Salt & Time, Alissa Timoshkina

Subtitled Recipes from a Russian Kitchen, Salt & Time is dedicated to Alissa’s great-grandma who showed her that the act of feeding is the act of true love.

Salt & Time

Alissa was born in Siberia and her background is of a mixed heritage. The food of the region reflects this as it is a melting pot of culinary traditions (quoted). Some of the pantry ingredients were familiar to me, and others I cannot get in South Africa. Sea Buckthorn is one of them that I shall have to try and find in the UK. This of course limits the recipes one can make as authentically as possible.

Chapters are divided into:

• Starters, Sides & Salads
• Soups
• Main Dishes
• Pickles & Ferments
• Desserts
• Drinks

Recipes that caught my eye:

• Courgette Dip (p23)
• Cured Fish (p27)
• Buckwheat Vinegret Salad (p34)
• Olivier Salad (p59)
• Kholodets (p61)
• A Mushroom Broth with an Asian Touch (p79)
• Potato & Caviar Soup (p80)
• Mushroom & Buckwheat Risotto (p108)
• Aubergine Matzo Bake (p111)
• Millet Risotto with Pancetta & Sage Butter (p116)
• Squid Poached in Smetana Sauce (p122)
• Siberian Pelmeni Dumplings (p140)
• Fermented Cucumbers (p152)
• Khrenovina (p158)
• Red Sauerkraut with Garlic & Chilli (p159)
• Semolina Cake (p179)
• Blini with Curd & Apricots (p184)
• Zephyrs (p192)
• Napoleon Cake (p214)
• Persimmon Bellini (p228)

My verdict:

I loved the story behind the recipes and find it so interesting to learn more about a cuisine and a culture. Knowing some of the ingredients would not be easily available, or interchangeable, I read the recipes first before selecting any. Only once I had read the recipe did I decide whether or not it caught my eye. In one recipe, the method states place all ingredients in a large pan, but use only 1 carrot and 1 onion to begin with. I never usually read a recipe from start to finish and find this sort of methodology is not quite precise enough. Many recipes refer to other recipes so there is a lot of page turning to be done. Thankfully there is a bookmark to make this easier. To me, the only recipe ‘missing’ from this collection is one for Russian rye bread.

What I made:

I had people over for dinner and made the Potato & Caviar Soup, substituting the caviar with capers. Everyone at the table commented on how good it was. And one guest even went back for seconds. This recipe made enough for 8 people, with generous servings. I also baked the Semolina Cake which was perfect when served with poached fruit and the poaching syrup.

Publishing information:

ISBN: 9781784725389

Disclosure: I was sent Salt & Time to review by Jonathan Ball Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. This post is in line with my blogging policy.

Inspiration published on Lavender and Lime June 26:

• • 2017 – Farro Salad
  • 2016 – The Gangster
  • 2015 – Out And About: Friday 26 June 2015
  • 2014 – Dried Plum And Almond Rusks
  • 2013 – Osteria Francescana
  • 2011 – Friday’s Food Quiz Number 57

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