Cooking with Ruta’s Chef

Don't miss the recipes from Ruta at the bottom of this story!

Bringing people together around the table for celebration and conversation is welcome at home or in a restaurant.  However sometimes the dining experience provides the opportunity to learn more about the culture and cuisine – in essence, culinary diplomacy.

Throughout the District we’re fortunate to have restaurants with a wide range of cuisines — partly reflective of our population brought here by work at embassies, academic institutions attracting students from around the globe or the lure of our museums and cultural venues. On Capitol Hill, we see a microcosm of this diverse representation in restaurants from Asian to Middle Eastern, Italian to French and more recently Ukrainian, in Ruta near Eastern Market.

It was only a few years ago that Ruslan Falkov was working as the Chief of Staff for the Ukrainian Embassy in town and before that, serving as the special assistant to the Ukrainian President. His dedication to starting a Ukrainian restaurant here in the District is in line with seeing the Ukrainian culture amplified and preserved.

“The work we do at a restaurant such as Ruta is culinary diplomacy. The staff here, 90 percent of whom are Ukrainian or Ukrainian-American, are truly Ukrainian ambassadors – they can share stories, art, language and cuisine with the community here,” says Falkov.

Authentic Ingredients and Culture

The cuisine is prepared with attention to detail, especially when deciding what goes on the menu – always with an emphasis on authentic ingredients.

Ruta’s executive chef, Mykola Yudin came to Ruta as it launched on Capitol Hill in 2023 and six months later took over as executive chef. Over the years he had honed his craft as a prominent chef in several restaurants across Europe and the Ukraine, and says, “We stay true to the ingredients in the original recipes – things like sunflower oil  that we use in so much of our cooking is shipped from the Ukraine, and we are always looking for farmers and producers here who might have ingredients like sour cherries, something we use in many of our recipes.”

They’ve also ed the work of talented Ukrainian artists – seen on the dining room walls. The colorful and decorative folk-painting style, petrykivka, can also be found on the salt and pepper shakers. And recently, Ukrainian talents extended to the music, with a pop-up performance in Ruta’s dining room by the Slavic Chorale.

And while you probably won’t find a huge selection of Ukrainian cookbooks on the shelf of a local bookstore, Chef Yudin and Falkov are working on one that is representative of a culture and people, as well as delicious renditions of classics, some evolved to include their menu items like the “Chef’s Varenyky” – a nod to the DMV in this dish where dumplings are stuffed with crabmeat or using potato pancakes as a base for eggs benedict.

And it was through the efforts of many Ukrainian chefs to include Ukrainian borscht as part of the initiative of the Member States of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, consistent with UNESCO’s of populations affected by war. Now, Falkov and Yudin are working on getting Holubtsi recognized on the UNESCO list. (Holub translates to dove or a reflection of peace). “It’s a dish that’s both beautiful and approachable for a home cook to prepare,” says Falkov.

When asked what Ruta means, Falkov says it’s a yellow flower that, according to Ukranian legend, turns bright red on the Slavic summer solstice celebration, Ivana Kuala, in early July – and can be interpreted as an expression of love.

When I met with Chef Yudin, it was at the height of a very busy week with many international (including Ukrainian) delegations in town, some related to Prayer Week where they were hosting events. Below are recipes for a couple of delicious and iconic Ukrainian offerings.

Says Chef Yudin, “Smachnoho (enjoy your meal!)”

Ruta is located at 327 7th St .SE, 202-492-7986, www.rutadc.us/ruta-dc.

