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Seasonal
Spring Delights
More Spring Fare
Summer Festival Favorites
Summer Delights
Cold Weather Warmer-Uppers
Spring Delights
In the weeks following the rich and heavy foods of Easter, various spring greens become abundant. They are used in salads, soups and other dishes which many Poles really enjoy. Perhaps it’s also time to sow some dill in your backyard (along a fence, behind the garage or wherever), so you can enjoy its delicious fragrance all summer. If you have a vegetable patch, also consider parsley, radishes, maybe even cucumbers, tomatoes, beets, celeriac and horseradish. But check at your garden center if the season is right in your part of the country. Meanwhile, why not try some of the following.
CHEESE & CHIVES. Fork-mash 1/4-1/2 lb. Polish-style farmer cheese (also known as curd cheese and pressed cottage cheese) and stir in just enough sour cream (or for dieters’ low-fat yogurt) to form a thick paste. Sale & pepper to taste, garnish with chopped chives and enjoy with rye bread and butter. This is a typical Polish breakfast dish. Optional: Feel free to add chopped green onions and/or radishes. Variation: Creamed cottage cheese may be whirled in a blender or processor to get rid of those little blobs and used instead of farmer cheese, in which case omit the sour cream.
SPRING ONION SALAD. Chop 2-3 bunches washed and dried spring (green) onions and place in salad bowl. Salt & pepper rather generously, sprinkle with vinegar to taste and add 1 t. sugar. Cover and let stand about 1 hr. Drain off liquid. Add 2-5 chopped hard-cooked eggs and lace with sour cream, plain low-fat yogurt or mayonnaise mixed 50-50 with sour cream or yogurt. A nice change of pace from the run-of-the-mill tossed salad.
COLD RHUBARB SOUP. Wash, trim and dice 1 lb. young rhubarb and place in pot. Add 5 -6 c. water, bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer several min. or until rhubarb is tender. Remove pot from flame. Dissolve 1-2 T. potato starch (or cornstarch) in 1/2 c. water and stir into hot soup. Add a heaping T. or strawberry or cherry jam or jelly to improve the soup’s color, then sweeten to taste (with sugar or sweetener). Simmer 2 -3 min. Serve over cooked egg noodles or butter- or oil-fried croutons. A dollop of sour cream (or low-fat yogurt) may be added to each bowl.
SPRING VEGETABLE SOUP. You can make a similar soup any time using mature vegetables, but a genuine spring soup makes uses of the season’s first baby crops. To 6 -7 c. hot meat stock add a total of 3 c. diced vegetables in any proportion, including green onions, baby carrots, small kohlrabi, cauliflower flowerets, celery and peeled new potatoes. Cook until vegetables are tender but not overcooked (15-20 min.) Thicken with 2 heaping T. flour dissolved in 1-1/2 c. milk and simmer several min. longer. Salt & pepper to taste and garnish with finely chopped fresh dill, and a little chopped parsley (optional).
CREAM OF SORREL SOUP. Trim stems from a handful of sorrel leaves and wash them well in plenty of water to remove sand. Chop sorrel fine and cook several min. in 6-7 c. boiling meat stock. Dissolve 2 heaping T. flour in 1-1/2 c. milk and add to pot. Simmer several min. Salt & pepper to taste and serve over hard-cooked eggs, allowing 1 egg per serving.
DILLED NEW POTATOES. Use a nylon pot-scrubber to remove the thin skin from 2 lbs. of walnut-sized new potatoes under cold running water. Place in pot, cover with boiling water, add 2 t. salt and cook at a rolling boil until tender. Drain. Return pot to heat, cover and shake until all moisture steams away. Transfer to serving platter, dot with butter (or Butter Beads) and garnish with fresh chopped dill. They are delicious served with a creamy bowl of sour milk (see below), butter milk or kefir (a kind of liquid yogurt).
SOUR MILK. Most American store-bought milk has been chemically or heat treated to prevent curdling. So, if you simply pour it into a bowl and leave it out in a warm place, it will eventually clabber, but may become unpalatably bitter. To get around this problem, pour 1-2 qts. whole or 2% milk into a glass or crockery bowl, reserving 1 c. With whisk beat the reserved milk with 1/2 c. dairy sour cream or 1 c. cultured buttermilk. Let stand in very warm place (80° is good!) until clabbered. Refrigerate until ready to use. Before serving whisk until smooth.
