Growing Up Polish at Christmas - A Conversation With Peter & Laura Zeranski

Laura and Peter recently recorded a conversation about growing up with Polish holiday traditions, for Polcast – an excellent podcast on a wide variety of Polish issues, which you can hear at: www.mypolcast.com -Episode 59, available now. We’d like to share with you a transcript of that conversation. 

Everything in red are Laura’s comments and everything in black are Peter’s words.

(Laura): So unless you’re living totally in a jungle somewhere, you know that shopping malls and most stores have already been decorated for Christmas for a very long time – even starting before Halloween. 

(Peter): When we were growing up, Christmas was never this huge commercial spectacle as it is now.  My Mom told stories about Christmas in Poland before WW-II, -- that the celebrations were always simple and no one even sang carols until Christmas Eve. 

And they certainly didn’t have Christmas movies on TV playing in October and November.  Back in the day, Christmas was always a time of anticipation and excitement. 

Our traditional Polish Christmas Eve supper is called Wigilia, which means vigil or waiting for the birth of Jesus, and it was totally based on traditions and dishes that had been handed down for generations upon generations.   It’s the most historical and anticipated meal of the year.  Generations of Polish Babcia’s would prepare food for weeks and weeks, just for this one special feast. 

Now things are a bit more modernized, but the traditions still live.  The meal is meatless.  It is customary to set an extra place at the table for the lonely traveler who may knock at the door. 

There are a few sprigs of pine branches on the table, from the holy manger.   In the country villages of Poland, it might have been a thin layer of hay under the tablecloth.

Always twelve dishes were served, symbolizing the twelve apostles .  And poppy seeds were always a part of Christmas Eve supper as a symbol of peacefulness, and honey for sweetness.  There is a magical delicacy of noodles with poppy seeds, honey and raisins, in our first book called: Kluski z Makiem.

The feast should begin as soon as the first star is visible in the sky.  When I was maybe 5 or 6,  I remember running out on the porch and looking up, waiting for that first star to peek out, so we could get started with the sharing of the wafer – an important tradition that we still follow.   I was always so hungry!

The white, almost translucent wafer is a symbol of love, friendship and forgiveness. It’s like a Communion wafer only rectangular like a small postcard.  It is broken into bite size pieces and shared with everyone at the table along with wishes for a happy and healthy new year.  Peter’s Mom would always use a communion wafer blessed in Poland and mailed over.  Now we get our wafers from a nearby Polish church or even through the internet.  

Our own menu is right out of our heritage cookbooks.  We start with clear Barszcz - peppery, deep red beet broth, the rich color of a fine Cabarnet wine.  This classic formal version doesn’t contain any vegetables and is served in our best fine china tea cups.  Sometimes it is  served with little dumplings called "uszka."

A second appetizer, always served with the Barszcz, are crepes stuffed with a savory mix of mushroom and sauerkraut, breaded and sautéed lightly in the pan, just to crisp up the outside.  

Our daughter and son-in-law would be perfectly happy if they were the only item on the menu and I always have to make extra.  For our young granddaughter who hasn’t acquired the taste of sauerkraut yet, I just stuff her crepes with sweetened ricotta cheese and she loves it. 

Wigilia is meatless.  Herring or carp is the traditional fish course but back in the 50’s in Canada, they were hard to find in the winter.  My Mom would buy a very fresh salmon and actually freeze it whole in a block of ice.  

Today we serve haddock or flounder or cod or whatever white fish is fresh and available.  Vegetables Polonaise, that is a colorful variety of fresh vegetables topped with a mix of breadcrumbs and butter, and some sort of potatoes round out the main course. Little potato pancakes, sometimes called Latkas, or in Polish - placki kartoflane, are absolutely heaven on your plate. 

For dessert we always serve a variety of Polish baked goods as well as American Christmas cookies.  The Polish Nut Roll and Poppy Seed Roll are always requirements.  I usually make a dozen or so for sharing with friends.  Peter loves trading sweets with our Greek neighbors – our Poppy Seed Rolls for their wonderful Baklava. 

We also love Kolaczki  a very traditional cookie of delicate dough squares wrapped around fruit preserves. 




 
And our Gingerbread Honey Cake – Piernik - which is so popular and easy to make.   And our dessert table wouldn’t be complete without a stately Warsaw Fruit Cake which is not loaded down with cloyingly sweet candied fruit.  
Peter likes to pour a little Polish brandy over his slice, just for an added kick.
Or a lot of brandy...

