Guest Post-Beet Leaf Buns

Thanks again to Leslie ( and her friend Jennifer) for this very special recipe and blog post.


Food can evoke some powerful memories and allow us to share time with special people in many ways, even if they are not with us.


Blessings,
Linda

Beet Leaf Buns

This past summer I saw a posting on Facebook (yes facebook) by a friend of mine, Jennifer, about how she was going to make Beet Leaf Buns. I was instantly intrigued as I had never heard of Beet Leaf Buns so I sent Jen a message. Turns out her Baba (Grandma) made these all the time when Jen was growing up. At the time of our chat about these buns Jen explained that her Baba had had Alzheimer’s disease for awhile and in the last few years it had progressed significantly and as a result Jen was becoming quite nostalgic, hence her trying to make them on her own. Coming from a part Ukrainian family like Jen, I was surprised that I had never heard of the buns. After inquiring with my mom and aunts they too had never heard of them before. Well after many batches this has now become a new tradition for my family. Thanks Jen for sharing your family’s tradition with me! I hope other people enjoy this recipe as much as my family does. 

This recipe is a combination of a few different ones that can be found online. Now Jen told me her Baba never made the sour cream sauce but she did fry chopped green onions in “skads” of butter and drizzled it over the buns and then tossed it all to make sure everything got a nice light coating. The choice is yours as both ways taste great! 

This blog post is in memory of Verna Serhienko (Jen’s Baba) who passed away on November 1, 2011. 

Ingredients

Raised bread dough (make your own or buy it ready made) 

Beet Leaves 

Sour Cream 

Onion powder 

Garlic powder

Fresh dill

Butter 

Salt & Pepper 

Wash and dry beet leaves. 

Mix together approximately 1 cup of sour cream with onion powder, garlic powder, dill, and salt & pepper to taste.  Set aside. 

Grease a round roaster or large casserole dish with butter. Cut off small pieces of bread dough (about the size of a walnut) and wrap each in a beet leaf, rolling loosely. If leaves are very small, use 2 or 3 per bun. Place in the pan. Place the rolls tightly together. 

After you have laid the first layer, spread a few “small specks” of butter here and there and then slather with some of the sour cream mixture. 

Lay the next layer on top, and finish with more butter and sour cream mixture. 

Let sit for about 40 minutes, or until bread dough doubles in size. Place in a 350C oven and bake for 45 minutes to an hour (or until bread is baked and getting golden on top) 

Serve with extra sour cream mixture for dipping.