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More Spring Fare
Since the advent of capitalism, the people of Poland can also enjoy strawberries from the Middle East in February and Egyptian “new” potatoes in November. Although pricey, neither can compare in flavor and nutrition to the locally produced garden-fresh variety in season. So Poles to this day look forward to the first locally grown nowalijki (young greens – dill, chives, parsley, spring onions, radishes, etc.) in spring and new potatoes and strawberries around June. Here are some of the typically lighter and fresher foods Poles enjoy during the warmer months.
CHEESE & GREENS (twarożek z zieleniną): Grate or fork-mash 1 lb. farmer cheese, salt & pepper, add several coarsely grated radishes, 2-3 diced spring onions mix well and lace with enough sour cream to form a thick spread. Serve with rye bread of rolls with butter as a spring or summer breakfast. Variation: If farmer cheese is not available, briefly process 16 oz creamed cottage cheese, combine with veggies but omit sour cream. Option: To enhance the nutritional value, add 1-3 chopped hard-cooked eggs
DILLED NEW POTATOES (młode kartofelki z koperkiem): Try to get real, young, walnut-sized new potatoes. They are truly the immature Polish-style “młode zimeniaki” if they need not be peeled because their skin is thin enough to scrub away under running water with a nylon scrubber. Place 2-1/2 lbs. scrubbed (or peeled) new potatoes in pot, cover with boiling water, add 1 t salt and cook on med heat about 30 min or until fork-tender. Drain. Dot with butter (about 1 T) and garnish with finely chopped fresh dill. Toss gently to evenly coat potatoes with melting butter and dill.
NEW POTATOES & BUTTERMILK (młode kartofelki z maślanką): Prepare dilled new potatoes as above and serve as a light warm-weather meal in itself with a bold of cold buttermilk on the side.
SPRING SALAD (surówka wiosenna): Slice thin with knife of on slicer blade of hand-held grater 1 bunch washed, dried radishes and combine with 1 peeled, halved, thinly slice cucumbers and 1 bunch washed, dried green onions. Feel free to alter the proportions of veggies as desired! Fork-blend 3/4 c sour cream with juice of 1/2 a lemon, 1 t salt and 1 t sugar and pour over salad. Optional: Top with sliced hard-cooked egg and dust with paprika.
SPRING ONION SALAD (sałatka ze szczypioru): Wash, dry and chop 3-4 bunches green onions. Salt & pepper. Fork-blend 3/4 c sour cream with juice of 1/2 a lemon, 1 t salt and 1 t sugar and pour over salad.
CALIFLOWER POLONAISE (kalafior z zasmażką): Place whole cauliflower stem side up in pot, add 1 t salt and cold water to nearly cover, bring to boil, reduce heat and cook covered at a gentle rolling boil 20-30 min or until fork-tender. While it cooks, heat 2-3 T unsalted butter until bubbly and add 2-3 T plain dry bread crumbs, simmer, stirring frequently, until nicely browned. Spoon butter-browned breadcrumbs (known world-wide as Polonaise topping) over drained, cooked cauliflower.
BABY BEET-GREEN SOUP (botwinka): You’ll need a bunch (about 1 lb.) of baby beets no larger than radishes plus their greens for this recipe. Cut away and said aside the greens. Peel the beets, dice or cut into matchsticks and cook in 2 c salted water containing 2 t vinegar until tender (about 20 min). Transfer to 4 c pork stock or bouillon, add the chopped beet greens, bring to boil and simmer on low 5 min. Remove from heat. Add 1 t sugar and 2 t lemon juice and salt & pepper to taste. Fork-blend 1/2 c sour cream with heaping T flour until smooth and gradually stir in 3-4 T of the hot soup 1 T at a time, then stir into soup. Heat several min below boiling to rid the flour of its “raw” taste. Garnish with fresh chopped dill and chives and serve over hard-cooked edge wedges or slices (allow 1 egg per serving).
STRAWBERRIES & SOUR CREAM (truskawki ze śmietaną): Wash but and hull 1 lb. strawberries. Dust generously with confectioner’s sugar and add a dollop of sour cream to each portion. Note: Larger berries may be halved.
SUGARED STRAWBERRIES (truskawki w cukrze): Wash but do not hull 1 lb. strawberries. Place in serving dish stem-side-up and provide a bowl of sugar on the side so diners can dip their slightly moist strawberries in sugar before popping them in their mouth. The stem (hull) serves as a convenient holder.
