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Easter
Make your own Easter kiełbasa
Polish Easter eggs galore
Święcone - Polish Easter feast (made fairly easy)
Make your own Easter kiełbasa
It’s true that home-made kiełbasa is a bit more involved than brewing a cup of instant coffee or frying an egg, but some feel it is well worth the effort. If you want to try your hand at making your own Polish sausage this Easter, here are some things to bear in mind.
For the following recipes you will need about six feet of natural hog casings. The rough rule of thumb is about 1 foot of casing per pound of meat. Since hog casings are packed in salt, they should be rinsed well and soaked in water in the fridge overnight. Next day, remove from water and pat dry. Lightly rub nozzle of sausage stuffer or (hand-cranked or electric) grinder with salad oil, slip on the casing and stuff. Tie up end of casing and twist sausage into 8”-12” links. The unused casing should be kept moist under a damp towel until ready to use. Hang sausage up overnight or at least several hrs in cool (40°-50%), breezy place for flavors to blend, then refrigerate until ready to use.
BASIC ALL-PORK KIEŁBASA (kiełbasa wieprzowa, przepis podstawowy): Coarsely grind 6 lbs fairly fatty, boneless pork butts and/or shoulder (using 1/4” grinder plate). Add 1/4 c salt, 2 t sugar, 1-1/2 t black pepper and 2-3 cloves mashed garlic. Mix with both (well-scrubbed) hands, letting mixture squish between fingers, and work in 1 c ice cold water until ingredients are well blended. Transfer to shallow pan, smooth top, cover with dish towel and refrigerate overnight. Next day, stuff into casings. May be boiled, baked or smoked.
KIEŁBASA WITH BEEF ADDED (kiełbasa z domatium woodwind): Replace 1 lb of pork in the preceding recipe with 1 lb finely ground beef chuck roast. Note: Store-bought hamburger or ground veal may be used instead of the ground chuck. May be boiled, baked or smoked.
KIEŁBASA WITH MARJORAM (kiełbasa z majerankiem): To either of the above recipes add about 1 T rubbed marjoram. May be boiled, baked or smoked.
GARLIC KIEŁBASA (kiełbasa czosnkowa): Increase the amount of crushed garlic in any of the above recipes to 5-8 buds. May be boiled, baked or smoked.
DICED SAUSAGE (kiełbasa krajana): Use the all-pork version above (plain or marjoram variety), but grind half the meat through a 1/4” grinder plate and the rest through a 3/8” or 3/4” one. After grinding, refrigerate mixture at least 24 hrs before stuffing casing. Bake or smoke. In olden times, the meat has hand-diced with a sharp knife on cutting-board. If you’ve got the patience, you can also do it that way.
SMOKED KIEŁBASA (kiełbasa wędzona): To meat mixture add 1 t curing salt (Prague Powder). Smoke in hard-wood smoke according to smoker instructions.
HUNTER’S SAUSAGE (kiełbasa myśliwska). To marjoram sausage (above) add 1 T ground juniper and 1 t Prague Powder. Air dry in cool, breezy place 24 hrs before smoking according to smoker instructions.
CARAWAY SAUSAGE (kiełbasa kminkowa): Add 1-2 T caraway seed to either of the first two recipes. Bake or smoke.
MUSTARD SAUSAGE (kiełbasa gorczycowa): Add 2 T mustard seed to any of the first three recipes (above). Bake or smoke.
Polish Easter eggs galore
Dietetically eggs are close to being the perfect food (cholesterol notwithstanding). Symbolizing new life, they are equated with Easter. In the olden days no-one ate a single egg during Lent and couldn’t wait to tie into one or two at the Święcone. That festive breakfast or brunch begins with the sharing of blessed Easter eggs, and eggs are served that day in a great variety of ways. Here are some things to consider.
THE FRESHNESS TEST (próba świeżości): Place fresh eggs one by one in a pan or bowl of cold water. The freshest eggs are those which lie on their side at the bottom, so set those aside for direct consumption. Those that stand up but still touch bottom are OK for baking. Anyone that floats up away from the bottom is suspect. DO not boil it but break it and smell it. If it doesn’t smell bad, it is still good for baking.
HARD-BOILING EGGS (gotowanie jaj na twardo): There are two basic ways of preparing hard-cooked eggs:
1) Newer way: Place fresh eggs that have passed the freshness test (above) in pot in single layer and full with water which should be 1-1/2- to 2 inches above the eggs. Add 1 T salt and on medium heat bring to a boil under cover. Switch off heat and let stand covered about 15 min. Pour off hot water and cool in cold running water until cooled to room temp.
