Sauerkraut Pierogi Skillet

Out of all the pierogi that I make, the sauerkraut is our favorite.   This is a quick way to get all the flavors of sauerkraut pierogi without having to make the dumplings.  I've seen quite a few recipes for "lazy sauerkraut pierogi" using spiral macaroni and mushroom soup.  You could add some sauteed mushrooms to this dish - but no soup -! I used my Mom's Sauerkraut recipe, but you could use it plain or add a bit of bacon!

1 - 12 oz. pkg. No Yolks dumpling noodles (or noodles or your choice), cooked according to package directions. 1 recipe Grandma's Sauerkraut 1 medium onion, chopped 1 stick unsalted butter Freshly ground black pepper Sour Cream (optional)
Prepare Grandma's Sauerkraut.  If it is a little too much sauerkraut for you, save some for hot dogs! In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat.  Add chopped onion and saute until light golden brown, about 5-7 minutes. Add cooked noodles, sauerkraut, 1/2 cup of sauerkraut juice and stir well to combine.  Season with freshly ground black pepper and a dollop of sour cream.

Makes a great side dish with pork chops!

Blueberry Summer Pudding for Two

Summer puddings are popular across the board in Eastern Europe, including Britain, not only for their flavor, but because they are a no-bake dessert.  They make good use of leftover bread and let ripe summer fruit take center stage.

1 pint fresh blueberries, washed and stemmed 2 Tbsp. sugar 1 Tbsp. water Pinch of salt 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice Brioche of Challah Bread
Line two ramekins with enough plastic wrap to fold over the top when filled.
In a small saucepan, combined all ingredients and bring to a boil.  Let simmer 4-5 minutes until blueberries release all their juices.
Cut six circles from the bread the same size as your ramekins.  You can place the ramekin on the bread and just cut around it.
Place one bread round in the bottom of each ramekin.  Place two heaping tablespoons of blueberries and syrup on top of the bread.  Repeat with another layer ending with a bread round.  Pour any leftover juices over the bread.
Fold plastic wrap tightly over filling.  Use empty ramekins to weigh down the filling.  Refrigerate at least 3 hours.  
When ready to serve,  peel back plastic wrap, invert ramekin onto serving plate.  Remove ramekin and plastic.  Garnish with whipped cream.

Small Batch Potato & Cheese Pierogi

If you have never tried making pierogi before, or just have a craving and don't want to go through all the fuss, this is a perfect recipe.  It makes just about 2 dozen pierogi - enough for a snack for my boys!  It's even easier if you make the delicious potato filling the day before.

DOUGH:
2 eggs 1/4 cup sour cream 1 cup warm water 1 tsp. Kosher salt 3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
FILLING:
1 lb. Russet potatoes 1/2 Spanish onion, chopped 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter 1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar Cheese (yellow or white) 1/2 cup Ricotta cheese Salt and Pepper to taste
To make the dough:
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, sour cream, water and salt.  Add flour, 1 cup at a time until fully incorporated.
Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes.  Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp paper towel and let the dough rest for 20 minutes.
To make the filling: Peel and cube potatoes.  Place in a medium pot.  Rinse once or twice and cover with cold water.  Add salt to taste and bring to a boil.  Simmer potatoes until tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
In a medium saute pan, melt butter over medium heat.  Add chopped onions and saute until softened until light golden brown.  Remove from heat. Reserve about 1/4 cup for finished pierogi.  
Drain potatoes and mash.  I still have one of those old-fashioned potato mashers.  Add onions with butter from the pan, cheddar and ricotta cheese and mix well. Season with salt and pepper.  Set aside.

These mashed potatoes are delicious on their own!  A different way to serve tradtional mashed potatoes.  Can you image these with some gravy!
To assemble:
Place dough on a well-floured work surface.  Set a small bowl of water next to your work area.  Divide dough in half.  Roll out one half of the dough to approximately 1/4" thick - as thin as possible while still being able to work with it.  If dough shrinks back while rolling, cover and let rest a little longer. Cut out dough rounds using a 3" round biscuit cutter (or use a coffee cup or the rim of a drinking glass).  Place 1 Tbsp. of the filling in the center of each circle.  Dip your fingers in the water and moisten the edge of half of the circle, then fold the other half over to make a half moon shape.  Press and seal the edges together.  