RHUBARB COMPOTE: Bring 8 c water to boil. Wash and peel (or leave unpeeled) 1 lb. rhubarb, diced. (Leaving it unpeeled will give the compote a nice pinkish hue!) Add rhubarb to boiling water with 2 cloves and 1/2 c sugar, reduce heat and simmer about 15 min. Sweeten with a bit more sugar to taste if desired and (optional) add a pinch of cinnamon. A heaping T red-colored jam (strawberry, cherry, red currant) stirred into the hot compote will improve its color and flavor. Serve at room temp or chilled as a refreshing home-made drink.
OTHER, MIXED COMPOTES (inne, mieszane kompoty): Also very good are compotes made with strawberries and cherries. Prepare as with rhubarb compote (above). Or try a mixed fruit compote: rhubarb & strawberry, rhubarb & cherry or rhubarb, strawberry & cherry.
EASY STRAWBERRY TORTE (łatwy torcik truskawkowy): Wash, drain and halve 1 lb. strawberries. In saucepan melt a 9 or 10 oz. jar strawberry jelly, add the strawberries and simmer on low about 10 min. Set aside to cool. Spoon mixture over the top of a store-bought sponge-cake bottom (spód biszkoptowy). Cut into wedges and top with home-made or aerosol whipped cream just before serving.
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Summer Fest Favorites
Some readers complain that at many “Polish” festivals, such things as hotdogs, corndogs, hamburgers, french fries, pizza, tacos, etc, outnumber the actual Polish dishes available, and the organizers often use the excuse that it’s “for the kids”. The fact remains that people will drive for miles to attend Polonian fests and Polish parish picnics, and Polish food is one of the main attractions. And who says kids don’t like kiełbasa, gołąbki and pork cutlets?! Here are some of the favorites to consider when planning the menu of such an event:
SCRAMBLED EGGS & CHIVES (jajecznica ze szczypiorkiem): Dice 1/4 lb. thick-sliced bacon and fry up with 2-3 minced onions until browned and fully cooked. Bacon nuggets should be tender, not crispy or brittle! Add 2 dozen eggs and fry on low without stirring until almost set, then break up with spatula and fry briefly. It should still be slightly moist, not dried out. Salt & pepper lightly (provide salt & pepper shakers for diners to season their servings to taste) and garnish with finely chopped chives. Serve with rye bread and unsalted butter. Great for an after-mass breakfast!
SCRAMBLED EGGS & KIEŁBASA (jajecznica na kiełbasie): Skin and slice thin or dice 1 lb. smoked kiełbasa and brown on both sides in butter, lard or bacon drippings. (Optional: brown 2 chopped onions with the kiełbasa until tender and golden.) Add 2 dozen eggs and fry on low without stirring until almost set, then break up with spatula and fry briefly until set the way you like. Salt & pepper lightly. Optional: Garnishing with finely chopped chives will improve its appearance!
GRILLED KIEŁBASA (kiełbasa z rusztu): Cut smoked kiełbasa into 3-4” serving-sized pieces or use the smaller grillers (wiener-size Polish sausage) available in some places. Cook on charcoal or electric grill well away from flame, turning frequently, until evenly browned on all sides. These can also be cooked on a rotisserie. They can be kept warm and ready to serve in an electric roaster. Go-togethers include; prepared horseradish, Polish-style Sarepska or similar German-style Düsseldorf brown mustard, dill pickle and rye bread.
KIEŁBASA IN A ROLL (kiełbaska w bułeczce): Grillers or pieces of baked kiełbasa the size of the crusty split roll into which they are inserted are a convenient Polish fest fast food. Prepare as above and serve in crusty rolls (rye or crusty French bread type) with Sarepska or Düsseldorf mustard or red or white prepared horseradish.
FRIED KISZKA (kaszanka smażona): Slice kiszka 1/2” – 3/4” thick and fry in a little lard, butter or oil until heated through and crusty-browned on both sides. Go-togethers include brown mustard, horseradish, fried onions, dill pickles and sliced tomato. Provide brown mustard and/or horseradish and rye bread.
KISZKA-BURGER (kaszanka w bułce): Remove skin from kiszka and fry in a little lard, butter or oil, breaking it up with spatula to a hash-like consistency. When nicely browned serve on a crusty bun, hamburger-style. Provide brown mustard and/or horseradish, fried onions and dill pickle. The kiszka can also be fried broken up (like hash).
