1. Kamchatka crab
The red king crab is a Bering Sea native that can be found around the Kamchatka Peninsula in eastern Russia.
2. Borscht
Technically, this soup is made with meat stock and vegetables, and it has a sweet-sour flavour. Borscht is most commonly associated with beetroot, but there are also versions based on white cabbage and greens like sorrel. It’s served with smetana, a soured cream.
3. Pelmeni
A traditional dumpling dish made by encasing minced meat, onion, and garlic in a thin dough and boiling until cooked through.
4. Blini
These well-known little pancakes are round and thin and can be made with a variety of flours, but most commonly wheat. They’re most famous with black or red caviar, but you can also try them with soured cream (smetana), jam, or condensed milk in Russia.
5. Black Sea barabulka
The Russian name “barabulka” is similar to both Turkish barbunya and the Italian word barbone, meaning “big beard”. These goatfish relatives are known as red mullet in English. Try them baked in the oven or fried.
Russia
6. Kvass
This traditional Slavic and Baltic beverage is commonly made from rye bread or black bread, which imparts a dark colour to the drink. It’s fermented and mildly alcoholic, but it’s classified as a non-alcoholic beverage in Russia. It’s also available in fruit flavours.
7. Varenie
Varenie or varenye is used in the same way as jam, pie fillings, and desserts, but is made differently and has a different consistency. Sugar is added to softer fruits like berries and stone fruits, and the fruit is macerated until the sugar dissolves and a syrup forms, which is then briefly heated.
8. Sirniki
In Russia, these are known as syrnyky or tvorozhniki, and they are fried pancakes made with a base of tvorog (quark), flour, eggs, and sugar, and vanilla extract.
9. Vinegret
Russian vinegret is a salad that consists of diced cooked beets, potatoes, carrots, and onions. It typically has a vinaigrette dressing and is flavoured with a sharp, vinegary element from the addition of sauerkraut and/or brined pickles.
10. Okroshka
Cold soup made with raw cucumbers, radishes, and spring onions, boiled potatoes, boiled eggs, and cooked meat.