To date, the idea of the churchhas changed a little, the temple is visited regularly by children, youth and the older generation. Particularly believing Christians observe all fasts, especially the fast before Christmas and Holy Pascha. Fasting involves abstinence from food of animal origin - it is milk, meat, eggs and all derived products from them. Before Christmas, it is customary to set the table twice: on January 6 - on Christmas Eve, the table must be lean, and on January 7 - for Christmas itself, it is already possible to cook dishes from eggs, milk and meat. Many adhere to the traditions and prepare 12 fast food for Christmas. The number 12 symbolizes the number of the apostles, there were just 12 of them. Someone believes that 12 fasting dishes for Christmas symbolize the number of days of Christmas presents - they are also 12.
What should be the dishes and how to diversifylean table? This question interests many mistresses, including me. For several years I "worked" a lean menu, and I will share with you the recipes that have been tested by me and my family.
If you think that there are very few fasting dishes, then you are mistaken, there are a lot of them. Here are the most interesting 12 lean dishes for Christmas.
1.For hot is perfect for lean solyanka with mushrooms. For her, we need mushrooms (in winter, of course, the choice is small, so I used fresh mushrooms, you can also take them dry), a small head of cabbage, one carrot, two onions, two or three salted cucumbers, a small potato, salt, greens, oil and pepper. So, put the water on the fire, while the water boils, fry mushrooms and onions. Cabbage, carrots, potatoes and pickled cucumbers are crushed. In boiling water alternately lower raw vegetables, give boil, then mushrooms, let's boil and before removing the hodgepodge from the fire, we add garlic, greens and vegetable oil. The first dish is ready.
2. For a snack, cook the vinaigrette.For him we will need boiled beets, carrots, potatoes, pickled cucumber, canned peas, greens and salt. Vegetables I cut with a small cube, cut the greens finely, then combine all the ingredients, salt, season with butter and the salad is ready. In a strict fast, you need to eat lean dishes without butter, so if the vinaigrette does not fill with oil, it can be served on the table on strict days.
3.The third dish on my table was a compote of dried fruits. First I bring the water to a boil, then add the sugar, bring it back to a boil and drop the dried fruits: raisins, dried apples, prunes and dried apricots.
4.The place of the second hot dish on my lean table is a vegetable stew. For its preparation, you can take any vegetables, I usually use potatoes, fresh tomatoes (if you can not buy, then tomato paste), zucchini, cabbage, carrots, bell peppers, onions, garlic, salt and vegetable oil to taste. I do not adhere to special rules in cooking, so shred all the vegetables, salt and carcass with the addition of a small amount of water. An hour later the stew is ready.
5.Very tasty are cooked cabbage rolls with mushrooms and potatoes. For cooking I take three large potatoes, 20 grams of mushrooms, a couple of large bulbs. Mushrooms and onions are fried, potatoes I rub on a large grater and combine them with mushrooms. Salt. Then the filling is wrapped in scalded leaves of cabbage and carcass on low heat until ready. To the table I serve with tomato sauce or pasta.
6. For a change, you can prepare a jellied of vegetables. I take any vegetables and fill them with a saline gelatin solution. An hour later, a mouth-watering jelly is ready.
7.On my table, I always put dumplings with potatoes. For this, I prepare the dough as a dumplings, only without eggs. As a filling I use mashed potatoes with fried onions. Then we make dumplings, boil them and serve them on a table with vegetable oil.
8. For dessert, I prepare the fruit jelly according to the principle of vegetable jellies. I cut the fruit, spread them on the glasses and pour this time with a sweet gelatin solution.
9. To get 12 fast dishes for Christmas, I put different pickles on the table, these are cucumbers "in Bulgarian", tomatoes are slices "in Czech", in general, everything that exists in the cellar.
10. I always serve potato puree with sauerkraut, which I prepare in advance.
11. The second dessert on the lean table will be baked apples with honey, nuts and dried fruits.
12. And, at the end, the twelfth dish will be pickled mushrooms, seasoned with garlic and green onions.
Thus it is obvious that the dishes of the Lent cuisine are very diverse both in taste and in appearance.
