Eastern European

The sauce for these cheese-based latkes, which are great for breakfast, can be made two days ahead. Be sure to serve the pancakes (enough for four people) as soon as they are made.

A hearty meal-in-a-bowl for blustery March days. Short ribs add flavor, while sliced cabbage contributes texture. At the end, the only things you need are a dash of vinegar and a dollop of sour cream.

Shullie Neumark of Rancho Palos Verdes, California, writes: "I like cooking but I'm a little bit impatient, which is why I make dishes that can be done ahead of time — and quickly. I hate being rushed before meals, especially when guests are on their way over. Those guests are usually good friends or members of our large family. Often I'll prepare some of the Russian and Lithuanian recipes passed down from my relatives." Shullie's lighter take on the classic dish features tomato sauce instead of sour cream.

Though the chips and purée can be served at room temperature, the caviar should be chilled, so assemble these hors d'oeuvres in batches as platters need replenishing.

You can also serve blini topped with salmon roe. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 2 1/2 hr

What to drink: Georg Breuer 1999 Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel Rüdesheim Berg Rottland.

The homey and hearty dishes of Louis Szathmáry—a splendidly mustached man who was the chef-owner of Chicago's well-known Hungarian restaurant The Bakery—are the inspiration for this dinner. Of course, chef Louis cooked using lots of butter and cream, but with just a touch of fat we've retained many of the same earthy flavors that he loved. Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 1‚ hr

Originally this dish consisted of topfenpalatschinken (Hungarian cheese crêpes) baked in a rich custard. This variation skips the time-consuming process of making blintzes. Double the recipe and bake in a 13-by-9-inch baking pan.

This rich red nectar may be eaten hot or cold. I serve it in a demitasse or other small cup. Scrub the beets well before cooking. Taste as you prepare the soup, because getting the right balance of sweet and sour is important.

Gulisa's Ajika This lively condiment goes nicely with grilled meats and fish as well as with pork stew.

This soup is from Russia and Poland.

Classic Hungarian chicken paprikash is reimagined as a bright pasta dinner, with ground chicken, aromatics, and a dollop of sour cream swirled in for richness.

A quicker version of Ukrainian holubtsi, with cabbage, pork, and rice—no rolling required.

This psychedelic purple sauce has all the earthiness and tang of sour-cream-topped borscht.

These stuffed buns start with a sour cream dough, then put frozen veggies toward the hearty filling.

These stuffed buns are everything frozen pizza pockets dream of being.