Cover filled pierogi with a clean towel while you work with the rest of the dough. Bring a 6- to 8-quart pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.  Working in batches of 6 to 8, drop the pierogi into the boiling water and give them a gentle stir so they don't stick together or to the bottom of the pot.  When they float to the top, lower the heat and gently simmer for 3-4 minutes.  Use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a platter. 

FOR BOILED PIEROGI:
Melt 1/4 cup unsalted butter in a medium saute pan.  Sprinkle the pierogi with the reserved onion and drizzle with melted butter.  Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and serve hot with sour cream on the side.

FOR FRIED PIEROGI:
Melt 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter in a heavy-duty skillet over medium heat.  Cook the boiled pierogi, flipping once, until golden brown and crispy on both sides, 4 to 5 minutes.  Serve as above with onion and sour cream.

This is a great dish during Lent.  It's even easier if you make the potatoes the day before, then you just have to work with the dough.  Once you get started it goes quickly!
Makes about 2 dozen

Polish Spareribs and Sauerkraut Stew

This is a traditional Polish stew called Bigos or Hunter's Stew.  There are so many variations of this pork dish.
You can go to Hog Heaven and add smoked pork shoulder, pork butt, bacon and kielbasa.  Spareribs and sauerkraut are something I've never had outside of my own home.  This is the way my mother made it, and it's a perfect dish for a cold winter day.  She always served it with simple boiled, mashed potatoes and fried onions.

2 lbs. meaty spareribs (or country style)

2 lbs. sauerkraut 

1 medium onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

2 bay leaves

1/2 cup white wine
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

Smashed Potatoes with Fried Onions

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2-1/2 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 medium onion diced
Salt and Pepper

Season ribs with salt and pepper.  In a large stockpot over medium heat, melt butter and olive oil.  Add spareribs and brown lightly on both sides.  Add onion and garlic and saute until softened, about 5 minutes.

 Deglaze with white wine.  Add sauerkraut.  You can drain it and rinse it depending on how sour you like your kraut.  I don't drain or rinse.  Add bay leaves.  Cover with water and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and cook until pork is very tender, about 2-1/2 to 3 hours.  Adjust salt and pepper.

Cook potatoes in boiled salted water until tender.  Drain. Saute onions in butter until nicely browned, about 20 minutes.

Add fried onions with the butter and mash with an old-fashioned potato masher (if you have one). Season with salt and pepper.  If the potatoes seem a little dry, add a splash of milk.

We always had this in soup bowls.  Place a generous amount of smashed potatoes in your bowl, and cover it with the tender pork and sauerkraut along with the juices.

I suppose if you've never had spareribs and sauerkraut, it might not look very appealing, but they are wonderful.  The ribs are as tender as can be and just melt in your mouth. The sauerkraut is mild and flavorful from the meat juices.  A spoonful of those mashed potatoes with fried onions with all those juices and sauerkraut....hog heaven.

My mom would have never added the wine, or garnish with parsley, it's a peasant dish - one that truly brings me back home to Mom's Kitchen.

 

Roasted Pickled Beets and Onions

This is an easy recipe for delicious pickled beets and onions.  I happen to love beets.  I grew up on them.  Polish and Slovak cuisine include many beet dishes (borscht - beet soup, pickled beets and Red Beets with Horseradish Relish )  These are great on a salad or as a side dish.
This recipe isn't processed so it's meant to be eaten within a few weeks.

Roasted Pickled Beets and Onions
16 baby beets, tops trimmed (you can also used canned or jarred beets) 1 medium onion, julienned 2 Tbsp. sugar 1/3 cup white vinegar 1 tsp. salt 2/3 cup water
To make the beets:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Trim greens from beets.
Wrap each beet in foil.  Place beet packets directly on oven rack and roast until tender when pierced with a fork, about 1 hour.  Cool and peel beets (I suggest you use gloves or paper towel to do this, beet juice stains everything.

Cut beets into wedges or slices.

To make the marinade:

In a small saucepan, combine onions, vinegar, sugar, salt and 2/3 cup water and bring to a boil; simmer 5 minutes.  

Pour hot marinade over beets and cool to room temperature.  Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight before serving.

