THE KOCHANA KITCHEN

These traditional Polish recipes are from our family archive and have been collected and cherished over the years. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

PIEROGI

INGREDIENTS

DOUGH:
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup milk
2 tbsp sour cream
1 egg
1 tsp salt
4 cups flour

FILLING:
2 lbs russett potatoes-peeled
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp butter- melted
2 oz cream cheese- softened
3/4 cup mozzarella cheese- shredded

GARNISH:
Chopped bacon (a few strips)
Green Onions

Bacon topping: Make the topping before boiling the Pierogi so that it’s ready to drizzle over the Pierogi to prevent from sticking. In a medium skillet saute chopped bacon bits. When crisp, melt 2 tbsp butter and remove from heat.

Prepare the filling: Boil the potatoes about 25 minutes. Test with a fork-drain-cool for 5 minutes. Mash in 1/2 tsp of salt, 2 tbsp melted butter, 2 oz. cream cheese. Mash in 3/4 cup of shredded cheese, partially cover and set aside while rolling out the dough.

Prepare the dough:In a large bowl mix 1 cup warm water, 1/4 cup milk, 2 tbsp sour cream, 1 egg, salt. Mix until well blended. Add 2 cups flour and mix, add remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, letting it incorporate. Add the last flour- 1 spoon at a time until the dough no longer sticks to the side of the bowl. Knead for 10 minutes.

Divide dough into 2 parts- cover the second part. Thinly roll the first piece on a floured surface to just under 1/8” thickness. Use 3” cookie cutter. Cut out circles. Put 1/2 tbsp of potato mixture over each round. To form Pierogi: pull the two edges together and pinch tightly to seal. To ensure a tight seal, crimp the edges a second time with a pinch and twist motion.

To cook: Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and add 1 tsp salt. Boil Pierogi. Once they are floating and water is back to a boil, cook an additional 3-5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon. Drizzle buttery-bacon bits between layers to stop it from sticking together. Garnish with bacon and green onions. ENJOY!

Babcia’s (Grandmother) Polish Borscht:

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 pounds pork spareribs
1 large onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
3 peppercorns
2 tablespoons white vinegar
5 medium beets
2 cups sour cream
2 cups milk
3 tablespoons flour
Salt and pepper

Borscht recipes vary not just from country to country, but also from region to region and cook to cook. This Polish version features pork spareribs, and is thickened with a sour cream, milk and flour mixture. While some recipes include kwas, a sour starter made by fermenting bread and/or beets or other fruits or vegetables, this one takes a shortcut, using white vinegar to lend tangy sour notes.

1. In a large pot combine the spareribs, onion, bay leaf and peppercorns, vinegar, and cover with water. Bring to a simmer and cook until the meat is tender, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. In another pot, cover the scrubbed beets with water and bring to a boil. Simmer the beets for 45 To 1 hour or until the beets are tender. Drain and rinse the beets under cold water until they are cool. Peel and grate the beets. 2. When the meat is tender, Remove the bones and strip off the meat in bite size pieces. Return the meat to the broth and stir in the grated beets. Season the soup with salt and pepper. In a large bowl stir together the sour cream, milk, and flour. Add two cups of the hot stock to the sour cream mixture and stir to combine. Pour this mixture through a strainer into the soup. Heat the soup over medium heat at a gentle simmer, but do not allow it to boil. Boiling will cause the sour cream to curdle. Serve immediately with boiled potatoes and pumpernickel or rye bread. ENJOY!

Gołąbki-Stuffed Cabbage

INGREDIENTS

2 heads of cabbage
1.5 lbs ground beef
1/2 lb ground pork
Chopped fresh parsley
1 egg
1 onion- fried
2 cups of rice
Salt and pepper to taste
Mushrooms-fried
Hot water or chicken broth

Cabbage-take leaves off one at a time-cool

STUFFING:
Combine fried onion, fried mushrooms, cooked rice, beef, pork, parsley, egg, salt, and pepper. Mix well.

Put small leaves of cabbage at bottom of pot-save some for top.
Cut out hard stems of each cabbage leaf. Spoon stuffing on each leaf. Place the rolls next to each other. Pour in hot water or chicken broth. Put some cabbage leaves on top. Bake one hour at 400 degrees uncovered. Pour cream of tomato soup or mushroom soup-cover-bake at 350 degrees for one more hour.

Fry some bacon bits, mushrooms, and sprinkle before serving. Dress with parsley.
ENJOY!

Bigos-Hunter’s Stew

INGREDIENTS

1 3/4 sauerkraut
4 strips of bacon
1 small head of green cabbage, thinly sliced
Handful dried wild mushrooms (any kind)
1/2 lb boneless venison- stewing cut-cut into 1” pieces
1/2 lb boneless stew beef, such as chuck, cut 1”
1/2 lb pork or veal shoulder, cut into 1” pieces
1/4 cup of flour
3 tbsp vegetable oil or lard
1 medium onion, peeled or chopped
1 cup dry red wine
1/2 lb smoked kietbasa- thickly sliced
1 cup pitted prunes, quartered
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Bread for serving, preferably rustic and dark, such as a Russian loaf

Drain sauerkraut, place in a medium saucepan and add 2 cups water and bacon pieces. Cover and boil over medium heat for 20 minutes or longer, until the sauerkraut is very tender and the bacon is cooked. Meanwhile, put the fresh cabbage and dried or fresh mushrooms in a separate large saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Continue boiling until the cabbage is tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain and set aside. Rinse all the meat and pat dry. Put the flour in a shallow bowl and toss the meat to coat. Heat 1 tbsp of the vegetable oil over medium heat in a stew pot large enough to hold all the meat and vegetables. Cook onion until softened, remove with a slotted spoon, and set aside. Add the remaining 2 tbsp oil to the pot and lightly brown the meat, in batches, over medium heat, 2-3 minutes per side, transferring the meat to a plate when it’s done. When all the meat has been browned, raise the heat to high, pour in the wine, and boil briefly, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Return the meat and its resting juices back to the pot, add the onion, prunes, kietbasa and the sauerkraut and bacon mixture, along with its cooking water. Salt, add some pepper, and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat, cover the pot with the lid slightly askew, and simmer on very low heat for a good 2 to 3 hours, until the meat falls apart and the broth is rich and brown.

Stir the Bigos occasionally, and ensure that the liquid isn’t evaporating too quickly (add a small amount of water when necessary). Some like a watery Bigos, but the tastiest outcome is for the sauerkraut, cabbage, and meat to be practically melted together, with enough sauce to keep everything moist, but not so much that any of the ingredients float, as in the more traditional stew. Serve in a large casserole with a big spoon and thick slices of dark bread. Bigos lasts forever, and gets better with time. I think it improves every day.
ENJOY!