GURYEV KASHA

In Slavic & Baltic countries, porridge is made with nearly every kind of grain and the (Russian) word to describe this healthy meal is kasha. Today's post is dedicated to Guryev kasha that was created in the 1810s.

 

 

What is kasha?

Kasha has been consumed by poor and rich alike since time immemorial. It's principally a semi-liquid dish, whose consistency ranges from thin gruel to mush. However, there are recipes for kasha that yield a pudding dense enough to serve with a cake knife.

 

The most popular kasha is made with groats of buckwheat. Buckwheat is not a cereal and therefore recommended to people with food intolerances. It belongs to the same family as rhubarb and yields a nutty flavor that you will either love or hate. In Russia & Poland, buckwheat kasha is a staple food at every hour of the day. As side dish, it has the texture of cooked bulgur. Millet, semolina and oatmeal kashas with the consistency of porridge are typically served for breakfast or dessert. The Polish also like kasha with pearl barley and the Czech with mushed potato or legumes. In the sweet versions, groats are cooked with milk and sugar.

 

A Boyar Wedding Feast - K. Makovsky, 1883

 

 

'Guryevskaya kasha'

Russian culinary history is divided into four periods: the Middle Ages, Peter the Great's reign, the 18th to early 19th century, and the years between 1864 and 1917. The European influence became apparent during the second period and culminated in the first quarter of the 19th century. Sophisticated dishes originally created for emperors and noblemen were later re-invented by pastrymakers and confectioners or dutifully adapted for the housewife by popular cookbook authors -that's how we get to know the ingredients and method of preparation. A lot of these recipes were named after historic figures. Alexander and Napoleon cakes, beef Stroganoff, Charlotte russe, Nesselrode pudding and Guryev kasha, for example, all paid tribute to Alexander I of Russia as well as his friends and enemies.

 

Guryev kasha was a layered dessert similar to, but much more complex than, our favorite English trifle. A quantity of milk or cream was baked in the oven and the skins that formed on top were used for separating the pudding layers. Best-selling cookbook A Gift to Young Housewives or Molokhovets (1861) includes a recipe for Guryev kasha that must be close to the original. It uses more sugar and less fruit than newer versions, and huge amounts of nuts.

 

 

The people behind the name

Dmitry Alexandrovich Guryev (1751-1825) was of poor but noble background. He served in the imperial army with great success until 1785, the year of his marriage to a countess. From then on, he pursued a career in the royal household, entering the immediate circle of the Prince. When Alexander became tsar, he appointed Guryev as member of the State Council and later the Privy Council. At the time of Napoleon's defeat in 1812, Guryev was head of two ministries -including that of Finance- and very powerful. He was also very sociable. He liked holding dinners and several gourmet recipes were named after him. The kasha featured in today's post was developed by Zakhar Kuzmin, chef to a major of the dragoons that Guryev once visited. Another story claims that Guryev developed the recipe himself. Whatever the case, the minister was greatly pleased with Kuzmin's dishes and soon invited the man to work at Guryev Hall. 

 

Incidentally, Alexander III (great nephew of the first Alexander) was being served 'Guryevskaya kasha' when his train was derailed at Borki on 17/29 October 1888. Instead of eating his favorite dessert, the Tsar was obliged to hold the broken carriage roof on his shoulders in order for his children to get out! It's not known whether Alexander III's love for Guryev pudding remained the same after that.

GURYEV KASHA

The following version is slightly adapted from the work by Elena Molokhovets. The quantities are the same, except for nuts that I reduced by more than half. This lovely blog also suggests caramelizing the almonds. The pictured kasha consists of two layers of pudding with a thin layer of nuts between. Whole fruit jam is used for topping but if you need a second layer of fruit (or jam) in the middle, it's a good idea to use less sugar in the pudding.

 

I n g r e d i e n t s

600ml heavy cream

for the pudding:

500ml whole milk

170g finely-ground semolina

170g caster sugar

30g butter

1/2 tsp vanilla sugar

a pinch of salt

for the filling & decoration:

150g almonds

150g berry jam

M e t h o d

1. Place the cream in a small baking dish. Bake in a hot oven until a brownish skin forms on top. Remove with a skimmer and place on a dish. 2. Keep baking the cream until you have 4-5 milk skins. 3. For the pudding: Combine the semolina, sugar, vanilla and salt in a heavy-bottomed pan, adding the milk little by little. Cook gently, stirring well, until the mixture bubbles. 4. Mix in the butter and remaining cream and set aside. 5. For the filling & decoration: Blanch, roast & chop the almonds. Lightly warm the jam. 6. Homogenize the pudding with an immersion blender. If liked, blend in the milk skins. 7. To assemble: Spread half of the pudding in a small buttered ovenproof glass pan. Cover with 2 milk skins (if using them whole) and half of the chopped nuts. 8. Repeat the process once, finishing with the jam. Then heat in a moderate oven for 15-20 minutes. Serve preferably warm.

 

V a r i a t i o n s

Use only milk or cream. Make the pudding thin by cutting down on semolina. Reduce the sugar by half. Increase the pudding layers. Double the quantity of nuts. Serve with apricot purée.