Ruta’s Mushroom Holubtsi (adapted)
Mushroom-stuffed Cabbage with Sour Cream 

Makes 10 rolls (5 servings)  

Ingredients 

One large head of cabbage
2 ¼ lbs white button mushrooms
1 pound shiitake mushrooms
½ pound shimeji (white beech) mushrooms
1 cup cooked jasmine rice
1-2 carrots
1 small onion
1 ½  teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 egg
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Whole Allspice
2 Bay Leaves

Chopped parsley for garnish
Sour cream (approximately ¾ cup for serving)
 

Preparation of Cabbage 

1. Bring a large stockpot of water with a couple of teaspoons of salt to a boil. 

1. Remove any damaged outer leaves from the head of cabbage (any that are wilted or have large tears). 

1. Carefully, cut out the cabbage core. 

1. Submerge the whole cabbage head in boiling water let cook for approximately 7 to 10 minutes, until the leaves become pliable but not fully cooked (about 60-70% cooked). 

1. Carefully remove the cabbage from the water and separate the leaves. 

1. Let the leaves cool and trim the thick base of each leaf to make them easier to roll. 

Preparation of Filling 

1. Preheat oven to 375°F  

1. If you don’t already have a cup of cooked rice, prepare your rice to package instructions. 

1. Slice the button and shiitake mushrooms and separate the shimeji mushrooms from each other. Mix all mushrooms together in a bowl, adding vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper. 

1. Spread mushrooms on a baking sheet and roast for approximately 10 to 15 minutes. 

1. Place mushrooms in a sieve, reserving any liquid. Chop the mushrooms into ¼-inch pieces. 

1. Peel and dice the onion into 1⁄4-inch pieces. Grate the carrot (use a coarse grater). 

1. Sauté the onion and grated carrot in a tablespoon or two of vegetable oil until the vegetables are soft and lightly golden. 

1. In a large bowl, combine the chopped mushrooms, sautéed onions and carrots, cooked rice, and the egg. Add ½ teaspoon salt, garlic powder and a couple of dashes of ground black pepper. Mix thoroughly and set aside. 

Assembly, Baking and Serving 

1. Lay a cabbage leaf flat on a board and place approximately ¼ cup of mushroom filling in bottom half of leaf.  

1. Fold in the sides and roll tightly into a compact log, ensuring the filling is completely enclosed to prevent any from leaking out during cooking. 

1. Arrange rolls tightly in a deep baking dish lined with parchment paper. 

1. Pour reserved mushroom broth over the cabbage rolls until fully covered. If you do not have enough broth, you can supplement with broth made from dried mushrooms or substitute some vegetable stock. 

1. Season the broth with whole allspice and bay leaves (add to the pan). 

1. Cover the dish with parchment paper and seal tightly with foil to trap the steam. 

1. Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until the cabbage is fully tender. 

1. Serve garnished with chopped parsley or microgreens and sour cream on the side. 

Ruta’s Syrnyky (adapted)
Farmer’s Cheese Pancakes  

Makes 10-12 pancakes (4 servings)  

Ingredients
Approximately a little more than a pound (or two cups) farmer’s cheese (tvorog in Ukrainian)
¼ cup semolina
1/3 cup all-purpose flour (for dusting and shaping)
¼ cup sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 to ½ cup vegetable oil (for frying)

Accompaniments: Fresh berries, fruit jam, sour cream 

Dough Preparation 

1. Mix farmer’s cheese, semolina, sugar, and vanilla extract in a medium-sized bowl. 

1. Stir will until a smooth and uniform consistency is achieved. 

1. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours (or preferably overnight). 

Shape Syrnyky 

1. Once the dough has rested, pinch off a couple of tablespoons. Roll dough in your hands to form ball-shaped dough. 

1. Place the balls on a lightly-floured surface.  

1. Flatten gently and shape into round patties about ½-inch thick using a spatula or knife to guide the shape.  

Cook and Serve 

1. Heat medium fry pan over low heat and add a small amount (tablespoon or two) of vegetable oil. 

1. Fry the syrnyky for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and crisp on the edges. 
2. Serve with fresh berries, jam and most importantly, sour cream. 

Annette Nielsen, a writer and food systems advisor, returned to Capitol Hill from New York where she served as the executive director of the Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center.