I have seen a number of requests for vegetarian Lithuanian recipes but few sites that respond to this request. It's a pity because traditional Lithuanian cuisine lends itself so well to this category. For instance, all the Kucios dishes are a good place to start.

Throughout Lithuania's history, there have been many periods of hardship where meat was not always available. The Lithuanian people, being quite resourceful, simply adapted their recipes to suit the needs of the time. Consequently, there is a wealth of modified traditional Lithuanian dishes suited to the vegetarian cuisine.

Lithuania, consistinging largely of forrested areas, provides a wealth of different mushroom types. When I was small, I remember all my relatives knowing how to forrage for and use mushrooms as a delicious and suitable meat substitute.

The following recipes are traditional Lithuanian recipes adapted to be Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian recipes. The amounts are not very specific. I am still in the process of researching and adapting the traditional dishes to suit the vegetarian catgory. Hopefully, I have enough information to get everyone started while I continue to work on being more precise. If anyone tests these recipes and can help me out with refinement, please email me . I sure could use the help.

Saltibarsciai (Cold Beet Soup)

• Prepare an all-purpose vegetable broth by boiling assorted vegetables, herbs/spices (such as bay and peppercorns) in lightly salted water. Use celery and carrot tops, onion root ends, and other vegetables left over from preparing other dishes.
• Boil beets in broth until soft. Remove beets from water. Peel and grate the beets coarsely.
• Strain broth. Add vinegar, sugar and sour cream or buttermilk to the beet water. Adjust the amount of salt needed at this time. Return beets to the broth.
• Chill well.
• To serve, place chilled diced potatoes and diced, seeded cucumbers in soup bowls. Pour soup over the potatoes and cucumbers. Garnish with dill (fresh, chopped or dried).

Cepelinai (Filled Potato Dumplings)

• 10 raw peeled potatoes
• 6 peeled, boiled and mashed potatoes
• salt to taste

• 2 pounds mushrooms, finely chopped
2 onions, chopped
• 2 tablespoons Cooking oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• salt and pepper to taste

Bulviu Blynai (Potato Pancakes)

• 2 lbs. potatoes
• 1/4 cup potato starch (1/2 cup flour can be substituted)
• 1 small onion
• 2 eggs
• Salt, pepper
• Oil for frying

Traditionally, the potatoes are peeled and grated and the onion chopped fine. Then, the egg/salt/pepper are mixed in.
I use my blender. I have never peeled the potatoes or chopped the onions. I just cut them in chunks and throw them in the blender. To date, no one has who has eaten my blynai has noticed that I don't peel the potatoes or grate them with my fingers until the traditional drops of blood fall in the mixture! The choice is yours.

Once you have the batter prepared, heat your griddle or frying pan. Add a generous amount of cooking oil. Drop by spoons-full or pour pancake mixture on the hot griddle. Fry until golden on both sides.

Place cooked blynai on paper towels or newspaper briefly to absorb the excess grease. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and/or applesauce.

Kugelis (Potato Pudding)

Follow the above directions for preparing blynai batter with the addition of 1 cup milk and 1 teaspoon baking powder. I sometimes add a carrot or 2, just for color. Pour batter into a greased baking dish. Bake at 350 F for 45 minutes to one hour. Allow baked casserole to "set up" for about 15 minutes after removing from oven. Slice kugelis in squares or wedges and serve with a dollop of sour cream.

Misraine (Vegetable Salad)

• 4 cooked, diced potatoes
• 3 cooked, diced beets
• 3 cooked, diced carrots
• 1 small, chopped onion
• 2 chopped, hard boiled eggs
• 1 chopped pickle (or sub 1 tablespoon sweet relish)
• 1 cup cooked white beans
• 1 cup sour cream
• Season with sugar, salt and pepper to taste.

From the misraine's I have seen brought to Lithuanian club functions made by various women, I don't believe there are any hard and fast rules on the ingredients of this dish. I usually see misraine made in the fall or winter. I have seen any ingredient that is available around that time of year thrown in from diced apples to shredded cabbage. Even shredded radishes and frozen peas for added color. This is an "anything goes" dish.

Agurku (Cucumbers and Honey)

A traditional way of serving fresh cucumbers is to slice them thinly and serve them with a small dish of pure honey for dipping. Kind of the Lithuanian version of chips and dip... only lower in calories!

Saltanosiai (Cold Noses)

1. Use an inverted glass like a cookie cutter to cut the won-ton wrappers into rounds. Or, if you prefer, wrappers can be left square.
2. Place lightly salted water on the stove to boil while preparing the dumplings. Use enough water so the dumplings can move freely about without crowding, otherwise they will stick together.
3. Place about one teaspoon of berries in the center of the won-ton wrapper. Be careful not to use so many berries that they are likely to leak out during cooking. Place about one teaspoon of sugar on the berries.
4. Moisten the edges of the won-ton wrapper. Fold over the edges sealing well. If you used round wrappers, your dumplings will now be in half circles. If you used square wrappers, you will have triangular shaped dumplings. Repeat until won-ton wrappers or berries are used up.
5. Reduce the heat on the boiling water to a gentle simmer. Drop the dumplings in the hot water one at a time. To prevent the dumplings from sticking together, stir once around the pot with a wooden spoon. Do this only when necessary, as you do not want to break open the won-ton wrapper and have the filling leak out. Simmer gently about 5 minutes.
6. When done, remove dumplings from water using a slotted spoon. Drain well.
7. Using small serving bowls; place 2-3 dumplings in each bowl. Top the dumplings with a dollop of the sweetened cream.

Aguonu Pienas (Poppy Seed Milk)

• 1 cup poppy seeds
• 1 quart of water
• 1/2 cup sugar or honey (more or less to taste)

Pour boiling water over poppy seeds to cover. Let set for 4 hours. Drain. Process scalded poppy seeds in food processor, food mill or grinder. Pour the quart of boiled water over the processed poppy seeds. Add sugar and stir until sugar dissolves. Chill the milk. Can be served strained or unstrained.