A compote of 7 or 8 dried fruits was also traditional for many years but I’m not a big fan. When I got older I’d kick up my Mom’s version with that same bottle of Polish brandy, while she wasn’t looking.  Somehow I always got caught but seldom punished.

After the feasting ended, and everyone let out their belts a few notches, Peter’s Mother always insisted that they sing Christmas carols together, before opening any gifts.

We’d move to the real Christmas tree in the living room, sit uncomfortably on the floor and I’d stare at all the gifts under the tree.  Dad would break out the old vinyl LP records - the old ones from Poland were so scratchy!  It killed me because we had two languages to cover, my Mom couldn’t carry a tune and all I wanted to do was rip open wrapping paper.  
We usually enjoyed some more sweets with the gifts, and after cleaning up, we headed out to midnight mass where we saw all our friends. 

Christmas Day was the aftermath – supposedly a day of rest, of playing with new toys, and for going from house to house visiting friends and trying all the ladies’ baked goods.  I’m told that the neighborhood competitions for the fanciest goodies were absolutely cutthroat.  The tortes, the cookies, the baba’s, the fruitcake...they’re all preserved in our books for those who don’t have Grandma’s recipes.  

And so it has been for us for 45 years together.  At the top of the page you can find our heritage cookbooks which contain all the authentic recipes for a traditional Wigilia.   Our books are also available on most  on-line book sellers such as Amazon, even in far off places like Japan, the UK, South Africa or “down under.”
Laura and I wish you and yours, Wszystkiego Najlepszego na Boze Narodzenie, And Merry Christmas.  

And as always - Smacznego!

Polish Plum Crumble - Placek śliwkowy z kruszonką

Witamy!

This is a really easy Polish dessert that takes advantage of seasonal plums.  It’s typically Polish because it is not too sweet.  In Babcia’s day, plums were only found in the fall but today they are grown around the world and available year round.  This cake uses Italian plums - sometimes also called Empress Plums. 

They are the European-style plum - small, dense, egg-shaped fruit with blue or purple skin and freestone pits. These are also the plums that are made into prunes. 
Italian plums are especially good for baking because they are a little more tart and the flesh is more firm, than the bigger, round deep red or yellow plums.  Italian plums are a little harder to find but when you do, grab a bag full right away.  Peter found these at our local Farmers Market just a few days ago and Laura made this crumble cake right away.  Part of it is frozen so we can enjoy it a piece at a time, and the rest went to our neighbors who love it when Laura bakes.  

Yields 32 small squares

Batter
1¼ cups butter, softened
¾ cup sugar
1½ cups flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ cup milk
4 eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
18- 20 Italian plums, cut in half and pitted

Preheat your oven to 350° F.  Spray the bottom of a 10 x 15 inch pan with cooking oil. Cut a piece a piece of parchment to cover the bottom of the pan and extend over the edges by about an inch (so you can lift the cake out of the pan after it cools). Spray the parchment paper with the cooking oil.  This should prevent the cake from sticking.

Using a mixer combine the butter and sugar until pale and creamy.  Mix the flour with the baking powder and add to the butter in small amounts, alternating with the milk.  Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating constantly.  Add the vanilla.

In a separate bowl beat the egg whites until stiff.  Fold into the dough and mix lightly.  Spread the dough evenly in the prepared pan.  Distribute the plums, cut side down, evenly on top of the batter, no more than half an inch apart.   (Note:  if your plums are not fully ripe or pretty tart, sprinkle them liberally with sugar and let sit for about 45 minutes.  Drain well before placing on the batter). 

Crumble Topping
½ cup butter, softened
1 cup flour

¼ cup  brown sugar, lightly packed
½ teaspoon cinnamon

Mix the butter and flour until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add the sugar and mix well. Sprinkle the crumb mixture over the plums. 

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes (at 350° F) or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  If the crumb topping starts to brown too quickly, place a piece of aluminum foil over the top of the cake.  Remove from oven and let cool.   Cut into squares around the plums.  Goes great with whipped cream or ice cream.
Smacznego!

PS:  For a "must-have" collection of great heritage recipes check out our two globally acclaimed Polish cookbooks: Polish Classic Recipes and Polish Classic Desserts - where all the recipes have been handed down from previous generations, but updated for modern kitchens.  Also, listen to us discuss great heritage Polish cuisine in our vignette called Smacznego, every month at:   www.mypolcast.com

Classic Sauces for Polish Cabbage Rolls

Witamy!