Russian Poppy Seed Braid Loaf

I have never seen a sweet yeast bread prepared this way and I don't think I will ever go back to the simple jelly-roll style.
This technique is from Chef Ciril Hitz's Baking Artisan Breakfast Bread and Pastries.

• For the Dough:
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 ounces (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 2 large egg yolks
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 to 2 (11-ounce) cans poppy seed filling

Preparation:

In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup warm water, yeast and 1/4 cup sugar and set aside.  Scald milk and stir in butter until melted.  Let cool slightly.  Add egg yolks and mix.  Transfer to a large bowl or stand mixer and add yeast mixture, combining until mixed.

Add flour and salt a little at a time to make a soft, sticky dough.  Knead on medium speed until a smooth dough forms, about 8 minutes.  Cover and let rise until doubled (about 1 hour).

 Punch down dough and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a rectangle that measures about 10 inches wide by 20 inches long. (Dough should be about 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick). Spread poppy seed filling over dough leaving a 1-inch border on each of the shorter ends. Brush shorter ends with egg wash. Starting from shorter end, roll dough, jelly-roll style, into a tight log.

Press ends of rolled dough to make a neat log about the length of the prepared pan. With a sharp knife, cut log of dough in half lengthwise. Watch the Chef's Technique. Carefully twist the two pieces of dough together and place into prepared pan. 

I cut the ends in half to make four Danish. Brush dough with egg wash, cover loosely with greased plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 to 1-1/2 hours (don't rush it).
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. When dough has risen, brush again with egg wash and bake until well browned, about 40 to 45 minutes.  For the Glaze: 1 to 2 Tbsp. milk 1 tsp. light corn syrup 1-1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
Remove from oven and brush hot loaf with glaze.

Let cool in pan 10 minutes, unmold and brush with more glaze.  Cool completely.

Poppy Seed and Lemon Curd.  A nice combination.
~Adaped from Eastern European Food

Polish Chrusciki (Bow Ties)

Traditionally, Chrusciki (hrrooss-CHEE-kee) are associated with the pre-Lenten feasting of Mardi Gras. In America, chrusciki or Polish crullers are served at any special occasion.

Ingredients

• 5 large egg yolks, at room temperature*
• 1 large whole egg, at room temperature
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 cup sour cream (or heavy cream)
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp. rum or brandy
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• Canola or vegetable oil
• Confectioners' sugar for dusting 

Preparation:

Combine egg yolks, whole egg and salt in bowl of mixer.  Beat at high speed until thick and lemon colored, about 5 minutes.  Beat in sugar, sour cream or cream, vanilla and rum.  Add flour gradually to form a cohesive dough.  This dough is very soft.  Add just enough flour so the dough is no longer sticky.

Turn dough out onto a floured board, divide in half, cover with plastic wrap and let rest for at least 20 minutes.

Working with half of the dough at a time, roll out to 1/8-inch thickness.  These are best when the dough is paper thin.  Cut into 1 x 3 inch wide strips.

Heat 2 inches of oil in a large, deep skillet to 350 degrees.  Make a slit in the center of each strip of dough, then pull one end through the slit to form a bow.

Fry  about 6 chrusciki at a time for 1 minutes or less per side or until golden.  These fry quickly, so watch closely.  Drain on paper towels.  Dust generously with confectioner's sugar.

Check out Cookielicious by Food Editor Janet K. Keeler from The Tampa Bay Times now while there is a special… Buy One Cookielicious Cookbook and get one for a friend!

Do you have a favorite cookie to take to a Cookie Exchange?  Please join on us on Twitter throughout the day during #SundaySupper on December 9th.  In the evening we will meet at 7pm EST for our #SundaySupper Ultimate Cookie Exchange live chat.

All you have to do is follow the #SundaySupper hashtag or you can follow us through TweetChat.

We’d also love to feature your recipe for The Ultimate Cookie Exchange on our #SundaySupper Pinterest board to share them with all of our followers, too.

Quick Tip

Many recipes call for egg yolks only, so you fill your refrigerator with a container of egg whites but, by the time you figure out what to do with them, they've gone bad. This is an easy technique for freezing egg whites. 

When separating eggs, have an ice cube tray handy. Either separate the egg over the tray, letting the white fall into one compartment only of the tray. Or you can separate the egg over a small bowl and pour the egg white into the tray. Pour only one egg white into each compartment. This will work for small to large eggs. Jumbo egg whites might be too large for the compartments, but most recipes call for large eggs anyway. 

