Sourdough Crackers

  • Have you got a lot of wheat sourdough starter?
  • Many  instructions say to discard some of your wheat flour starter before feeding it.
  • Do you consider that is a big waste?
  • Here is a recipe that uses some of your starter.
  • Use equal weights of starter and flour.

Ingredients

  • 100g of unfed sourdough starter
  • 100g strong flour
  • 50ml extra virgin olive oil
  • 30g butter (or 30ml more oil)
  • Large pinch of salt
  • *
  • Sea salt
  • Fresh rosemary

Method

  • Pre-heat your oven to GM4 180°C.
  • Line a large baking tray.
  • Melt the butter.
  • Mix all the ingredients to give a soft dough.
  • Roll out the dough as thinly as you can.
  • Put the dough onto the tray – pulling it out to make it thinner.
  • Sprinkle with sea salt and press in some rosemary.
  • Use a knife or pizza wheel to cut the dough into rough squares.
  • Bake for around 25- 30 minutes.

Wholemeal Flour & Rosemary

Rye Starter & Caraway Seeds

These are great as soup accompaniments, with dips or cheese.

I have made some with 50g demerara sugar in the dough and sugar not salt sprinkled on top. and then with 1 tablespoon of caraway seeds as well as the sugar.

 

Other Variations to try

  • Buckwheat flour
  • Rye flour
  • Mixture of flours
  • Other herbs
  • Other seeds
  • and so on ….

More Lovely Liver!

  • For many people  – liver is love it or loath it.
  • I think certainly for me and most Poles it is love it!
  • I have written about cooking liver in 2018.
  • I had some liver that I had got to make dinner last night.
  • I had cooked some leeks and peas, which I use as a filling for  buckwheat pancakes.
  • I also had a red pepper left and decided to combine them all.
  • It turned out really delicious
  • *
  • The amounts are not critical – depends on how many you are cooking this for.

Ingredients

  • Liver – whichever you like best
  • 2-3 leeks – chopped into rings
  • 100g of frozen peas
  • 1 red pepper – chopped
  • 2-3 tablespoons of soured cream.
  • Butter & sunflower oil for frying
  • Flour for dusting the liver
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Method

  • You need two large deep frying pans to made this.
  • In one frying pan melt the butter and gently cook the leeks to soften them but not brown.
  • Add the frozen peas and cover with a lid and cook for a few minutes.
  • Stir the mixture and add the soured cream.

 

  • Dip the liver in flour.
  • In the other frying pan lightly  fry the liver slices in a mixture of butter & sunflower oil on both sides.
  • Add the chopped peppers and simmer for a few minutes.
  • Mix the liver and peppers with the leek mixture.
  • Season to taste.
  • Serve immediately.

 

 

Delicious with boiled potatoes, creamy mashed potatoes, boiled rice, noodles or pasta such as tagliatelle or just with fresh bread.

 

 

 

 

Sernik – Simple Version

  • At the end of 2020 I looked at the statistics for my blog.
  • I found that over the five and a half years  – sernik – baked cheesecake is my most looked at post and has been for a few years.
  • As today is The Epiphany – The Three Kings – I thought another version of a Polish Classic would be good.
  • Recently I got this recipe from my cousin in Wembley.
  • This is  a simple version – not very different from my mama’s but does not have any added butter or soured cream.
  • The original recipe was on a packet of bought twaróg.
  • The original recipe used 1 kilogram of  twaróg and as you can imagine it was large!
  • I have cut down the amount of ingredients to make a more manageable sernik.
  • I have adjusted some of the other ingredients as my own yoghourt cheese is always a little “wetter” than the bought twaróg.
  • There is no cake base at all in this recipe – but of course you can add one.
  • Be aware that the cake rises and then collapses on cooling.

