Simple Cabbage

This must be the most simple fresh cabbage salad possible.
Just grated cabbage and lemon juice and salt & pepper to taste.

It is a surȯwka as the cabbage is not cooked.

INGREDIENTS

1/4 Fresh white cabbage

Juice of 1 lemon

Salt & Pepper to taste.

METHOD

  • Grate the cabbage using a coarse grater.
  • Mix the cabbage with the juice of 1 lemon.
  • Leave this for about 20 minutes.
  • Mix well and season to taste.

Bavarian china dish.

Pancakes with Poppy Seeds

  • I have been looking at recipes for various pancakes using poppy seeds.
  • Some did not turn out very well.
  • So I decided to use my best perfect pancake recipe and add 1 tablespoon of poppy seed per egg.
  • Poppy seeds contain several vitamins including B12 – so it is good to include these.

INGREDIENTS

  • 200g of plain flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 200ml of milk
  • 200ml of water
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 tablespoons of poppy seeds

METHOD

Sift the flour

You must use a mixture of milk and water – 50/50 is the best – this ensures that the pancakes do not burn as easily and also enables you to make then very thin and elastic so they are easy to work with. (This is the most important tip).

  • Beat the eggs and add then them first to the sifted flour.
  • Add the milk mixture to the egg and flour mix until you have a batter the consistency of pouring cream.
  • Add the poppy seeds and stir.
  • Leave the batter to stand for at least 1 hour in which time it will thicken, then add a little more liquid.
  • Stir so that all the poppy seeds are well distributed.
  • Use a special thin pan which you use just for pancakes, mine has a base diameter of 20 cm and is made of steel, once seasoned, just wipe it clean between uses with kitchen roll – never scour it or use detergent.
  • Work out how much batter you need for a pancake and find a measure which will then give you a consistent amount – I use a small ladle which holds 45ml.
  • Have a dish of melted butter or margarine and sunflower oil for frying so you can add just enough and tip some back if needed.
  • Can be served sweet or savoury.

Nordic Ware Wildflower Tin

  • I got a Nordic Ware Tin to review.
  • There were no instructions – except not to overfill!
  • I tried a madeira style cake using 2 eggs and then a cocoa – maderia style using 3 eggs.
  • You need a plain mixture – no bits like currants that will spoil the pattern.
  • The pattern showed up better in the plain cake and the size using 3 eggs was better for the tin size.
  • I used melted butter to brush the tin and then dusted it with dried bread crumbs – bułka tarta.
  • The cake came out easily – no problems.

Ingredients for 3 eggs – plain

  • 150g butter
  • 150g granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 225g plain flour
  • 2 teaspoons of baking powder
  • 2-3 drops of vanilla essence
  • *
  • Melted Butter & some bułka tarta – dried breadcrumbs.

Ingredients for 3 eggs – cocoa

As above but 4 tablespoons of cocoa and just 190g plain flour

Method

  • The usual way for this type of cake.
  • Pre-heat the oven to GM4 – 180 0C
  • Cream the butter and sugar.
  • Add in the eggs and vanilla.
  • *
  • Mix the baking powder and flour.
  • Fold this into the creamed mixture.
  • Spoon into the tin – flatten the top.
  • Bake for at least 1 hour – more may be needed.
  • Leave to cool in the tin.
  • Turn tin upside down.
  • It should come out easily with the aid of a little knock.

You can add spices or similar to the cake mixture.

You could have the cocoa cake with a buttercream or icing around around the base – A sea of chocolate – to serve with the cake – (dusting with icing sugar did not work – you lost the design).

Kruszonka – Another Idea

I wrote about kruszonka toppings – crumbles for cakes and buns earlier.

Whilst making the Rhubarb & Custard tart, I came across another idea for this topping and I think it worked well.

In this case the kruszinka mix is baked seperately on a baking tray in a hot oven and used as a topping on the cake or bun.