POLISH GROUND CUTLET (kotlet mielony): Soak 2 stale bread rolls (app. 1/4 lb) in water or milk until soggy. Fry 2 sliced onions in a little fat until golden. Run drained soaked bread and onions through meat-grinder or process briefly. Combine with 2-1/4 lbs. ground meat (pork, pork & beef or pork, beef & veal mixture), add 2 eggs, mix well by hand to blend ingredients, season with salt & pepper, a bit of garlic powder and a pinch of marjoram. Form thick oblong patties and brown to a nice golden-brown on both sides in hot fat, then reduce heat, cover and simmer on low another 10 min or so until fully cooked. Serve as a main course or in a crusty bun with mustard, mayonnaise, dill pickle, or tomato slice.
BREADED PORK CUTLET: (kotlet schabowy): Cut bones away from center-cut pork chops or slice boneless center-cut pork loin 1” thick and pound with meat mallet pound on both sides until 1/4” – 1/3” thick. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and a pinch of marjoram and/or garlic powder if desired. Dredge in flour, dip in egg wash and roll in fine, plain bread crumbs. Gently press breading into cutlets and. Fry to a nice golden brown on both sides in hot lard, vegetable shortening or oil until fully cooked, drain on paper towel. These can be kept warm until needed in an electric roaster. Serve as a main course with dilled new potatoes salad or in a crusty bun or between slices or rye bread with mustard, mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato or sliced dill pickle.
BREADED CHICKEN-BREAST CUTLET (kotlet z piersi kurczaka): Pound chicken half-breast thin with meat mallet, sprinkle with salt, pepper and a faint pinch of marjoram, dredge in flour dip in egg wash (egg beaten with equal amount of water) and roll in plain dry breadcrumbs, pressing in breading and shaking off loose, excess crumbs. Fry in butter, lard or oil to a nice golden brown on both sides, drain on paper towel and serve as a main course with dilled whole potatoes and mizeria (see below). These can also be served fast-food-style on a bun as above.
CUCUMBERS & SOURCREAM (mizeria): Peel cucumbers and slice thin. Toss with thinly sliced onion (roughly 1 small onion to 2-3 cucumbers). Salt & pepper, sprinkle lightly with vinegar and sugar and toss. Since cucumbers and sour cream turn very soupy, at a food-fest venue it’s best to dish out portions with slotted spoon (to drain off excess liquid) and spoon some liquefied sour cream over each portion as needed. (Fork-blend sour cream to liquefy!) Garnish with some fresh finely chopped dill if desired.
POLISH HUNTER’S STEW (bigos): Drain 3 qts. sauerkraut, rinse in cold water, drain again, squeeze dry and chop coarsely. Place in pot with 1 bay leaf, cover with cold water and cook uncovered about 60 min, stirring occasionally. Transfer drained sauerkraut to baking pan and add some or all of the following: 2 qts. various boneless, cooked, cubed meat (beef, venison or other game, pork, veal, turkey, duck), 3 c smoked Polish sausage, 1 mushroom bouillon cube, 1 c stewed tomatoes, chopped, 1 c pitted prunes, chopped, 1/2 c dry red wine, 2 buds crushed garlic, 2 diced large cooking apples, peeled and diced. Mix ingredients and bake uncovered in 360° oven 30 min. Mix again, cover pan and bake another 2 hours at 325°. After switching off heat, leave bigos covered in oven until it cools to room temp. Refrigerate overnight. Reheat at 350° for 90 min before serving. If too moist, pour off some of the liquid and stir in a T or more flour, mix well and bake another 15 min. Serve with rye bread or potatoes.
STUFFED CABBAGE (gołąbki): Combine 1 lb. raw ground meat (pork, pork & beef, pork-veal-beef combination) with 4-6 c undercooked rice, 1-3 chopped butter-fried onions and 1 egg. Mix ingredients by hand and salt & pepper to taste. Other seasonings can include: 2-3 dashes of garlic powder and/or Tabasco, or a sprinkling of chopped fresh parsley or dill. Use meat-rice mixture to fill pre-wilted cabbage leaves. Before filling and rolling, cut out or shave down the thick central vein near the base of the cabbage leaves. Place gołąbki snugly in roaster no more than 2 layers and drench with 3 c tomato juice (plain or containing 1/2 c spicy-style ketchup). Bake covered in preheated 360° oven 1 hr. Reduce heat to 325° and cook another 2 hours. Switch off heat and leave in oven another 20 min or so for flavors to blend.