Royal Grafton – Woodside – 1940-1959

Ingredients

  • 500g twaróg – yoghurt cheese or cream cheese
  • 4 eggs separated
  • 140g icing sugar & 2 tablespoons & extra for dusting
  • 1 tablespoon of semolina
  • 2 tablespoons of potato flour (cornflour should be okay)
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence or rum

Method

  • Pre-heat the oven to GM3 – 160°C
  • Use a cake liner to line a loose bottomed 20cm or 22cm cake tin.
  • Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until the mixture is pale and creamy.
  • Add the twaróg or yoghurt cheese and the vanilla essence or rum and whisk all together.
  • Fold in the semolina and the potato flour.
  • In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites till they are stiff.
  • Add the 2 tablespoons of icing sugar and whisk again till stiff.
  • Fold the egg whites into the cheese mixture.
  • Spoon the mixture into the lined cake tin.
  • Bake in the oven for  60 – 70 minutes.
  • Check earlier and cover if it is starting to catch.
  • When the cake is ready switch off the oven and leave it in there for at least 40 minutes.
  • Take out the cake to cool in the tin.
  • Once it is cold – take the cake out of the tin by loosening the outer ring or placing the cake tin with the loose bottom on a tin can and sliding the cake tin down.
    *
  • Dust the cake with icing sugar before serving.
  • *
  • I think this cake is best made the day before you want to serve it – so it is well cooled and set.

Options

  • You can use this basic mix with a number of variations:
  • Chocolate drizzle on top.
  • Mixed peel added to the mixture.
  • Different cake bases.
  • Fruit in thickened syrups served with it.
  • and so on ….

Served on a Vintage glass cake stand and Paragon – hand painted tea plates with a sauce made from thinned down raspberry jam.

Duszona Kapusta- 2 options

Duszona kapusta is usually translated as braised cabbage. However it literally means suffocated cabbage, which I think is a lovely phrase. It indicates that the dish is cooked with the minimum amount of liquid with a lid on the pan whilst it is cooking.

A few months ago Mari (Mariana) who blogs as gourmermarichef.com  posted her recipe for duszona kapusta.  So I thought I would add my versions.

I used sweetheart cabbage as I really like this but you can use any white cabbage and even savoy cabbage ( but you will have to cook this a little longer).

My mother would have cooked this till the cabbage was very soft – I prefer to cook it for less time so the cabbage still has a little bite.

Ingredients – version 1

  • 1 sweetheart cabbage
  • 1 small onion – finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons of butter
  • 1 tablespoon of caraway seeds
  • 125ml of vegetable stock (can be from a cube or powder)
  • Salt and pepper to taste.

Method

  • Use a deep frying pan – with a lid.
  • Gently fry the onion in the butter till soft and golden.
  • Finely shred the cabbage.
  • Add the cabbage and stir.
  • Cook for a few minutes.
  • Add the caraway seeds and the stock.
  • Stir and bring to a gently simmer.
  • Put on the lid (a glass one is good) and simmer until the cabbage is soft.
  • Check the progress and stir a few times to make sure the liquid does not dry out.
  • Adjust the seasoning and serve.

Served in Royal Doulton –  Carnation 1982 – 1998

Version -2

Ingredients – version 2

  • As version 1
  • Plus 125ml of soured cream

Method – version 2

  • As version 1 until the cabbage is cooked.
  • Add the soured cream, stir and cook for another minute.
  • Adjust the seasoning and serve.

Served in Royal Doulton Tapestry – 1966-1988

 

 

Mincemeat – Squares

  • Fruit mincemeat pies I think of these as very British – but we all love them and they have become part of our Christmas Day and New Year celebrations.
  • I use my mother’s recipe for the pastry  –  kruche ciasto – shortcrust pastry.
  • I like the size and proportions of little mince pies, which seem to just jump of the plate into my hand!
  • However they are time consuming to make so I have come up with this easier version, which I make after the holidays.
  • Poles would say the mincemeat is a version of bakalie and this recipe is a placek – flat cake.

Mincemeat

I always make my own mincemeat using the recipe in Delia Smith’s Christmas cookery book but without the chopped almonds (I do not like the crunch of the nuts).