Cabbage Rolls (Gołąbki in Polish) are an iconic Polish comfort food enjoyed by hungry eaters all over the world.   Our American friends love them as much as our Polish friends.  Legend has it that in 1465 King Kazimierz IV fed cabbage rolls to his army prior to the Battle of Malbork against the Teutonic knights.  The brave Poles defeated the Teutonic Order and their victory was credited to the high nutritional value and strength-boosting qualities of their cabbage rolls. 

If you follow any of the Polish heritage social media sites, you know that everyone has their own spin on cabbage rolls.  Some are small,  some are large,  some have varying meat mixtures, and there many sauce recipes,  sometimes based on canned soup.  We believe that freshly prepared sauces from great ingredients will make a huge difference in your cabbage rolls.  Here are two classic sauces for you to try:

Tomato Sauce from Laura’s Babcia

1 14-ounce can of whole tomatoes

1 stick of salted butter (same as 8 TBSP or ½ cup) 

Salt & pepper to taste

Bring the tomatoes and butter to a slow boil.  Break up the tomatoes as they cook.  Simmer this mixture until it thickens – about 20 to 30 minutes.  Using a traditional standing blender or immersion blender, blend until smooth.  Add salt and pepper to taste.   Pour over the cabbage rolls and bake for one hour at 350 F°.  Periodically spoon some of the sauce over the cabbage rolls to keep the tops moist. 

Mushroom Sauce from Peter’s Mom

1 pound mushrooms, finely chopped

1 large onion, shopped finely

1 cup chicken stock or bouillon

2½ tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons cold water

Salt & pepper to taste

½ cup sour cream

Simmer the mushrooms and onion in the bouillon for 15 minutes.  Mix the flour with cold water and stir in.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Blend in the sour cream and mix well.  Pour over the cabbage rolls before baking. 

You could also forgo any sauces and bake the cabbage rolls in their own juices, adding some water or broth, and flour at the end to thicken it up.  Whether you prefer Tomato Sauce, Mushroom Sauce or none, your cabbage rolls are sure to be a hit with anyone at your table.  We like to serve them with Polish beer, icy vodka shots, or a hearty red wine. 

Smacznego!

PS:  For a "must-have" collection of great heritage recipes check out our two globally acclaimed Polish cookbooks: Polish Classic Recipes and Polish Classic Desserts - where all the recipes have been handed down from previous generations, but updated for modern kitchens.  Also, listen to us discuss great heritage Polish cuisine in our vignette called Smacznego, every month at:   www.mypolcast.com

The Fine Art of Polish Canapés (Kanapki)

Witamy!

Whether you call them hors d’oeuvres, starters, or fancy appetizers, Canapés, (Kanapki in Polish) have always held an important place in classic Polish cuisine, especially on special festive occasions.  In pre-war Poland, it was customary to greet important guests with bread and salt on a tray, signifying the host’s readiness to share everything valuable.  Hospitality was always held sacred in Poland, according to a belief that “a guest in the house – is God in the house!”  

Kanapki are multi-layer bites of goodness that are the perfect finger food for a cocktail party or starter for a larger dinner party.  Most are assembled from little rounds of rye bread or pumpernickel, artfully layered with components such as cheese spreads, green and black olive, herring, small slices of kielbasa, sardine, small cheese slices, and much more.  

Back in the day, Peter’s parents loved to entertain at home.  And Peter’s Dad was a master Canapé artist.   The morning of a fancy house party, he would line up all his ingredients on the kitchen counter and form an assembly line.  Then he would start the creative process.  His tools were a small cutting board, sharp paring knife, cocktail fork and tweezers.  

Heading up the line were three types of bread:  cocktail rye, pumpernickel rounds, and slices of French baguette cut into thin, two or three-inch slices.

The first layer was usually a soft spread such as butter, brie cheese, pâté, or one of the spreads below. 

The second layer could be a protein:  slice of kielbasa, smoked salmon, piece of sardine or pickled herring. 

The third layer could be a slice of pickle, tomato or sometimes a slice of hard boiled egg. 

Finally that gorgeous “tower of flavor” was topped off with a tiny dollop of sour cream or mayo, and then a bit of caviar or a sprig of dill.  Peter’s Dad didn’t follow any rules or recipes, but his creations were all about great ingredients, creating an amazing balanced bite, and of course - the visual presentation.   It’s an art form.

Here are several spreads that work well as the first layer on your cocktail bread.  Let your creativity run wild and go for it!