PIEROGI DOUGH (ciasto na pierogi): 1. Sift 2-1/4 to 2-1/2 c flour onto bread-board. Sprinkle with 1/2 t salt. Deposit 1 small egg at center and use knife to mix outlying flour into egg. Gradually add about 1/2 fairly hot water in a thin stream and work mixture by hand into a dough, gradually working in 2 T salad oil. Knead well until dough is smooth and elastic and no longer sticks to hand. On lightly floured board, roll out thin 1/3 of the dough, leaving the remainder under a warm inverted bowl so it doesn't dry out. With drinking-glass or biscuit-cutter cut dough-sheet into rounds. Place a spoonful of filling just off center of each dough round, cover filling with larger dough flap and pinch edges together to seal. 2. Combine 2 c flour, 1 c dairy sour cream, 1 small egg and 1/2 t salt. Work ingredients together to form smooth dough and knead briefly. Roll out and proceed as with the recipe above.
CHEESE & POTATO PIEROGI (ruskie pierogi): Cook 2 lbs. peeled potatoes in boiling salted water until tender, drain, mash and set aside to cool. To potatoes add 1 lb. farmer cheese or dry cottage cheese, mashed with potato-masher or processed to a ground-like consistency in processor, 2 finely chopped onions sautéed in 2 T oil or butter until tender and lightly browned. Mix ingredients well and season with salt & pepper. Toppings may include sour cream, or skwarki (fried golden-brown pork fatback nuggets).
SAVORY CHEESE PIEROGI (pierogi z serem na słono): Combine 1 lb. farmer cheese or dry cottage cheese, pulverized to a powder in food-processor, 1 t salt, 1 t sugar, 1 t lemon juice and 1 raw egg yolk into a smooth filling. The cooked pierogi may be served with melted butter, sour cream or plain low-fat yogurt (for weight-watchers).
SWEET CHEESE PIEROGI (pierogi z serem na słodko): Combine 1 lb. grated or processor-pulverized farmer cheese or dry cottage cheese, 1/4 t salt, 3 T sugar sugar, 1 t lemon juice, 1/2 t vanilla extract and 1 raw egg yolk into a smooth filling. Optional: Add 1/2 c raisins. The cooked pierogi may be served with melted butter, confectioner’s sugar, sour cream or plain yogurt (for weight-watchers).
POTATO & ONION PIEROGI (pierogi z kartoflami): Cook 6-7 med potatoes until tender, drain well, steaming off moisture, and mash thoroughly are put through ricer. Dice 3-4 slices thick-sliced bacon and brown with 2 finely diced onions. Note: For fast-day (or vegetarian) pierogi, fry the onions in 2-3 T butter or oil.) Add fried mixture to potatoes, stir in 1 egg and (optional) 1 T bread crumbs. Salt & pepper to taste. 1-2 T chopped chives, parsley or dill or a combination thereof may be added to filling. Serve with sour cream or plain yogurt.
SAUERKRAUT & MUSHROOM PIEROGI (pierogi z kapustą i grzybami): Drain, rinse and re-drain 1 qt sauerkraut and cook under cover in water to cover containing 1 mushroom cube 30 min. Uncover and continue cooking until most of the liquid has evaporated. Transfer to colander and, when cool enough to handle, press out as much moisture as possible, chop rather fine. In 2-3 T butter or oil simmer 16 oz washed, diced Portobello mushrooms with a finely diced onion until fully cooked (about 15 min). Return sauerkraut to pot, add cooked mushrooms and simmer covered about 20. Drain in colander pressing out all moisture. Salt & pepper to taste. Garnish cooked pierogi with skwarki or fried diced onions.
BLUEBERRY PIEROGI (pierogi z jagodami): Remove any leaves or stems from about 1 lb. fresh blueberries, rinse and drain well in colander or sieve. Dust berries 1 t cornstarch starch to make the cooked filling less runny. As toppings, provide granulated or confectioner’s sugar, sour cream (or yogurt) or heavy sweet cream. Many prefer these cooked in water, drained, cooled and refried in butter when ready to serve. The pierogi will be a nice golden brown and the filling will be firmer.
