Strawberry Decadence From Poland

Witamy! 

Yesterday I bought some strawberries at the local grocery store.  True, they were shipped in from the west coast or some warmer and more tropical climes to the south of the U.S.  (I didn't check) but they were still pretty good although many of the centers were quite pale and white.  I have to tell you that in a pinch frozen strawberries are almost as good as the fresh ones, if defrosted slowly and carefully.  On our last trip to Poland we noted that Polish strawberries are generally smaller than those we see in America and they have a more intense flavor because they are not harvested so early.

Here is an old fashioned dessert dating back to the Polish monarchies as well as the court of the Romanoffs, and the epoch of the last Russian czar.  Within the walls of their sumptuous castles and grand residences, their days were filled with laughter, elegance and splendor.  Banquet tables were heavy with delicious dishes meals prepared for aristocrats, diplomats and other gentry.  This particular dessert was  favored by the diners but also by the kitchen staff because it is so easy to prepare.  Serve it in your finest crystal glassware.

• 2 quarts small ripe strawberries, washed, hulled and chilled

• 1 cup whipping cream

• 1 pint vanilla ice cream, softened at room temperature

• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice

• 1/3 cup Cointreau or similar orange-flavored liquor

Whip the cream until stiff.  Beat the ice cream in a mixer until fluffy.  Gently combine the whipped cream, ice cream, lemon juice and liquor and mix lightly.  Fold in the berries. Portion into pretty crystal glasses and serve immediately.  

Serves 8
Smacznego!

Ugly Apples for Dessert

Witamy! 

It’s apple time!  Local orchards are full and ready for picking.  Apple cider is fresh and tangy and most fun when purchased from a roadside fruit stand -- I’ve always preferred the fresh pressed, unpasteurized, straight-out-of-the-barrel kind because the taste is so much more intense.  Grocery store shelves are overflowing with several varieties of apples, including those “not-so-pretty” local varieties.  In fact I just read about one orchard featuring “heirloom apples”...yes, they were deformed and misshapen, but apparently just delicious. 

Apples are an important part of Polish cuisine and here is a favorite dessert that Peter's Mom made for him as a child.

Apple and Rice Pudding
Serves 6
4  cups, semi-tart, peeled, cored and shredded apples    
1  tablespoon cinnamon
½  cup brown sugar
4   cups cooked rice, not precooked or instant rice
1½  cups sour cream
4   tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

Note:  try to use those ugly local apples...they taste great, are often cheaper and more plentiful in the fall, and they support your local produce farmers.

Preheat oven to 375 °F.  In a bowl, combine the cinnamon and sugar with the shredded apples and mix well.

Grease a 9-inch baking dish (or glass pie pan)  and spread out the rice and apples in the pan , in alternating layers  (rice/apples/rice/apples/rice.)

 

Cover and bake for 40 minutes.  Mix the sour cream and sugar onto a sauce and set aside.

 
Let the pudding cool down a bit.  Serve warm in small bowls, topped with the sweet, sour cream sauce. 

Note:  the top layer of rice may get a little crunchy, but that gives it a great texture.
Smacznego!

Peaches in Syrup, From Poland

Witamy!

As the summer orchard season draws down, there are still a few peaches available for picking. Perfectly ripe off the tree is the way to go, but we always pick too many. After Laura’s recipes for peach cobbler, peach pie, peach crumble, peach turnovers, peach salsa, peach sangria, peach ice cream and peach jam have been exhausted, there are usually a few peaches left over. This time of the year many newspapers and magazines feature articles on canning fruit. Some are too basic (boring) some are too creative (terrible), but here is one we found in Poland that’s easy to prepare, tastes great, and has our own optional spin to kick it up a notch.

• 8-9 pounds small, perfectly ripe peaches
• 5 cups sugar
• 1 quart water

• 3-4 one-quart mason jars

Fill a large pot with enough water to cover a portion of the peaches. Reserve the rest. Drop the whole peaches in boiling water and boil for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the first batch, drop in the next batch and so on - until all the peaches have been boiled for 3 to 5 minutes each.

While the 2nd batch of peaches is boiling, remove the skins from the first batch. They should come off very easily while still hot. Do the same for the rest of the peaches. In the mean time, put on the quart of water and sugar to boil. When boiling, stir until all the sugar is thoroughly dissolved and remove from the burner.

Gently cut each peach in half and remove the pit. Don’t worry that some of the pits don’t come out easily or the peach halves end up like chopped up quarters – it will all look just fine in the syrup.

Wash the jars, lids and rubber seals very well. Pack the peaches firmly into each jar, but without pushing them down. Leave about an inch from the top. Pour in the syrup to just cover the fruit and tap the jars to remove any air from the peaches. Close the lids loosely. Now we must pasteurize - do not skip this step.

Put the jars in a large pot and cover with lukewarm water. Slowly bring to a boil within 20 minutes or so, and, simmer for at least 20 minutes. Remove the jars from the water, re-tighten the lids and cool. Store the jars in a dark, cool place and enjoy whenever you wish. The flavors are much brighter than canned peaches from the grocery store.

Two options: To change up the flavors, you can add some red berries. To give your peaches a kick, to the syrup you could add an ounce or two of peach or orange-flavored brandy such as Grand Marnier. Smacznego!