) butter, plus more for frying pierogi Caramelized onions (see above)
1 cup (250 mL) grated Gruyère cheese
Dill sour cream
1/3 cup (75 mL) chopped fresh dill
½ cup (125 mL) sour cream
1 tbsp (15 mL) lemon juice
To make the dough, whisk the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the egg, sour cream and butter, and stir to combine. Gently knead the dough on a well-floured surface, taking care not to overwork it. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour, or up to 2 days.
To caramelize onions, heat butter and oil in a large sauté pan over low heat. Add onions and cook, stirring often, until dark brown, about 10 minutes.
To make filling, place all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Set aside to cool completely.
To prepare sour cream, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.
To make pierogi, divide the chilled dough into four equal portions and roll out each on a floured surface to form a rectangle about 10 inches (25 cm) long, 2½ inches (6.3 cm) wide and 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick. (If you have a pasta machine, you may use it to roll out the dough following manufacturer’s instructions.)
Lightly brush one dough rectangle with water. Drop tablespoonfuls of filling onto the bottom half of the dough, leaving 1 inch between each mound. Fold the top half of the dough over the filling, pinching out any air pockets. Press the edges of the dough together.
Using a 2-inch (5-cm) round cookie cutter (or the rim of a glass), cut out the pierogi. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the pierogi a few at a time and boil until they float to the top, 2 to 3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a colander to drain.
While the pierogi cook, place a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in 2 tbsp (30 mL) butter and allow it to melt. Add the drained pierogi and fry until golden, about 2 minutes per side.
Serve immediately with dill sour cream.
Blueberry Buckle
You can use wild or cultivated blueberries in this dessert, which is listed in the Canadian Oxford Dictionary as a Maritime Canadianism.
Makes: 12 servings Streusel topping
½ cup (125 mL) sugar
1 cup (250 mL) flour
¼ tsp (1 mL) salt
¾ tsp (3 mL) cinnamon
¼ cup (60 mL) cold butter, cut in cubes
Buckle batter
1½ cups (375 mL) all-purpose flour
2 tsp (10 mL) baking powder
½ tsp (2 mL) salt
½ cup (125 mL) sugar plus
2 teaspoons (10 mL) for berries
¼ cup (60 mL) butter, at room temperature
2 eggs
1 tsp (5 mL) pure vanilla
½ cup (125 mL) milk
4 cups (1L) fresh blueberries
To make the streusel, combine the sugar, flour, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Using your fingers, rub in butter until crumbly. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C). Lightly butter an 8-9 inch (20-23 cm) square pan.
To make the batter, in a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the baking soda and salt. Set aside 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of the flour mixture for coating the berries. In a large bowl, beat the ½ cup (125 mL) sugar with the butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the milk.
Toss half the blueberries with the reserved flour mixture and fold into batter. Spread in prepared pan. Toss remaining blueberries with 2 tsp (10 mL) sugar and spread over top. Sprinkle with reserved streusel topping and bake for about 45 minutes.
Set on a rack to cool slightly. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.