Author: jadwiga49hjk

I love cooking and baking. I love trying out new recipes and currently am trying out many old favourites from my Polish cookbooks and family recipes. I am trying out many variations, often to make them easier but still delicious. I collect glass cake stands and china tableware, mainly tea plates, jugs and serving dishes, many of which I use on a daily basis. They are an eclectic mixture from the 20th & 21st century.

Chicken Pierogi Filling

  • One of my Polish friend’s came over and we made pierogi for dinner.
  • We used minced chicken to make the filling.
  • Now this is different to the way I make the filling as I have always used cooked chicken.

INGREDIENTS

  • 500g minced chicken
  • 2 onions
  • 1 tablespoon of curry powder or similar
  • 1 – 2 tablespoons of water
  • Sunflower oil to fry the meat  and onions.
  • Salt & pepper to taste

METHOD

  • Chop the onions into small pieces.
  • Fry the onions in a frying pan.
  • Add the chicken, stir and fry till cooked.
  • Add the curry powder.
  • Add the water and cook for a few minutes.
  • Season to taste.
  • Cook off some of the liquid or drain this away.
  • Cook till dry-ish.
  • Leave to go cold.
  • *
  • Make your pierogi in the usual way.
  • Try the spelt flour dough posted a short while ago.

Ewa’s Pierogi Dough

  • One of my Polish friends, Ewa, came round and we made pierogi by her method.
  • It is not so different to mine but she uses spelt flour- orkiszowa.
  • Spelt flour is a more ancient wheat flour and and is a little different to work with,
  • Ewa used cup measurement but I have converted these into weights.
  • The amount of water needed depends on the flour and this is something you learn to gauge as you work with the dough.

INGREDIENTS

  • Around 300 – 350g Spelt flour
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tablespoon sunflower oil
  • Large pinch of salt
  • 150 – 190ml water – depends on the flour.

METHOD

  • Place the flour in a heap on a large pastry board.
  • Make a well in the centre and add the salt, yolk and oil.
  • Start to add the water and combine the liquid with the flour.
  • Keep adding water and mixing until you have a soft dough.
  • (if you add too much water – add more flour).
  • Make a ball with the dough and knead it well for 5 minutes – set a timer.
  • *
  • Use the dough as you would normally –
  • Best to divide into half and roll each portion out into a thin sheet.
  • *
  • Make the pierogi in the usual way with your favourite fillings.
  • *
  • This  amount of dough should make at least 50 pierogi.
  • Fill a large saucepan with water and bring it to the boil.
  • Add half the pierogi and boil them until they rise and float to the surface.
  • Use a slotted spoon to remove them – serve or keep warm with a little butter or oil.
  • Repeat for the other half.
  • (Note this is a slightly different way of boiling than I usually use).
  • *
  • Serve with the toppings you would normally use to go with the filling such as butter, fried onion, skwarki (bacon bits) or soured cream etc.

The ones we made were filled with chicken – made in a different way to how I do a chicken filling – see a later post for this – not yet written.

Yoghurt Cheese Salad

INGREDIENTS

  • 250g of full fat twaróg or yoghurt cheese
  • Bunch of radishes – finely sliced
  • 1 large gherkin – chopped into small cubes
  • Bunch of spring onions – finely chopped – white and green parts
  • Salt & Pepper to taste
  • *
  • Some Greek style yoghurt or soured cream – may be needed to loosen up the cheese.
  • OPTIONAL
  • ½ fresh cucumber – peeled, deseeded and chopped into small cubes.

METHOD

  • Mix the twaróg or yoghurt cheese with the radishes, gherkins and spring onions.
  • Add the cucumber if using.
  • Add the yoghurt or soured cream if needed.
  • Season to taste.

Celeriac & Potato Placki

  • I saw this recipe in a magazine and thought they would be good.
  • I had a couple of goes at these as the original recipe did not work as the placki just kept falling apart.
  • The potatoes MUST be grated on a fine grater.
  • Some – but not all – of the potato liquid needs to be removed.
  • I added onions to the original recipe.
  • They have a slightly sweet taste because of the celeriac.

INGREDIENTS

  • Around 300 – 500g of peeled celeriac
  • Equal weight of peeled potatoes
  • 2 small onions – chopped very fine or blended.
  • 2 eggs – beaten
  • 3 tablespoons of plain flour
  • Salt & pepper
  • Sunflower oil for frying.

METHOD

  • Grate the celeriac on a coarse grater and place into a bowl.
  • Grate the potato using a fine grater.
  • Use a  cheese cloth to remove some of the potato liquid BUT
  • Keep this liquid as you might need some of it.
  • Mix the grated celeriac and the grated potato.
  • Add the onions and mix well.
  • Add the beaten eggs and 3 tablespoons of flour.
  • If the mixture is very “sloppy” add a little more flour.
  • If the mixture is very dry – add a little of the potato water.
  • You are aiming for a thick mixture.
  • Season with the salt and pepper.
  • *
  • Heat the oil in a frying pan.
  • Fry large tablespoonfuls of mixture at a time.
  • Cook each side on a medium heat.
  • Do not turn the placki too soon – they tend to fall apart.
  • Take care not to burn them.
  • Keep warm in a low oven if you want to serve them all together.
  • *
  • Serve with fried eggs or with a cold twaróg salad (see later post).