 

When using the mincemeat I add a little extra brandy or sherry and stir it in.

Ingredients – Pastry

  • 225g plain flour
  • 110g butter
  • 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 5 tablespoons of water
  • *
  • 1 tablespoon of caster sugar to sprinkle

Method – Pastry

  • Rub the butter into the flour to make “breadcrumbs”.
  • Mix in the granulated sugar.
  • First with a knife and then with your fingertips mix in the yolks and  some of the water – until it comes together.
  • You are aiming to get a dough which is not wet.
  • Chill the pastry for around 30 minutes.
  • Pre-heat the oven to GM 5 – 190°C.
  • Grease and line a shallow tray 21cm x 26cm.
  • Divide the pastry into two.
  • Roll out one piece to line the bottom of the tin.
  • Spread the mincemeat evenly over the pastry – not quite to the edges.
  • Roll the second piece of pastry out and use to cover the filling.
  • Press the edges down to seal.
  • Bake for around 30 minutes until golden.
  • Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the caster sugar.
  • Leave to cool in the tin.
  • Cut into squares when cold.

Tea plates by Queen Anne – unknown pattern name

 

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Hot Spiced Apple Drink

  • Earlier this year I wrote about apple Kompot  –  a refreshing drink which can be served either hot or cold.
  • Recently I made some apple soup, which as it was autumn I served warm.
  • These recipes started me thinking and I made a variation on the kompot to be served warm.
  • I used more spices.
  • I used Bramley apples from the garden.
  • The apples are cooked for longer in this version.
  • I did not make this drink very sweet so people can add sugar to taste.

Ingredients

  • 750g of Bramley apples (or other cooking apples)
  • 1½ litres of water
  • 1 small stick of cinnamon
  • 8 cloves or allspice grains
  • 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar

Method

  • Put the water into a large saucepan.
  • Add a small stick of cinnamon and the cloves or allspice.
  • Peel and core the apples.
  • Cut the apples into chunks
  • Add the apples to the pan.
  • Bring to boil.
  • Simmer till the apples are nearly disintegrating.
  • Add the sugar.
  • Leave to cool slightly.
  • *
  • Remove the spices.
  • Remove the larger pieces of apple.
  • Purée the rest of the mixture.

Serve hot and let people add their own sugar to taste.

Sugar bowl with lid by Royal Doulton – Sonnet 1971 – 1998

Cranberry & Apple Soup

  • This fruit soup is is both refreshing and warming in the winter.
  • Do not make it too sweet – it needs to be slightly tart.
  • Just like other soups this is served as a first course.
  • This soup is delicious served hot.
  • *
  • Although not traditional I think it could be super for Wigilia (Christmas Eve).

Ingredients

  • 300g cranberries
  • 2 large cooking apples
  • 100g granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons of potato flour or cornflour
  • Small cinnamon stick
  • 8 cloves or allspice grains
  • 1 – 1.5 litres of water
  • *
  • Little sponge cakes  to serve

Method

  • Put the water and spices into a large saucepan.
  • put the cranberries into the pan.
  • Peel and core the apples, chop into large pieces and add them to the pan.
  • Bring to the boil then simmer with a lid on the pan till the fruits are very soft.
  • Remove the spices.
  • Leave to cool a little and purée the liquid.
  • You will find there is a lot of foam and cranberry skins on the top – remove these with a slotted spoon.
  • You might want to sieve the remaining liquid through a sieve.
  • Add the sugar to the liquid and bring to the boil.
  • Mix the potato flour with a little water.
  • Add this to the soup.
  • Bring to the boil, stirring gently.
  • Simmer and stir until the soup thickens.
  • Serve with little sponge cakes.

Alfred Meakin – Midwinter – Spanish Garden soup dishes from the 1960s.

Plum Bread

This is an old English recipe which could easily be a keks recipe in Poland.