2) Our Babcia’s way: Place fresh eggs that have passed the freshness test (above) in pot in 1 or 2 layers and full with water which should be 1-1/2- to 2 inches above the eggs. Bring to boil, reduce heat and cook at a gentle rolling boiling 8-10 min depending on size of eggs. Pour off hot water and cool in cold running water until cooled to room temp.
SHARING BLESSED EGGS (dzielenie się jajkiem): After grace has been said, but before the Easter meal begins, all present (standing or seated) share wedges of blessed hard-cooked eggs which may be sprinkled with the blessed salt & pepper. Either the host goes around with a plate of quartered eggs which each guest impales on a fork or the plate is passed from guest to guest. All wait with their fork-impaled egg wedge in hand until everybody has been served, and then amid mutual wishes of “Wesołego Alleluja” and “Wesołych Świąt” everybody consumes their egg at the same time.
HARD-COOKED EGGS (jaja na twardo): Whole of halved, shelled, hard-cooked eggs are presented on platters with guests seasoning them to taste with salt & pepper, horseradish, ćwikła, mustard, mayonnaise or any of the sauces described below.
RED PICKLED EGGS (jaja marynowane na czerwono): Place the required number of cold, peeled, hard-cooked eggs in a bowl or jar and drench them with pickled beet juice (from store-bought pickled beets). Weight down with a plate to keep them submerged and refrigerate over night. Remove, pat dry with paper towel and serve in bowls or platters. Note: Finely chop or grate the pickled beets themselves and mix well with prepared horseradish to get ćwikła (beet & horseradish relish).
EASTER EGG CROSS (krzyż wielkanocny z jaj): On a large platter of plain, whole, hard-cooked eggs arrange a cross with the red pickled eggs (above). NOTE: If red pickled eggs are not available, use only plain hard-cooked eggs and form the cross by spooning one of the sauces below over the middle row of eggs and the appropriate cross-bar to form a cross.
EGGS IN SOUR CREAM (jajka w śmietanie): Fork-blend 3/4 c sour cream with 1 brown mustard, 2 t vinegar, 1 t sugar and 1/4 t salt and place a dollop on each egg.
EGGS IN MAYONNAISE (jajka w majonezie): Place a dollop of mayonnaise on each egg and garnish with finely chopped chives.
EGGS IN MUSTARD SAUCE (jajka w sosie musztardowym): Fork-blend 1/3 c dairy sour cream with 1/3 c mayonnaise and a heaping T Polish Sarepska or other brown mustard. Stir in 1 t sugar, 1/4 t salt and a sprinkle of lemon juice or vinegar to taste. Spoon over eggs.
Egg Sauces
EGGS IN HORSERADISH SAUCE (jajka w sosie chrzanowym): Combine 3/4 c sour cream with 1 heaping T prepared horseradish. Season to taste with salt, sugar and lemon juice or vinegar.
EGGS IN PINK HORSERADISH SAUCE (jajka w różowym sosie chrzanowym): Combine 3/4 c sour cream with 1 heaping T home-made or store-bought ćwikła or beet horseradish. Season to taste with salt, sugar and lemon juice or vinegar.
EGGS IN EASTER SAUCE (jajka w sosie do święconego): Fork-blend 1/3 c dairy sour cream with 1/3 c mayonnaise, add 1 - 2 chopped hard-cooked eggs and 1/2 c mixed finely chopped chives, green onions, pickled mushroom and radish. Stir in 1 heaping t to 1 T prepared horseradish and season to taste with salt, sugar and lemon juice or vinegar.
KIEŁBASA-DEVILED EGGS (jaja nadziewane kiełbasą): Cut 6 shelled, hard-cooked eggs in half lengthwise and gently remove yolks. Set aside whites. Grind or process cooked yolks with 1/4 lb skinned smoked Polish sausage and 1 small quartered onion. To mixture add 1 - 2 t brown mustard, 1/4 t paprika and 2 - 3 T mayonnaise or sour cream (or a little of each). Mix well and salt & pepper to taste. Stuff egg whites with mixture, rounding off tops with spoon. For a Paschal touch, press a chive cross into the top of each egg (cut chives into 1” and 1/2” strips).
MUSHROOM-DEVILED EGGS (jaja nadziewane pieczarkami): In saucepan sauté 4 oz finely chopped fresh mushrooms and 1 finely chopped med. onion in 2 T butter or margarine until fully cooked (about 15 min), stirring frequently. Peel 6 hard-cooked eggs and remove yolks. Mash yolks and combine with cool mushroom-onion mixture. Stir in 2 T sour cream, 2 T finely chopped fresh dill and 1 T finely chopped fresh parsley. Mix well, salt & pepper to taste and use mixture to stuff whites as above.