POTATO PANCAKES (placki kartoflane): Peel and grate of cut into cubes and process in processor 2-1/2 lbs. potatoes, place in sieve and allow to drip-dry, catching drippings. When drippings settle, pour off dark liquid and add the white sediment (pure starch) left at bottom to the grated potatoes. Add 1 grated onion, 3-4 T flour, 2 t salt and mix well. Fried potato pancakes are not good reheated, so in a festival setting it’s best to fry them as orders come in. With dipper place portions of potato batter in hot lard or oil, flatten gently with spatula and fry to a golden brown on both sides. Provide salt, sugar and sour cream.
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Polish Summer Delights
Summertime in Poland means a large abundance of fruits and vegetables that are widely available and inexpensive only in season. Here are some typical foods which Polish people particularly enjoy at this time of year.
COLD CUCUMBER SOUP. Peel 2 cucumbers, cut in half lengthwise, then slice thin into bowl or tureen. Add 1 bunch green onions chopped, 2 coarsely grated brined dill pickles (see below) and 1 c. of the pickle brine plus 2 -3 T. finely chopped fresh dill. Drench with 6-8 c. cold buttermilk (regular or low-fat). Mix well, salt & pepper to taste and add 1 t. sugar. Refrigerate until well chilled. Serve cold over sliced hard-cooked eggs (1 egg per serving).
CHILLED LITHUANIAN BORSCHT. Proceed as in preceding recipe, but use only 1 cucumber, add 1 bunch coarsely grated radishes and 1 small can sliced beets including the juice.
COLD FRUIT SOUP. Start with about 3 c. of any of the following single fruits or any combination thereof: small strawberries; blueberries; sour cherries (pitted or unpitted); peeled and sliced apples and/or pears; or halved, pitted plums. Place fruit in pot, add 5 -6 c. water, bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 8-10 min. or until fruit is fully cooked. Dissolve 1-2 T. potato starch (or cornstarch) in 1/2 c. water and stir into hot soup. Sweeten to taste (with sugar or sweetener) and simmer 2 -3 min. Serve over cooked egg noodles or butter- or oil-fried croutons. A dollop of sour cream (or low-fat yogurt) may be added to each bowl. This soup may be served hot, warm, at room temperature or chilled.
BLUEBERRY PIEROGI. Put a large pot of lightly salted water on stove to boil. Sift 2-1/2 c. flour onto bread-board and sprinkle with 1/2 t. salt. Break 1 egg into flour mound, add 1 T. salad oil and work into a dough, gradually adding about 1/2 c. water. Knead dough on floured board until smooth and place under warm bowl for 10 min. Sprinkle 2-3 c. washed, drained blueberries with 1 heaping T. sugar, 1 level T. plain bread crumbs and 1 level T. cornstarch and toss gently. Roll dough out thin, cut into rounds with glass or biscuit-cutter, place a spoonful of fruit onto round, fold in half, seal by finger-pinching and crimping with fork and drop into boiling water. Cover. when they float up, cook about 2-3 min. Remove with draining spoon and serve dusted with powdered sugar and topped with sour cream (or low-fat yogurt).
CREAMY CUCUMBER SALAD. Peel 2 -3 cucumbers, slice thin into salad bowl, sprinkle with salt, pepper, juice of 1/2 lemon and 1 t. sugar. Lace with 1/2 to 3/4 c. fork-blended sour cream (or plain low-fat yogurt) and garnish with fresh chopped dill if desired. Optional: add several thinly sliced green onions and/or radishes.
LETTUCE POLONAISE. Remove core from 2 heads Boston lettuce, wash in cold water, drain well, and break up into salad bowl. Sprinkle with salt & prepare, juice of 1/2 lemon and (optional) 1 level t. sugar. Toss gently. Fork-blend 1/2-3/4 c. sour cream (or plain low-fat yogurt) and pour over lettuce. Optional: salad may be topped with sliced hard-cooked eggs and/or sliced radishes and garnished with chopped chives.
POLISH TOMATO SALAD. Wash 4 large tomatoes well and slice. (You can easily remove the skin before slicing tomatoes by plunging them into boiling water for 30 sec. and then peeling it off under cold running water). Arrange on platter, season with salt, pepper, as little lemon juice and sugar and top with some chopped green onions (white bottoms and green tops). Optional: Dress with a little fork-blended sour cream or plain low-fat yogurt and garnish with chopped dill or chives.