Mustard Butter
½ cup softened butter
½ cup course, whole grain mustard
Blend the butter and mustard until creamy. 
Variations:   instead of the mustard, try with:  2 tablespoons finely chopped green onions;  or two tablespoons of fresh chopped dill;  or 1 tablespoon of prepared horseradish (more or less to taste).  
Smacznego! 

PS:  For a "must-have" collection of great heritage recipes check out our two acclaimed Polish cookbooks: Polish Classic Recipes and Polish Classic Desserts - where all the recipes have been handed down from previous generations, but updated for modern kitchens.  Also, listen to us discuss great heritage Polish cuisine in our vignette called Smacznego, every month at:   www.mypolcast.com

Let's Get "Saucy" - Polish Style

Witamy!

In Polish cuisine, sauces are not quite so prolific or complicated as in France.  This image is of a beautiful flounder recipe with a light lemon sauce, found on Page 50, of our cook book: Polish Classic Recipes.  The right Polish sauce can elevate your cooking to the next level.  The key to success is in the right proportions of fat, flour, liquids, flavorings, and patience.  Always cook your sauces on low heat, always stir vigorously.  Today’s immersion blenders are super for getting the lumps out.

Here are a few important tips:

Instant flour, such as Wondra, can be a big help because it yields a smoother and less lumpy texture with less mixing  It's not always easy to find, but worth a spot in your pantry.
Never add flour to a hot sauce but do add sauce to the flour, a spoon at a time while constantly stirring.

Never boil a sauce with sour cream because it will separate.  And if it does separate, you can often save it by cooling it down and adding some more sour cream to the sauce.

Chicken or beef stocks are easiest to work with; bouillon cubes can be dissolved and used but watch the saltiness.  Base stock (highly concentrated stock in a jar – beef, chicken, mushroom) is great for kicking up flavor but use it very sparingly because it can be very salty. 

Here are a few traditional Polish sauces with great versatility.

Dill Pickle Sauce

1 ½ tablespoons butter, melted

2 tablespoons flour

½ cup beef stock

½ cup pickle juice from the jar

3 large dill pickles, shredded

½ cup sour cream

                                        Salt to taste

Heat the stock.  Mix the butter with the flour over low heat.  Stir in the hot stock gradually. Stir in the pickle liquid. Bring to a low boil while stirring constantly.  Add the pickles.  Add the sour cream very slowly while stirring.  Heat but do not let it boil.  Season with salt.   Serve over beef roast and boiled potatoes.

Dill Sauce

1 cup chicken or beef stock

3 tablespoons flour

2 to 3 tablespoons chopped dill (fresh has more flavor)

½ cups sour cream

Salt to taste

Put the flour in a small saucepan.  Stir in the stock (room temperature) into the flour gradually, while stirring. Bring to a low boil stirring constantly.  Add the dill and remove from heat. Add sour cream. Season with salt.  Serve warm over braised meats and dry casseroles. 

Dried Mushroom Sauce

1 ounce dried mushrooms

1 cup water

3 ½ tablespoons flour

4 tablespoons cold water

Salt & pepper

½ cup sour cream

Rinse the dried mushroom very thoroughly.  Rehydrate them by soaking in 1 cup hot water for about an hour.  Bring the soaking mushrooms in their water to a low boil for another 45 minutes, or until they are soft.   Rough chop the mushrooms. Combine the broth into the flour mixed with 4 tablespoons cold water.  Fold in the chopped mushrooms and bring to a low boil while stirring constantly. Season with salt and pepper. Let cool a bit and add the sour cream very slowly while stirring constantly.  Serve over meatloaf, meat balls or any braised meats.  

Cold Mustard Sauce

2 tablespoon prepared (yellow) mustard

Salt to taste

1 cup sour cream

¼ teaspoon sugar

Mix all the ingredients well; serve over cold ham, kielbasa, cold pork loin, or boiled eggs.  This sauce is very popular at Easter. 

Cold Green Onion Sauce

1 cup sour cream

2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped

4 tables finely chopped green onions (scallions) 

¼ teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Salt to taste

Mix all the ingredients well; serve over cold ham, kielbasa, cold pork loin, or boiled eggs. 

Cold Horseradish Sauce

5 ounces prepared horseradish

1 large apple, peeled & shredded

1 cup sour cream

Salt to taste

¼ teaspoon sugar

Mix the horseradish with the apples. Add the sour cream. Season with salt and sugar.  Serve with fish, cold cuts, hard-boiled eggs. 

Smacznego! 

Lenten Filet of Sole - Polish Style

Witamy!