Place the ice cube tray in the freezer and freeze the egg whites until firm. Pop the egg whites out and transfer them to a zip-top freezer bag and return to the freezer. Now, whenever you need one, two or three egg whites for an egg-white only recipe, you have them, premeasured, at your disposal. Just thaw as many cubes, representing one egg white each, as needed in the refrigerator and use. 

Egg whites will deliver full volume if they are at room temperature. So, once the egg white is completely thawed in the fridge, let it come to room temperature before whipping.

I had posted this recipe on the Mixing Bowl a few years ago and received this lovely comment from a reader.  I just had to save it!

by mzgrizz
Thank you soooo much for posting this recipe!!!!  When I was in college, one of my classmates was Polish and we spent an afternoon (when we should have been studying) making Chrusciki - and they were wonderful.  More moves than I can count later the recipe and I were separated, but the rememberance of that December afternoon and  how good they were has lingered all these years.  I had given up ever having this delightful treat again until this morning when my husband and I were taking a leisurely morning to wander through Mixing Bowl together.  You have brought great joy to an otherwise grey day!  I so appreciate you having shared this, and I hope others have enjoyed it as much as I have.  If there was a way to issue spoons here I would definitely give it 10!!!  Thanks again.

Polish Rustic Plum Tart #Sunday Supper

This is officially my first post for Sunday Supper.  I'm happy to join such a great group!  This week we are all contributing recipes from our heritage.  My background is of both Polish and Swedish heritage.  I grew up with the typical stuffed cabbage, pierogi and sauerkraut.  They are still my comfort foods today.  My mother's aunt lived with us for a while and that is where I basically learned all my polish language - which isn't much!  I bought a CD to try and learn a little more, but my practicing nearly got me kicked out of the house. Your can find all my Polish recipes and traditions HERE .

I will be making for you today, a traditional Rustic Plum Tart.  Plums and prunes are used quite a bit in Polish cuisine, like most of Eastern European recipes.  Even pierogis with prunes!  The pastry for this tart is similar to Kolachy cookie dough.  A cream cheese dough rolled in sugar.

Ingredients:

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1-1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Filling:

1 lb. plums (not the Italian prune plum variety, washed, pitted and quartered

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 cup plain dry breadcrumbs

1/4 cup almond filling (Solo Brand)

1/4 cup apricot preserves

Melted butter

Coarse sugar

Mix cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy.  Add flour gradually and mix well.  Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.

Sprinkle sugar and cinnamon over plums, coating well.  Mix bread crumbs with plums.

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  When dough is chilled, roll a circle 1/4 inch thick and 12 inches in diameter on a surface that has been dusted with equal parts confectioners' and granulated sugars (not flour).  Trim circle with a pastry cutter so edges are not so ragged.  If dough becomes too soft, refrigerate briefly until its workable again.  Transfer to baking sheet.

Leaving a 2-inch border of untouched dough, spread almond filling over.  Top with plums followed by apricot preserves.  Begin lifting the untouched dough toward the center, pleating as necessary to create a 9-inch round.

Brush edged of tart with melted butter and sprinkle with coarse sugar.  Bake 40 minutes or until crust is golden and filling is bubbling.

Cool in pan for at least 5 minutes before cutting and serving.  I suggest baking this on parchment paper.

Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream.

Cieszy!

Ready to get hungry? Pick your country and enjoy!