Medieval Chicken

  • This in fact is a very old English recipe. 
  • However it could have been made in Poland as grapes grew there in Medieval times.

  • In the original recipe a whole chicken was used and green grapes and sage placed in the cavity.  The chicken was then simmered in stock.

  • In the following  recipe chicken joints with skins on them are used as this seemed nearer the original version.

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 to 5 chicken joints with the skin on
  • 80g green grapes + some extra for serving
  • Large tablespoon of chopped fresh sage
  • 200 – 250ml of vegetable or chicken stock
  • 250ml of white wine.
  • *
  • 1 teaspoon of ground cinamon
  • 1 teaspoon of sugar

METHOD

  • Pre-heat the oven to GM4 – 180ºC.

  • Cook in a roasting dish covered with foil or

  • A roasting dish with a lid.

  • If the grapes are large cut them in half.

  • Place the grapes and chopped sage under the skin of each joint and tuck it back over the flesh.

  • Place the joints in the base of the roasting tin.

  • Put the garlic in-between the joints.

  • Pour the stock and the wine over the chicken.

  • Put the foil or lid over the roasting tin.

  • Cook for 60 to 75 minutes.

  • *

  • Mix the sugar and cinnamon together

  • Sprinkle a little over each joint when serving.

  • *

  • Add a few fresh grapes to serve.

Fresh Cabbage Fritters

  • I have lots of recipes for vegetable fritters/pancakes including one for sauekraut.
  • This one uses a whole cabbage head – this is good if it is a small cabbage.
  • Otherwise I think ½ a head is better.
  • You could use a sweetheart cabbage.
  • Next time I would chop the cabbage into smaller pieces.

INGREDIENTS

  • Whole small white cabbage
  • 1 onion
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • Butter for frying
  • 100g plain flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • 1 teaspoon chilli flakes – optional
  • *
  • Sunflower oil for frying.

METHOD

  • Chop the white cabbage into small pieces.
  • Cook in salted water for around 20 minutes.
  • Drain and pat dry.
  • Leave to cool.
  • You may want to chop the pieces even smaller.
  • Dice the onion and chop the garlic.
  • Fry in butter till golden.
  • Leave till cool.
  • Mix the cabbage and onion mix together.
  • Mix together with the flour, salt and flour.
  • Beaten the eggs and mix everything together.
  • Stir in the chilli flakes.
  • *
  • Make little patties.
  • Fry in sunflower oil for around 4 minutes on each side.
  • Taking care not to burn them.

They taste good with a fried egg or two.

Little Poppy Seed Cakes -2

  • I posted my little poppy seed cakes post in December 2019.
  • I have been using spelt flour – orkiszowa – a bit recently and decided to try these out using this flour.
  • They were delicious – the spelt flour giving them a slightly nutty taste.

Ingredients

  • 180ml of milk (full fat or semi)
  • Around 100ml of runny honey (extra may be needed)
  • 120g of poppy seeds 
  • 50g of raisins
  • Strong Earl Grey tea
  • Grated zest of 1 lemon

Method

  • Make some strong Earl Grey tea.
  • Put the raisins in a small bowl and cover them with the hot tea and leave till they go cold.
  • Into a small saucepan put the poppy seeds and the milk.
  • Bring to the boil then lower the heat.
  • Simmer gently for around 20 minutes, stirring constantly.
  • Take care not to let the mixture burn.
  • Add the honey and continue heating and stirring.
  • Drain the raisins and add them to the mixture and mix them in.
  • Keep stirring and try and drive off any liquid left.
  • Taste for sweetness – you may want to add more honey.
  • Leave to go completely cold before using.
  • Add the grated lemon rind.
  • *
  • If this is too much filling – you can always freeze some.

Yeast Dough

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon of fresh yeast
  • 4-5 tablespoons of milk (full fat or semi)
  • 1 teaspoon of sugar
  • 250g of spelt flour
  • Pinch of salt
  • 120g of butter
  • 20g of caster sugar
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 egg white for glazing (I always use just egg white now – it does not burn as easily as whole egg)

Method

  • Warm 3-4 tablespoons of the milk to hand heat.
  • Add the teaspoon of sugar.
  • Add the yeast and leave it to froth up.
  • Place the flour into a large bowl and add the salt.
  • Cut in the butter with a knife and then make breadcrumbs with your fingers.
  • Stir in the sugar.
  • Make a well in the centre.
  • Add the egg yolk and the yeast mixture.
  • Use a knife at first to bring the dough together.
  • You may need some of the extra milk.
  • Use your fingers to gather all the ingredients into  a ball.
  • Knead the dough for around 5 minutes till you have a smooth dough.
  • Leave the dough to rest for at least 45 minutes – covered with a tea cloth.
  • ******
  • Grease and line several baking trays.
  • Cut the dough into 3 or 4 portions.
  • Roll the dough out thinly.
  • Use a 6cm cutter to cut out circles.
  • Place a small teaspoon of filling on half of the circles.
  • Place a second pastry circle on top.
  • Use a pastry fork to crimp the edges together making sure they are sealed.
  • Glaze with beaten egg white.
  • Pre-heat the oven to GM4 – 180°C (quite low for a yeast pastry!).
  • Bake for 12-13 minutes.
  • Dust with icing sugar whilst still warm.
  • Leave to cool.
 