ROAST SPRING CHICKEN POLONAISE. Wash, pat dry and rub a whole broiler-fryer inside and out with salt & pepper and set aside. Break up several slices stale French bread (white bread, hamburger buns, Kaiser rolls, hot dog rolls, etc.) into bowl and drench with milk or water to cover. When bread is soggy, run it through meat-grinder with 2 -3 chicken livers and 1/4 lb. ground raw turkey or chicken meat. To mixture add 1-2 egg yolks, 1 grated onion, 3 T. chopped dill, 1 t. chopped parsley, a dash or 2 of nutmeg, 1/2 t. Accent (MSG) and salt & pepper to taste. Mix well. Gently fold in 2 stiffly beaten egg whites. Work in a little milk if the stuffing is on the stiff side — it should be soft and moist. Fill chicken cavity 3/4 full with mixture and sew up or skewer. Place chicken on rack in roasting pan, brush with oil and pop into pre-heated 450° oven uncovered for 15 min. Reduce heat to 350°, add 1 c. water to pan and bake about 45 min., basting frequently.
BRINED POLISH DILL PICKLES. Soak 4 lbs. 3-4 inch pickling cucumbers in cold water several hours, then allow to drip dry. While they soak, bring 2 qts. water and 4 T. kosher pickling salt to boil and set aside. At bottom of large earthenware crock or glass jar place 2 -3 stalks of pickling dill (or just the seed clusters), 2 slices of horseradish root, half a horseradish leaf, 1 grape leaf or 3-4 cherry-tree leaves and 3-6 buds garlic. Stand cucumbers upright in several layers in crock or jar and pour the luke-warm brine over them to cover. Place inverted plate on cucumbers and weight it down with a qt jar full or water to keep them submerged. Leave on counter-top at room temp. but out of direct sunlight. Ready to eat in 7-10 days. Some people like the crunchy undercured variety after only 4-5 days.
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Cold Weather Warmer-Uppers
Need something to put in your thermos on a hunting or ice-fishing trip or an outdoor job? Want to treat guests to something different or just relax by the fire on a cold winter’s night? These traditional Polish favorites may just hit the spot. Some are also good for colds and insomnia.
MLEKO Z MIODEM (hot milk & honey): Combine in pot 1 c. milk (preferably whole milk but no leaner than 2%) and 1 heaping T. honey and gently heat to a boil. An excellent remedy for sleeplessness. For cold symptoms add 1 t. butter to pot.
HERBATA Z SOKIEM MALINOWYM (tea & raspberry syrup): Sweeten each glass or cup of hot tea with 1-2 T. pure raspberry syrup. This is a traditional cold and flu remedy. Other fruit syrups (cherry, strawberry, etc.) may be used but lack the medicinal properties of raspberry. For added potency, add 1/2-1 jigger vodka to each serving.
HERBATA Z RUMEM (rum-flavored tea): To each glass or cup of hot tea, sweetened to taste, add about 1 t. freshly-squeezed lemon juice and 1/2-1 jigger rum. Note: vodka plus several drops of rum extract may be used if real rum is not available.
GRZANE PIWO (mulled beer): In pot combine 1 qt beer, 4 T. sugar, 1 bayleaf, 2 pinches of cinnamon and ground cloves and (optional) a pinch of pepper. Heat to just below boiling, stirring to dissolve sugar and serve. Increase or decrease sugar and spices according to taste.
GRZANIEC (mulled wine): In pot combine 1 qt dry red wine, 5-6 T. sugar, a grating of nutmeg and a pinch or two of cinnamon and ground cloves and heat to boiling. You can also use a sweet red wine, in which case omit or decrease the amount of sugar.
KRUPNIK (hot honey-spice cordial): In pot combine 1 c. honey, 1/2 c. water, 1 crumbled bayleaf, 1/2 a vanilla pod, chopped (or 1 t. vanilla extract), 1 t. lemon zest, a grating of nutmeg, 10 cloves and 2 pinches of cinnamon. Bring to boil, reduce heat, skimming off scum and simmer covered about 10 min. Strain, discarding spices. Add 3 c. 100 proof vodka and heat gently but do not boil! Serve immediately, preferably in crystal cordial glasses. Warning: This is not a beverage to fill a thermos bottle with or drink by the cup!
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