  • It can be called a tea bread as the dried fruits are soaked in tea.
  • Why is it called plum bread when there are no plums?
  • In England in the past, plum referred to all the different dried fruits.
  • The usage of the word plum to mean dried fruits has dropped out of usage.

Ingredients

  • 450g mix of currants, sultanas and raisins
  • 200ml of hot, strong Earl Grey tea
  • 170g soft brown sugar
  • 25g melted butter
  • 250g plain flour
  • 2 teaspoons of baking powder

Method

  • Put the dried fruit and sugar into a bowl.
  • Pour the tea over them and stir.
  • Leave overnight.
  • *
  • Pre-heat the oven to GM4 – 180°C.
  • Line a large loaf tin or use a cake liner.
  • Mix the flour with the baking powder.
  • Mix the flour mixture into the dried fruit mixture.
  • Stir in the melted butter.
  • Spoon into the tin and smooth the top.
  • Bake for 60 minutes – check after 50 minutes and cover with greaseproof  paper if necessary to prevent burning.
  • Leave to cool in the tin on a wire cake rack.

Served on Queen Anne, bone china tea plates

Beetroots & Apples

This is a delicious way of serving beetroot warm with a roast dinner.

Ingredients

  • 500g boiled or roast beetroots
  • 2-3 cooking apples
  • 60g of butter
  • Juice and grated rind of a lemon
  • 2-3 tablespoons of creamed horseradish sauce
  • 125ml of soured cream
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Method

  • Grate the beetroots using a medium grater.
  • Peel and core the apples and grate using a medium grater.
  • Mix the beetroot and apple together.
  • Mix in the lemon rind and juice.

  • Melt the butter in a large shallow frying pan.
  • Gently cook the mixture in the butter stirring often.
  • Cook for around 5-10 minutes.
  • Take of the heat.
  • Add the horseradish sauce and the soured cream.
  • Mix well together.
  • Season to taste and serve immediately.

Serve in Royal Doulton – Carnation – 1982 – 1998.

Note

Should you have any left you can serve it cold with cold meats.

Podkarpackie Hreczanyki

I saw a picture on an Instagram site of  Podkarpackie hreczanyki – I had not heard of them before so did some research and decided to make them.

They are buckwheat and minced meat kotlety (burgers or meatball).

Podkarpackie is a mountainous province in the south-eastern corner of Poland.

Its name translates into  English as Subcarpathian – these are the the foot hills of the Carpathian Mountains.

The usual Polish word for buckwheat is  gryka  but here a regional word  hreczka is used.

Buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum) is used very much in Polish cookery and was eaten in Poland long before the introduction of the potato in the 18th century.

I have written already about the use of its flour to make bliny & pancakes.

The buckwheat has a strong, slightly perfumed taste and I think beef is a good meat to mix with it.

These are often serve with mushroom sauce. I heated some up in the sauce itself and I thought they were even better this way. They soak up the sauce and are delicious.

Ingredients

  • 100g buckwheat
  • 500g of minced beef
  • 1 onion
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 2 eggs
  • Salt & pepper
  • *
  • Dried breadcrumbs or flour to shape
  • Sunflower oil for frying
  • *
  • Mushroom sauce for serving

Method

  • Cook the buckwheat according to instructions.
  • I use the boil in the bag method with a 100g packet.
  • Drain and leave to go cold.

 

 

  • Chop the onion and garlic very fine or use a mini chopper.
  • Mix the beef and buckwheat together.
  • Add the onion and garlic and the 2 eggs.
  • Add some salt and pepper.
  • Mix the ingredients together with your hands.
  • Shape the mixture into large balls and coat them with dried bread crumbs or flour.
  • Fry them on both sides so they are cooked through.
  • Keep the cooked ones in a low oven whilst cooking the rest.
  • *
  • Serve with a strong mushroom sauce or
  • *
  • Put them into an oven proof dish and cover them with mushroom sauce.
  • Cook for at least an hour at GM4 – 180°C.

 

 

Royal Doulton – Tapestry – 1966-1988