So, when I say that I am Polish, it is not because I was born in Poland (although that would make more sense), but that I have strong roots to Poland. Anyone else find it strange that we Americans/United Statians call ourselves by the culture of our ancestors? *I think that was the name of that website*
As a proud American, I can't even call myself a Polish-American. This also is a lie. I am not Polish, nor am I Polish-American (I believe that title would be saved for a person born in Poland, but whom has become a US citizen.) I do have a strong love for my Polish heritage and my family's Polish-American culture. I should throw-in a Roman Catholic culture reference in there somewhere, but that is for another day.
Anyway that you look at it, I love being Polish-related. I love the food, the Polka, dress, the culture and the food!
I have decided to eat my way through my heritage... This will take several weeks and many recipes. I will be making Polish, Polish-American and Buffalo-Polish meals over the next several weeks (or longer). I hope that my family approves, I haven't discussed it with them and will not, until someone realizes that we are eating a lot more Polish food.
I will post picture and results here. I started last weekend with glumki and I was the only one that really liked it. I will post a picture when I get a chance, as I made two pans and I will be eating it everyday for lunch this week. lol.
Glumki: (aka Pigs in a Blanket or Stuffed Cabbage Rolls) is made by boiling a cabbage with really big leaves, while you boil the cabbage, make a cup (uncooked) of white rice (don't go fancy here, white is the way to go) and let it cool. As the cabbage leaves get loose remove them (please, remember that the water is boiling, use utensils). As you are removing the leaves - this will take a while - mix together the cooked rice and two pounds or so of uncooked ground beef with salt, pepper, seasoning salt and two eggs. Get a couple deep baking dishes and mix a can of condensed tomato soup (yeah, this might be a family tweak to the recipe) with a large can of tomatoes - you need a layer of this tomato sauce on the bottom on the pans. Grab a cabbage leave and spoon full of the meat/rice mixture and wrap that baby up. Line the wrapped cabbage rolls in the a pan, use a second pan with tomato sauce if needed. Here is a trick - cover the rolls with leftover cabbage leaves and more tomato sauce, then with foil and put it in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for about 3 hours. Yeah, 3 hours - Polish food takes a long time, hence all of my leftovers.
I made these with my two Aunts in my Grandma's kitchen. Even though she is gone for 20 years now, cooking in her kitchen is a wonderful way to feel close to her.
Okay so here is a list of dishes that I want to try to make (I got the idea from looking at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Polish_dishes):
- Grochówka - pea and/or lentil soup Zupa pomidorowa - tomato soup usually served with pasta or rice
- Zupa grzybowa/pieczarkowa - mushroom soup made of various species
Gołąbki - cabbage leaves stuffed with spiced minced meat and rice or with mushrooms and rice served with sour cream or tomato sauce- Kiełbasa - sausage is a staple of Polish cuisine and comes in dozens of varieties, smoked or fresh, made with pork, beef, turkey, lamb, or veal with every region having its own specialty.
- Klopsiki - meatloaf, often with tomato sauce
- Kotlet mielony - meat cutlet with eggs, bread crumbs, garlic, and salt and pepper rolled into a ball and fried with onions and butter
- Pierogi - dumplings, usually filled with sauerkraut and/or mushrooms, meat, potato and/or savory cheese, sweet curd cheese with a touch of vanilla, or blueberries or other fruits, such as cherries or strawberries, and sometimes even apples -- optionally topped with sour cream, and sugar for the sweet versions.
- Placki kartoflane/ziemniaczane - potato pancakes usually served with sour cream
- Pyzy - potato dumplings served by themselves or stuffed with minced meat or cottage cheese
- Mizeria - sliced cucumbers and sour cream
- Budyń - pudding--usually comes in many different flavors, such as sweet cream, chocolate, and even cherry
- Chałka - sweet white wheat bread of Jewish origin
- Faworki / Chrusty - light fried pastry covered with powdered sugar
- Kisiel - clear, jelly-like fruit liquid
- Krówki - Polish fudge, soft milk toffee candies
- Mazurek - cake baked in Poland, particularly at Christmas Eve and Easter, but also at other winter holidays
- Naleśniki - crepes which are either folded in to triangles or rolled in to a tube typical servings include sweet white cheese with sugar and sour cream, various fruits topped with bita śmietana (whipped cream) or with bite bialka (whipped egg whites)
- Pączek - closed donut filled with rose marmalade or other fruit conserves
- Sernik - Sernik (cheesecake) is one of the most popular desserts in Poland. It is a cake made primarily of twaróg, a type of fresh cheese.