It can also be used as a topping for desserts such as yoghurt or budyń

  • INGREDIENTS
  • 100g plain flour
  • 70g butter – cold
  • 70g granulated sugar
  • METHOD
  • Pre-heat the oven to GM6 – 200oC.
  • Mix butter with flour until the mix is like breadcrumbs.
  • Stir in the sugar.
  • Spread on a baking sheet.
  • Bake for around 30 minutes – stirring ocasionally.
  • It should be golden and crunchy.
  • NOTE – You can keep it in a airtight box if all is not used straight away.

Dumplings Updated

More and more items are called Dumplings in English – they all very different – some made with flour, some with potato and the latest additions made with curd cheese.

None of them are like English dumplings usually made with beef suet.

Dumplings..just one word post.

I have just added Knedle with Curd Cheese and

Knedle with Cheese and Poppy Seeds to this earlier post.

Have a look to see the variety of items that are ALL called Dumplings in English

A few of the dishes are below

Knedle with Cheese & Poppy seeds

I had a lot of poppy seeds to use up because they were reaching there best before date.

I had just made the knedle with cheese and decided to try these.

To the mixture I added around 2 tablespoons of poppy seeds, which had been simmered in milk and then drained and sieved.

INGREDIENTS

  • 500g twaróg
  • 100g semolina
  • 4 eggs – seperated
  • 30g plain flour
  • 30g butter
  • 3 tablespoons of milk
  • Milk for simmering the poppy seeds
  • 2 tablesooons of poppy seeds which had been simmered in milk for 30 minutes
  • Salt
  • *
  • Serve with meted butter or with butter and bread crumbs or soured cream

METHOD

  • In a small bowl cover the semolina with the warm milk and leave for 30 minutes.
  • Sieve the cheese and dry it.
  • Beat the butter and add the yolks – 1 by 1.
  • Add the cheese and the semolina and mix until smooth.
  • Sieve the poppy seeds and dry them and add to the mixture.
  • Whisk the whites and add to the mixture.
  • Flour your hands and take pieces of the mix to make ‘balls’ the size of walnuts.
  • Test by adding 1 to boiling water – if too loose add a little more flour.
  • Cook in boiling salted water, cover whilst cooking.
  • Use a slotted spoon to remove them from the water.
  • Place them in a colander and then in a bowl.
  • *
  • You can dust with icing sugar and
  • Serve them with melted butter or soured cream/
  • *
  • They will be good with fresh or bottled fruits.

Red Cabbage Salad

  • I got this recipe from a lady who said it should be made the night before you needed it.
  • I found you could keep it for several weeks in a closed jar.
  • *
  • Ingredients
  • 1/3 to 1/4 of a red cabbage – shredded and chopped
  • 1 red onion – chopped
  • 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons of wine vinegar or similar
  • *
  • I think a whole cabbage would make 4 jars
  • Method
  • Place the cabbage and red onion in layers in a jar.
  • Sprinkle the sugar over these as go you along.
  • Pour the vinegar over the contents of the jar.
  • Add the lid to the jar and shake well.

Here served with a simple omelette.

Knedle with Curd Cheese

Knedle is yet another word in Polish which is translated as dumpling.

Some knedle are made with pierogi dough and others can be made with potatoes.

Here they are made with curd cheese or twaróg (if using yoghurt cheese it should be really well drained).

This recipe is based in one that can be found in what I call my Kuchnia Polska “Bible”.

They should be served immediately after boiling with melted butter or soured cream.

