Witamy!
Canned salmon! Yes indeed, canned salmon has a place in every pantry. It has more flavor than canned tuna and offers a world of options for a light healthy meal when time is short or you’ve had a hard day and your energy tank is running on fumes.
This was a favorite dish of Peter’s Mom’s and we shared it on this blog once before in 2012. We've brought it back because it really should be in your book of favorite recipes. It's a perfect summer plate when you don’t feel like preparing a more complicated or involved meal.
The fishing industry in Poland is growing rapidly as eating fish is
becoming even more popular. Baltic salmon is a unique Polish specialty item. Unlike fatty farm-raised salmon, its firm flesh is only slightly pink (after cooking it is nearly white). Whether cooked or smoked, wild salmon provides amazing taste sensations far superior to the farmed varieties. It is available in cans and can be also eaten raw when salted. Have you ever tried Polish canned salmon and what did you think of it? We’ve not tried it in the U. S. but will look for some on the next visit to our favorite Polish Deli. Laura likes the Kirkland brand canned salmon (packed in water) from Costco but any brand will work.
Serves 8
16 ounces canned, wild salmon, drained and crumbled
2 cups young potatoes, boiled & sliced thinly
1 cup mayonnaise
2 medium tomatoes, sliced
2 hard boiled eggs, sliced
1 tablespoon scallions or green onions, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
The only prep is to arrange all the ingredients in layers, so how easy is that? On the bottom of a serving platter, spread the potatoes in a flat layer. Second, spread a healthy layer of the crumpled salmon over the potatoes. Third, spread a very light layer of the mayonnaise over the salmon. Cover with alternating slices of tomato and the egg – show off your wild side and be creative!
Sprinkle the chopped green onions, and lastly sprinkle generously with chopped dill. Chill for an hour and serve on lettuce leaves. A glass of dry white wine or fresh iced tea can be a very relaxing accompaniment.
Smacznego!
Witamy!
Soups are a fundamental parts of Polish dinners. Polish soups are usually robust, fragrant, creamy and filling. However, during warmer weather, summer soups are often lighter and served chilled, taking advantage of nature’s bounty of fresh vegetables harvested from nearby farms. (image courtesy of Adam Chrzastowski)
We love this cool and refreshing soup by itself for a really healthy lunch. This version we sharing today was a favorite of Peter’s Grandmother’s. It’s just one lighter spin
on the many versions which have been around for centuries.
Full of fresh flavors and a slight tang from the beets, cucumbers and sour cream, it’s immensely refreshing as a perfect lunch or light supper. We have a big bowl chilling in the fridge right now and we’ll serve it tomorrow with ripped hunks of fresh aromatic rye bread smeared with soft sweet butter and paired with a dry white wine.
Serves 10
2 bunches young red beets with tops, sliced & julienned, OR:
2 cups of canned beets (not pickled)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
4 cups buttermilk
2/3 cup sour cream
½ cup juice from canned beets
½ teaspoon sugar
Salt to taste
1 large cucumber, peels and sliced thinly
2 hard boiled eggs, sliced or quartered
1 table spoon fresh chopped dill
2 table spoons chopped green onion or chives
Boil the beets with their tops in a pot of water with the lemon juice for 20 minutes or until just tender. Cool completely. (note: for the fresh beets, an ice bath will hasten this process). Drain completely. Or, if using canned beets, julienne the slices and simmer in their juice for 5 minutes or until hot. Drain, retain the juice, cool completely.
Place the beets in a big bowl. Stir in the buttermilk, sour cream, beet juice and cucumber slices. Season with sugar and salt. Gently fold in the hard boiled eggs, dill and green onion. Chill for half a day. Serve cold with fresh bread and sweet butter.
Smacznego!
For more great Polish cuisine, scroll through previous posts here or check out our
two heritage cookbooks by clicking on their covers.
Witamy!
Polish cuisine goes way beyond our favorite comfort foods such as pierogi, cabbage rolls, or kielbasa. In fact, the favorite meat in Poland has always been pork and the most common way to serve it has been in the form of chops.
The pork we get in our grocery stores today has been specially bred to be extra lean but with that comes less flavor than back in the day. So care must be taken to not overcook it and to add great flavors. A little mushroom sauce on the side is a great way to go. If you make some extra sauce, it’ll be great over mashed potatoes or over egg noodles – both of which pair very well with the pork chops. Add your favorite vegetables for more color on the plate.
6 boneless pork loin chops, about 1 inch thick
6 tablespoons seasoned flour
2 large eggs, lightly beaten with salt & pepper to taste
1 cup bread crumbs
½ cup bacon drippings or vegetable oil
Trim most of the fat off the chops and pound them down on both sides to about one half inch thick. Roll them in flour. Dip in the egg mixture and roll them in breadcrumbs. Press the bread crumbs into the pork for an even coating. Brown them on both sides over medium heat.
Transfer to a large baking dish and bake in your oven at 325 ° F for 15 minutes. They will be done if slightly pink (when you cut a small slit to check) or if they reach an internal temperature of 150° F on your instant-read meat thermometer. Pour a little mushroom sauce over each, just before serving. Pair with sauerkraut, or red cabbage salad, and mashed or boiled potatoes. A hearty red wine, Polish beer or cold vodka shots will take this meal over the top!
Quick Mushroom Sauce
2 cups sliced mushrooms – darker varieties have more flavor
1 large onion, chopped
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoon flour
1½ cups light cream or half and half
Salt and white pepper to taste
Sauté the mushrooms and onion in hot butter until just golden. Slowly add the flour while stirring. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes until well blended. Gradually add the cream while stirring constantly. Cover and simmer for five minutes and voila, you’re done. Easy, right? Note: For extra mushroom flavor, you can substitute a quarter cup of reconstituted dried mushrooms. image from polki.pl
Smacznego!
