Polish Mushroom-Potato Soup

Witamy!  No amount of wishful thinking will bring a warming spring back to North America any sooner than Mother Nature will allow.  So deal with it and enjoy the opportunity to make fresh hearty, stick-to-your-ribs soups and stews for your table.  But first a note about your pantry...if you regularly prepare Polish recipes, your pantry should always be stocked with dried mushrooms and fresh dill.

In recent years there has been a proliferation of new Asian and Latino grocery stores.  These are great sources for fresh herbs and much cheaper than traditional grocery stores.  In fact some import Eastern European foods such as Polish chocolate, cookies, canned pate, pickles, and more.  We have several in Northern Virginia and regularly buy fresh dill for 99 cents a big bunch, and 3 or 4 bunches of green onions for a buck, cilantro for 50 cents a bunch, fresh beets at half the price of our local Safeway, and the list goes on and on.  These fresh ingredients will add a lot of authentic flavors to your cooking.  

Dried mushrooms are another story.  They are an important part of Polish cuisine because the flavor profile, when hydrated, is more intense than fresh mushrooms.  This soup recipe uses just a few dried mushrooms to kick up the taste.  To our palates, the absolutely best ones are “wild forest mushrooms” from Poland (or any other Eastern European country).  We used to get them on EBay from a farm in Bulgaria.  They were wonderful but capitalism has found its way there and the prices are now stratospheric.  But, very good dried mushrooms come out of mushroom farms in Iowa or Oregon, and are available on line.  Our last batch came from France and was purchased on Amazon for about $30 for a whole pound which fills a gallon container.

  
Since it is still cold outside, here is a soup that is sure to please, quite easy to prepare and not time consuming.  It’s delicious and very representative of traditional Polish comfort food. 

Serves 10
4 dried mushrooms (optional)
1½ pounds potatoes, peeled and sliced
1 cup fresh, dark mushrooms, i.e. cremini, washed well and sliced
7 cups beef broth
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon cold water
Salt and pepper to taste
2/3 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

If using dried mushrooms, wash them thoroughly to remove all sand.  Hydrate the dried mushrooms in a cup of very hot water for about one hour.  Keep the liquid for the soup pot. 

Bring broth and mushroom liquid to a low boil.  Cook the potatoes and all the mushrooms in the broth for 30 minutes or until just soft.  Mix the flour and cold water and slowly add to the broth.  Bring back to a boil and immediately remove from the heat.  Add in the sour cream, parsley and dill.  Season to taste.  HINT:  Go easy on the salt and keep tasting because the dill brings a natural saltiness to the soup.  
Serve IN a dark bread bowl,  or with fresh dark crusty bread and sweet butter.
Smacznego!

Poached Salmon With a Polish Twist

Witamy!

TGIF (Thank God Its Friday)!  You’ve had a tough week and you don’t feel like cooking a big meal.  All you want to do is catch your breath, relax, maybe have a light supper and get ready for the weekend.  Here’s a light dish, served at room temperature,  that’s perfect for a busy Friday after a long hard week.  You can prep it early and let it sit while you unwind. 

SERVES 6

6 small salmon steaks

2 celery stalks

2 small onions

2 parsnips

2 carrots

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Salt to taste

12 medium shrimp, deveined, cooked, peeled

12 rolled anchovy fillets

3 canned beets, sliced and drained

1 large cucumber, sliced

2 tablespoons fresh dill

Aioli:

½ cup of mayonnaise

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 clove garlic, minced

Salt & Pepper to taste

First, make the aioli by whisking the lemon juice, garlic, and salt & pepper to into the mayonnaise.  Add the lemon juice and salt very slowly and keep tasting until you’re happy with the flavor.  Refrigerate.

Place the salmon, celery, onions, parsnips and carrots into a large saucepan.  Cover with boiling water, season with salt, and poach at a low simmer for 20 minutes.  Take off the heat and throw in some ice to cool down the water to stop the cooking process.  When the water is cool, discard the vegetables, drain the fish and pat dry.

On a long serving platter, arrange the salmon steaks in the middle in a row.  Place one shrimp and one anchovy on each side of each salmon steak.  Alternate the cucumber and beet slices as you arrange them around the fish steaks.  Season to taste.  Sprinkle the fish and vegetables with lemon juice.  Garnish with the aioli.  Sprinkle dill over the entire platter.

Now it’s time for the platter and you to rest.  Sit down, enjoy your favorite beverage and relax until it’s time to dine.  Serve at room temperature.

Smacznego

New Year’s Pork Loin With Fruit, Polish Style

Witamy!  Happy New Year!

Poles love pork and enjoy it prepared in dozens of ways.  In our house we always enjoy a pork loin on New Year’s Day, swimming in caraway flavored sauerkraut, served with buttery mashed potatoes and bright, fresh, vegetables.  And we always stick a couple of hot dogs or brats in the sauerkraut for anyone at the table who prefers “tube steak.”

Pork loin roasts are extremely versatile but there are a few tips to keep them moist. 

* 1^st, we always buy the kind that is tied together with butchers’ string. That means there are usually two pieces with a small layer of pork fat between the pieces which adds the goodness of flavor and moisture during roasting.  So don’t remove it. 

* 2^nd, always cook your pork low and slow.

* 3^rd, always brown the pork first to create an outside crust that will help the meat retain its natural moisture.

* 4^th, be sure to use a quick-read digital meat thermometer -- the latest guideline from culinary scientists suggests that pork will be safe when the internal temperature reaches 145°F followed by a three-minute rest time, and is a little pink inside.  But frankly we like it better at 160°F.

* Finally, cook your roast in something moist...whether its sauerkraut, or apples, or prunes, and baste often with the liquid.  Your pork roast will always be a winner if you follow these simple tips. 

Here’s a recipe for a Polish favorite – Pork Loin with Fruit – it is often prepared with prunes but feel free to substitute any fruit you wish – apple slices or drained peaches work well.

Pork Loin with Fruit

Schab z Owocami

4 to 6 pound pork loin, boneless

2 tablespoons coarse salt

2 to 3 tablespoons flour

4 tablespoons boiling water

2 tablespoon bacon drippings (or cooking oil such as canola)

12 ounces of pitted prunes or peeled apple slices or drained peach slices

Sprinkle the meat with salt and flour.  Brown thoroughly in a hot skillet in the drippings and set the roast into your roasting/braising pan.  Loosen the drippings in the skillet, whisk them together with boiling water and pour the mixture over the roast.  Bake at 325°F for about 40 minutes per pound.  Baste often.  For the last hour, add the prunes, or apples, or peaches, to the pan.  Remove from oven when the internal temp reaches 150°F.  Tent with foil and let it rest for 15 minutes.  

Make the sauce while the roast is resting.  Pour off the liquid, whisk in a little flour and bring to a low boil, whisking continuously.  Slice the meat into portion sizes and place on a warmed serving platter.  Strain the sauce through a sieve and pour over the sliced meat.  Garnish with the fruit. 

Serve with potatoes, red cabbage and dill pickles. Pair with a light red wine or a slightly sweet pinot gris.  Smacznego!