EGGS IN HOT HORSERADISH SAUCE (jaja w sosie chrzanowym na ciepło): Melt 2 T butter in saucepan, sprinkle with 2 T flour, stir to combine and dilute with a little water to get a smooth paste. Stir 3/4 c sour cream and 1 heaping T prepared horseradish. Dilute with a little hot water or stock and continue simmering until sauce is thick, bubbly and pourable. Season with salt, white pepper and a little lemon juice and sugar. Serve over hot (freshly cooked) hard-boiled eggs or warm up cold hard-cooked eggs in the hot sauce.
HOT STUFFED EGG-SHELLS (jaja faszerowane w skorupkach): Allow 1-2 egg per guest. Hold each hard-cooked egg firmly against cutting-board and tap it lengthwise with a sharp, thin-bladed, non-serrated-edge knife. With swift cutting motion cut through to cutting-board. shell and all. With small spoon gently scoop out yolk and white and set aside, taking care not to break the shell. Carefully remove and discard and loose, jagged shell fragments that adhere to eggs or rim of shells. Set shells aside. For 10 eggs, simmer 2 finely minced onions in 2 T butter until tender and golden. Grind or chop eggs fine and combine with onion. Add 2-3 heaping T finely chopped fresh dill, 1 heaping T finely chopped chives and salt & pepper rather generously to taste. Mix ingredients well. Fill shells with mixture pressing it down very gently so as not the damage them. Sprinkle tops generously with bread crumbs, pressing them in gently. To serve, fry stuffed eggs, open-side down in 2 T butter or margarine until a golden-brown crust forms and top of shell is hot to the touch.
Święcone - Polish Easter feast (made fairly easy)
If you have never prepared the traditional Polish after-church Easter brunch, or you have, but this year are short of time, some of the following short-cut recipes may be just the thing. We start with fresh kiełbasa, because its stock is needed for the next (white barszcz) recipe.
BOILED FRESH KIEŁBASA (biała kiełbasa gotowana): Place 3 lbs fresh kiełbasa in pot of cold water which should cover it by at least 1”. Add 1 bay leaf and 1 large quartered onion and cook on low to a gentle boil. Simmer on low covered 45 min from the time boiling starts. Let stand covered in hot stock another 10 min before serving. It’ll be even better and easier to slice if refrigerated overnight and served cold or warmed up the next day.
WHITE EASTER BARZSCZ (biały barszcz wielkanocny): In pot combine 3 c fresh or smoked kiełbasa stock (see preceding recipe) with 3 c cold water, bring to boil and simmer 5 min. Add 1-2 buds crushed garlic and remove from heat. Separately, fork-blend or whisk 1 heaping T flour with 3/4 c sour cream until smooth. Add 1 c hot stock 1 T at a time to sour-cream mixture, fork-blending or whisking constantly, then stir mixture into pot. Return to heat and simmer 2-3 min just below boiling point. Add 1 t marjoram and sour to taste with 2-3 T white vinegar. Let stand covered 20 min for flavors to blend. Salt & Pepper to taste and serve over hard-cooked eggs and sliced cooked sausage. Cubed farmer cheese and horseradish may also be added, if desired.
BAKED FRESH KIEŁBASA (biała kiełbasa pieczona): Arrange home-made or store-bought fresh (unsmoked) kiełbasa in a single layer in baking pan. Cover with cold water and bake in 350° oven until half the water evaporates. Turn kiełbasa over and continue baking until all water is gone and sausage begins to sizzle. The perfect go-together is ćwikła (see next item).he water disappears. Turn sausage over when half the water has evaporated.
BEETROOT & HORSERADISH (ćwikla): Drain a can of pickled beets (reserving liquid for some other use). Dice, grate coarsely or slice thin (preferably on slicer blade of hand-held grater). Combine with prepared horseradish 1 or more T to taste.
MIXED VEGETABLE SALAD (sałatka jarzynowa): In salad bowl combine 3-4 c cold, cooked, diced potatoes, 2 12-14 oz cans drained peas & carrots, 2 cans drained navy beans, 4 diced dill pickles, 1 bunch chopped green onions, 1 bunch diced radishes, 2 peeled, cored, diced apples and 4 diced hard-cooked eggs and 3 T chopped fresh parsley Toss ingredients gently and season salt & pepper to taste. Lace with just enough sauce to thinly coat ingredients. For 1 c fork-blend 1/2 sour cream, 1/2 c mayonnaise and 1 heaping t sharp brown mustard. Season to taste with a little salt, pepper, sugar and lemon juice or vinegar. This salad is best made ahead and refrigerated over night for flavors to blend.
GREEN PEA SALAD (sałatka z zielonego groszku): In salad bowl combine 4-5 c drained, canned baby peas or cooked frozen peas 1 bunch finely chopped green onions, 2-3 diced dill pickles, 5-6 chopped radishses and 3-5 diced hard-cooked eggs. Lace with just enough mayonnaise to coat ingredients.