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• Apple Kuchen – Mrs. Mama Hen
• Spaghetti Carbonara – Katherine Martinelli
• Slow Cooker Chicken Paprikash – Make Dinner Easy
• Potato and Spinach Knishes – The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
• German Potato Salad – Magnolia Days
• Sausage and Broccoli with Orecchiette – Daddy Knows Less
• Chicken Enchiladas Suizas – The Weekend Gourmet
• Strawberry Tiramisu – Chocolate Moosey
• Chocoflan – Juanita’s Cocina
• Egg Liqueur Cake – The German Foodie
• Rasmalai (Ricotta in Sweet Coconut Milk with Almonds and Pistachio) – Sue’s Nutrition Blog
• Mediterranean Couscous Salad – In the Kitchen With KP
• Rouladen – Midlife Road Trip
• Lemon Balm Roasted Chicken and Rum Raising Cupcakes with Maple Frosting – What Smells So Good?
• Keftikas (Turkish Meat and Leek Patties) – The Little Ferraro Kitchen
• Croque Monsieur with a Béchamel sauce  – The Daily Dish Recipes
• Momma’s Meat Pie with Poutine Sauce – Momma’s Meals
• Polish Rustic Plum Tart – Comfy Cuisine
• Drop Scones (Scottish Pancakes) – Cositas Bonitas
• Jamaican Cornmeal Pudding – The Lovely Pantry
• Borscht Shooters – Cookistry
• Shepard’s Pie – Big Bear’s Wife
• Parsnip Cakes – Mama’s Blissful Bites
• Roasted Curried Vegetables – Hot Curries & Cold Beer
• Portuguese Mussels and Shrimp in a Chorizo Sauce – Family Foodie
• Kalbi Steak Kimchi Grilled Cheese – Damn Delicious
• Wine pairings for all the recipes – ENOFYLZ

Cucumbers in Sour Cream - Polish Mizeria

This is one of my favorite ways to eat cucumbers.  A simple recipe with a little legend.

• 1 large cucumber, washed, trimmed and peeled
• Salt
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 2 tsp. red wine vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill

Run a fork down the length of the cucumber to form a pretty edge.   In a small bowl, mix remaining ingredients.  Add the dressing and toss with the cucumber slices. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Chill and sprinkle with additional dill, if desired, before serving.

   Legend has it this dish was a favorite of Queen Bona Sforza, an Italian princess who married Polish King Sigismund I in the 16th century. Homesick for her native Italy where cucumbers were common, everytime she ate it, it made her cry. Hence the Polish word for "misery," derived from the Latin.

This certainly doesn't make me cry - I could eat the whole bowl!

Cheese Babka

The Polish Easter Babka celebrates the return of the egg to the diet after the Lenten Fast. Babka is always at the Easter Feast.  This is a Babka of a completely different sort.  Don't be intimidated by the lengthy directions, I just wanted to make it as easy as possible!!

Proofing Sponge 

1/2 cup warm water

1 tsp. sugar

2 packets active dry yeast

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Activating the Yeast

Pour the warm water into a large mixing bowl and dissolve it in the sugar and the yeast.  Stir in 1/2 cup of flour and let this small sponge work for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until the mixture is bubbly and expanded

Dough

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs plus 1 egg yolk

3-1/2 to 4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. salt

3/4 cup golden raisins

1 recipe Cheese Filling (see below)

1 egg white beaten with 2 tsp. water for wash

Making the Dough

Scald the milk in a small saucepan.  Remove from the heat and add the butter and sugar.  Stir to melt the butter and dissolve the sugar.

When milk mixture has cooled, beat it and the eggs (and the extra yolk) into the active yeast.  Add 2 cups of flour and the salt and mix thoroughly.  Add the raisins and enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough.  Stir until this holds together and comes away from the sides of the bowl.

Knead for 3 to 4 minutes on a lightly floured surface until smooth.  Add only enough flour to keep it from sticking to the board or you.

Place the dough into a greased bowl, turning it so the top is also greased.  Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, 1-1/2 to 2 hours.

While the dough is rising, make up the cheese filling.

Cheese Filling

14 oz. Farmers Cheese (two 7 oz. packages)

If you can't find the dry curd cheese you can substitute cottage cheese set over a strainer and drained.

4 large egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. lemon extract (optional)

Shaping

When dough has risen, turn it out onto your floured board, cut it in half and shape each into a ball.  Cover with a towel and let the dough rest 15 minutes.

Roll each piece of dough into a rectangle 10 x 18 inches.  Spread cheese filling down the center third of each rectangle and form a braid.

Cut strips about 1 inch wide from each side of the filling out to the edges of the dough.  Fold about an inch of dough at each end over the filling to contain it.  Then fold the strips, at an angle across the filling, alternating from side to side.

Place the shaped loaves on a lightly greased baking sheet, cover with a damp towel and let rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour.  The dough will not rise much this time.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Brush the tops of the loaves with the egg wash and bake for 30 to 35 minutes.

Enjoy with your coffee on Easter Morning!!