Poppy Seed Cake – 5

  • As you can see from the numbering – cake 5 – I have several recipes for a poppy seed cake – makowiec.
  • This was adapted from a recipe in a magazine I bought in Gdańsk.
  • It is baked in a rectangular tin and has a lemon glaze poured over it when cool.
  • Or you can cut it in half to make two squares and sandwich them together with Polish plum spread – powidła or another dark fruit jam.

Ingredients

  • 125g butter – softenned
  • 125 granulated sugar
  • 100g poppy seeds
  • 125ml milk
  • 2 eggs seperated
  • 150g flour (cake flour is good)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • Grated rind of 1 lemon
  • *
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 50g Sugar
  • or
  • Polish plum spread – powidła or Sour Cherry or Blackcurrant jam.

Method

  • Line 3 sides of a 26 x 20 baking tin with one piece of greaseproof paper.
  • Pre-heat the oven to GM4 – 180°C.
  • Cream the butter and sugar together.
  • Mix in the egg yolks.
  • Mix in the poppy seeds and the milk.
  • Mix the flour and the baking powder together.
  • Fold the flour mix into the cake mixture.
  • *
  • Whisk the egg whites until they are stiff.
  • Fold the whites gently into the cake mixture.
  • Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake tin.
  • Smoothe the top flat.
  • Bake for 50 -55 minutes.
  • Near the end of baking check the top is not burning.
  • Cover with paper or foil if it is.
  • Leave to cool in the tin.
  • *
  • Mix the lemon juice with the sugar.
  • When the cake is cooling, spread the lemon mixture over the top of the cake.
  • *
  • Dust with icing sugar to serve.

Option

  • Rather than the lemon juice – wait till the cake is cool.
  • Cut it into 2 squares and sandwich together with Polish plum spread or dark fruit jam
  • Blackcurrant jam was used here.
  • Dust with icing sugar to serve.

Red Cabbage Salad – 2

  • I recently got a recipe for red cabbage and carrot salad.
  • After following the instructions, I found all the ingredients were cut into pieces that were too large.
  • Also there was much too much onion in the mixture.
  • And I did not like the virgin olive oil in the dressing!
  • I looked at some of my earlier recipes for Red Cabbage Salad and Red Cabbage Salads.
  • I realised that here the ingredients were cut much smaller and the only difference now was the dressing used.
  • I had another go and this turned out much better.
  • *
  • In the end the difference from my earlier recipes was the ingredients in the dressing.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 red cabbage
  • 2 large carrots
  • 2 eating apples
  • *
  • Dressing
  • 4 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons of runny honey
  • 1 tablespoon of made mustard (whole grain is good)

METHOD

  • Shred the cabbage and then cut the pieces into smaller pieces or
  • Grate the cabbage on a coarse grater.
  • Grate the carrots on a coarse grater.
  • Core the apples but do not peel.
  • Chop the apples into small pieces.
  • Mix everything together.
  • *
  • Mix the dressing ingredients together and use a little whisk to combine the ingredients into one.
  • *
  • Mix the ingredients with the dressing.

Pea Shoots & Chicken Soup

  • On my last visit to Gdańsk I noticed that many dishes were garnished with pea shoots.
  • Very near to where I live, in West Yorkshire, there are greenhouses that produce varieties of cress and salad mixes.
  • One of these is a mix that contains pea shoots.
  • I recieved several of these packets recently.
  • Besides using them as salads I decided to use them in a soup.
  • The recipe is based on a couple I have posted before for Early Summer Soup and Green Early Summer Soup.
  • This soup has a base similar to rosȯł (clear chicken soup) with the shoots added near the end of cooking time.
  • I used two chicken breasts but if you use chicken pieces still with their skin on them that will be good as well.

Royal Doulton – Burgundy Soup Plate

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 whole chicken breasts (can use chicken pieces with the skin on)
  • 1 large onion – chopped
  • Around 70g pea shoots or pea shoot mixture
  • 1½ litres of vegetable stock – can be from a cube or powder
  • 4 -5 peppercorns
  • Salt – if needed – to taste

METHOD

  • Put the chopped onion, peppercorns and chicken breasts into the stock in a saucepan.
  • Bring to the boil and then simmer for around 15 minutes.
  • Remove the chicken breasts and shred the meat (you can chop the flesh into smaller pieces if you wish).
  • Put the flesh back into the liquid.
  • Chop the pea shoots into smaller pieces.
  • Add this to the stock and simmer for 5 minutes.
  • Season to taste and serve.