HAM HORNS (rożki szynkowe): Spread thin slices of imported Polish canned ham with some mixed vegetable salad or pea salad (above) and roll up into horn (open at one end and closed at the other). Serve on lettuce-lined platter decorated with bell pepper strips, dill pickle spears, radish roses and/or sprigs of curly parsley.
SAUSAGE & SAUERKRAUT (kiełbasa z kapustą): Drain 2 - 3 qts sauerkraut and rinse in cold water. Drain again, press out moisture, chop coarsely (optional), place in pot, scald with boiling water to cover, add 1 bay leaf and cook uncovered 60 min. Drain and transfer to baking pan. Place 2-3 lbs fresh or smoked kiełbasa in the sauerkraut and bake covered in 350° oven 90 min or so, turning sausage over half way through baking. Leave in oven 30 min after switching off heat. Cut sausage into 2” or 3” and serve mixed mix with the sauerkraut.
HAM IN RYE CRUST (szynka w cieście): Combine 3 c rye flour with 1 egg white and just enough water to get a pierogi-dough consistency. (Optional: 1 T caraway seeds may be added.) Work by hand to blend ingredients and roll out. Tightly cover 5 lb fully-cooked ham with dough pinching edges together to seal. Bake into preheated 400° oven for 10 min then reduce heat to 350° and bake 10 min per lb (or follow producer’s instructions). After baking. cool to room temp, remove and discard rye crust, slice and serve.
ROAST PORK LOIN (schab pieczony): Mince and mash 2-3 buds garlic into a paste with 1 t salt and rub into 3 lb boneless pork loin. Place in roasting pan, cover and let stand at room temp 2 hrs. Remove loin, dust with flour (through sieve) and brown in hot fat on all sides to seal in juices. Place in loin in roaster fat side up on rack and sprinkle with caraway seeds, pepper and marjoram. Roast uncovered at 450° 15 min, then reduce heat to 350°. Add 1 c water to pan and baste occasionally with drippings that form. Roast about 90 min or until liquid that comes out of meat when pricked is white, not pinkish. Remove from oven and cool to room temp. Refrigerate over night and slice cold. Serve cold or warm up in pan drippings.
EASTER BABKA (babka wielkanocna): Dissolve 1 packet active dry yeast in 1/2 warm coffee cream. Stir in 2-1/2 T sugar and 1 cup flour mix well and let stand in warm place until doubled. Stir in 3 T sugar, 1 c flour, 3 beaten eggs, 1 t grated lemon rind, 1/2 vanilla extract and 1 T melted butter. Work ingredients into a dough by hand and knead until smooth and elastic (8-10 min) or have a bread-hook mixer do the kneading. Work 1/4 c raisins into dough. Transfer to greased, floured fluted babka, brioche or Bundt pan, which should be no more than 1/3 full, cover with clean cloth and let stand in warm place until doubled in bulk. Bake in preheated 350° oven about 40 min. When cool remove from pan and glaze with icing made by fork-blending 1/2 confectioner’s sugar with 1 T lemon juice or 1/4 t almond extract.
CHEESECAKE WITH RAISINS (sernik z rodzynkami): Peel and cook 2 med-size potatoes, mash well and set aside to cool. Mash 2.2 lbs full-fat farmer cheese (twaróg), mix with cooled potatoes and grind twice. Separately, cream 1 c room-temp butter with 2 c confectioner’s sugar and 1 t vanilla extract until smooth and fluffy. Add 8 egg yolks one at a time, beating until fully absorbed before adding the next and then the cheese-potato mixture. Add 2 T flour and 2 T potato starch (or cornstarch), sifted together, and 1/2 c raisins and mix well to blend. Fold in 8 stiffly beaten egg whites and mix very gently. Transfer to well-greased (about 2 T margarine) baking pans, sprinkled with 2 T plain bread crumbs. Mixture should be 1-1/2” to 2” high in pan. Bake in preheated 350° oven about 60 min.
WAFER MAZURKA (mazurek na waflu): You’ll need 4 large, plain, gold wafers (available at pastry-supply, gourmet, specialty or European import shops). Place 1 wafer on cutting board, spread thinly with powidła (Polish plum jam) jam, cover with another wafer, press down gently and spread with canned chocolate frosting. Cover with another wafer, spread it with jam and cover with a 4th wafer. Cover with clean dish towel, weight down with a heavy book and refrigerate over night. Just before serving spread top and sides with frosting. If you feel up to it, write Alleluja on the top with white icing out of pastry tube and draw 3-4 pussywillows off to one side.
