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