It is Lent and time for meatless meals. Polish cuisine is not just about kielbasa, pierogi, or stuffed cabbage rolls.  Polish comfort food is loved around the whole world, but in fact there are a great many traditional dishes in our repertoire that are healthier, lighter, and just as delicious.  For this year’s Lenten season, we’re sharing with you a delicious fish preparation from Peter's Mom, first posted a few years ago, that will please the whole family and especially the healthy eaters around the table.   

This recipe features filet of sole which is pretty easy to find in better grocery stores.  But it can also be substituted with any lighter and thinner white fish such as flounder or tilapia.  We like Basa quite a bit, which is actually a Vietnamese cousin to the catfish but often sold in thinner filets.  

In Virginia we see Basa, both fresh and frozen, in Asian grocery stores so we like to make a special trip and buy a larger quantity for the freezer.  It’s one of our favorite fish and much cheaper than sole or flounder. 

Filet of Sole with vegetables - Polish Style

Serves 6

1 ½ tablespoons butter

1 large onion, chopped

¼ small head of savoy cabbage, chopped

1 leek, finely sliced  (just the white part)

1 large carrot, finely sliced

1 stalk celery, chopped

1 parsley root, finely sliced

3 tablespoons water

2 pounds filet of sole, or any white fish filets

Salt to taste

Sauce

1 ½ tablespoons butter

1 ½ tablespoons flour

2 bouillon cubes, vegetable or chicken

1 cup hot water

Salt & pepper to taste

3 tablespoons sour cream

In a large skillet, heat the butter, add the vegetables and the 3 tablespoons of water,  sauté over medium heat until soft - about 5 minutes.

Sprinkle the fish lightly with salt.  Place on top of the vegetables and simmer until the fish is just cooked through – about 5 to 10 minutes depending on thickness.  To test for doneness, pierce the filet lightly with a fork, turn it a bit to see if the fish is no longer opaque in color.  When done the fish should be somewhat flaky under your fork. 

To prepare the sauce,  heat the butter, add the flour, sauté while mixing until well blended.  Dissolve the bouillon cubes in hot water and add the broth to the pan.  Bring to a boil.  Stir until slightly thickened.

To serve, transfer the fish filets gently to a warm serving platter.  Add the sauce  to the vegetables. Remove from heat.  Season lightly with salt and pepper to taste.  Finish by stirring in the sour cream.  Pour over the fish.  

Serve with Polish dumplings, rice or egg noodles

                                                image courtesy of w.spodnicy.pl

Smacznego!  

Chicken In Lemon Sauce From Warsaw

Witamy!  Best wishes for the New Year!

We’ve been eating a lot more chicken lately, its lean, healthy, budget-friendly, and generally easy to prepare.  One of the smartest ways to get a chicken on the table these days, especially for dual wage-earner families, is to buy a rotisserie chicken from your neighborhood grocery store.  

Our challenge though, is that Peter really hates dried out white meat and he’s not a big fan of left overs.  Since there are only two of us most evenings, we can’t finish a whole chicken.  That means that Laura has to work hard to reinvent the leftovers into something delicious.

One of our favorite preparations is this “Chicken in Lemon Sauce from Warsaw.”   This was Peter’s Great-Grandfather’s favorite dish and for years it would always put him in a good mood.  However, Great-Grandmother used it for that purpose a little too often because over time he became suspicious, expecting bad news to follow after each time he saw Chicken In Lemon Sauce on the table.  

We love this recipe and not just for left-overs.  Often we will roast our own chicken, or buy one, specifically to debone and let the pieces swim in this awesome, light & bright lemon sauce.  We like to serve it over rice with fresh veggies and a salad on the side. 

Serves 6
One 3-pound chicken, cooked, skinned, de-boned, cut into pieces.
2 tablespoons soft butter
3 tablespoons flour
2 egg yolks, beaten
2 tablespoons cold water
1 ¾ cups of chicken broth 
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped dill
Salt & pepper to taste.

Bring the broth to a boil.  In a separate pan, mix the butter with the flour well.  Stir in 5 tablespoons of the hot broth, one at a time.  Add this mix back to rest of the boiling broth.  Remove from the heat.  Add the egg yolks beaten with the cold water. Stir in half of the lemon juice. Taste.  The sauce should be bright and clearly lemony but not so tart that it puckers your lips.  Add more lemon juice if desired.  Sprinkle in the dill.  Taste again.  Season as needed but be careful with the salt since dill can add a salty back note to the sauce. 
Smacznego!