INGREDIENTS

  • 500g twaróg
  • 100g semolina
  • 4 eggs – seperated
  • 30g plain flour
  • 30g butter
  • 3 tablespoons of milk
  • Salt
  • *
  • Serve with meted butter or with butter and bread crumbs or soured cream

METHOD

  • In a small bowl cover the semolina with the milk and leave for 30 minutes.
  • Sieve the cheese and grind it.
  • Beat the butter and add the yolks – 1 by 1.
  • Add the cheese and the semolina and mix to a smooth mixture.
  • Whisk the whites and add to the mixture.
  • Flour your hands and take pieces of the mix to make ‘balls’ the size of ‘walnuts’.
  • Test by adding 1 to boiling water – if too loose add a little more flour.
  • Cook in boiling salted water, cover whilst cooking.
  • Use a slotted spoon to remove them from the water.
  • Place them in a colander and then in a bowl.

Page 209

Fig Roll

  • I made placek with figs 3 a few weeks ago and really liked the filling.
  • I had half of the fig packet(soft type) left and they needed to be used soon.
  • I made the filling as before but without the dates.
  • I decided to make a yeast dough pastry this time.
  • I used the recipe from whinberry buns.
  • Note – you can make buns but I think you will not need as much filling.
  • I used a new long proofing basket but at the end found my baking trays were too long for my new oven.
  • I quickly transfered them to other lightly greased trays and curved the shapes.
  • NOTE – next time I would be prepared and shape the rolls into C, D or S shapes after they prooved or on the trays.
  • They turned out really well – the dough a light yeast dough and the amount of filling to dough just right.
  • My late tatus – dad would have loved these – he loved English fig rolls.

FIG FILLING

  • 175 – 200g dried fig – chopped into small pieces
  • 25g dark brown sugar
  • 75ml water
  • 2 small oranges – fine grated rind and juice
  • 1/4 tea spoon of bicarbonate of soda
  • *
  • 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1 medium eating apple – peeled, cored and coarse grated.
  • INGREDIENTS- dough
  • Starter
  • 50g plain flour
  • 150 ml of hand hot milk
  • 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar
  • 1/2 tablespoon dried yeast
  • *
  • Dough – rest
  • 200g Plain flour
  • 60g granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 egg yolks
  • *
  • Beaten egg white to glaze

METHOD

  • Mix the starter ingredients together.
  • Leave for 20-30mins.
  • *
  • Dough – mix the starter with the rest of the ingredients.
  • Knead 10 minutes – set timer.
  • Leave for 2hrs or more.
  • Lightly knead again.
  • Divide into 2.
  • Shape into rectangles and then roll these out thinly to around 30 x 15cm.
  • Fill with fig filling.
  • Bring the long edges together and then the ends and seal well.
  • Pinch several times.
  • Cover and leave for 30 minutes.
  • Pre- heat the oven to GM6 – 2000 C.
  • Grease or butter a large baking sheet.
  • Brush with the beaten egg white.
  • Shape – curve to fit on your trays
  • GM6 – 2000 C.
  • Bake for around 30 minutes.
  • Leave to cool.
  • Cut into small slices.

Royal Doulton – Counterpoint tea plate.

Brush with

Yoghurt & Horseradish Dressing

  • This is an easy dressing to make for salads.
  • I think it is best for dark green leaves such as Romaine lettuce.
  • I think it would also work well with cooked leaves of various sorts – but have not yet tried this.
  • You can also use this as a ‘dip’ with say batons of carrots or similar.

INGREDIENTS

  • Full fat Greek style yoghurt
  • Ready made horseradish sauce
  • Optional – a little lemon juice.

METHOD

  • I found the best results are in the proportions of 1 tablespoon of yoghurt to 1 teaspoon of sauce.
  • Try this proportion and adjust it to your own taste.
  • This does depend on the horseradish sauce and some of the Polish ones may be hotter so you need less.
  • Whisk the yoghurt and the horseradish together until well combined.
  • *
  • Squeeze in the lemon juice – if using and stir.
  • *
  • Chop the Romaine lettuce into thick shreds.
  • *
  • Combine the dressing with the lettuce or serve it as a side dressing.
  • *
  • Serve with cold roast meats or similar – here with cold klops – mama’s recipe – Polish meatloaf.
  • Bavaria china bowl and Spode plate – Flemish green.