Regional Polish Cuisine - Maloposka

I am going to start the journey through the Polish regional cuisine from my native region – Malopolska.

This region is rich in flavours and it has formed my culinary tastes. My family lives both in the mountain villages and in Krakow. This way I know both simple rural cuisine rich in natural flavours and refined cuisine from Krakow.

The Malopolska cuisine developed for centuries but it obtained its final shape in the nineteenth century.

Krakow, as the capital, was the place where various culinary innovations arrived.

They quickly penetrated traditional recipes. Jewish and Viennese cuisine had huge influence on the Malopolska cuisine. In the past the Malopolska cuisine was known as the Galician cuisine and it was based on rich culinary traditions of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire.

It can be seen quite clearly in the names of certain dishes, such as Viennese eggs, Viennese schnitzel or Viennese cheesecake.

 

Austrian influence can be also spotted in pastry shops which invariably offer two Viennese specialities: Sachertorte and Piszinger. Semolina with nuts and raisins is a typical dessert from Krakow. This was reportedly one of the favourite delicacies of Queen Anne Jagiellon.

One should also mention buchtach, yeast dough filled with plum jam, which is another typical Malopolska cake.

The most characteristic type of bread from Krakow are pretzels and bagels. Now you can buy it on every street from street vendors. They are a symbol of Krakow.

Małopolska may also boast of many other kinds of bread. I will only mention rolls called sztangielki or oatmeal buns called bośniaczki. ,Both have clearly perceptible aroma of cumin, so characteristic of the Galician cuisine.

Cumin can also be found in marinades, sauces and soups. It is very popular specie in the Malopolska cuisine. Maczanka krakowska and cumin soup are very popular dishes with cumin.

Dry sausage from Krakow is a regional product which is also appreciated by other Europeans . Traditionally it is made ​​from the finest pieces of pork. Next it is smoked and then stored for a long time, maturing to gain its characteristic taste and aroma.

Rural cuisine of this region is rich in apples, plums, mushrooms and beetroot taste. The Maloposka region is very diverse geographically and culinary. Every part has its own typical dishes and taste. The Podhlanska cuisine is the most popular in Poland. This is cuisine of highlanders living in the highest Polish mountains, namely the Tatra mountains.

I will tell you about the most interesting flavours and dishes from Małopolska in the next posts.

Christmas Eve!!!

Rejoice that we are all together

For a day like this.

Two things keep us happy, warm

A Christmas hug from you my dear

And in return a Christmas Kiss.

Merry Christmas from the heart,

To ones I hope will never part.

Weosłych Świąt!!  Merry Christmas!!

Gosia and Ilona

Today is Christmas Eve.  It is very important and family day in Poland. Tonight every Polish family have a Christmas  Eve dinner. Now in thousands of Polish homes are prepared  festive meals and. We are waiting for the guests, the first star on sky and we will start Christmas time.

There is my Christmas Eve menu:

White herring
Carp in aspic
Salad with smoked fish and mushrooms
Pierogi ruskie (Russian dumpling)
Łazanki with mushrooms
Borscht
Salmon in a sauce with dried fruit with potatoes
Celeriac salad
Salad with sauerkraut
Puding of sweet chestnuts
Yeast strudel with poppy seeds
Compote of dried fruits

Christmas Eve - Dish 7 - celeriac salad

I apologize for my absence. My laptop had a crash. So,  I go back to continue publishing the Polish    recipes for  Christmas Eve .

1 medium celeriac
1 apple
3 tbsp lemon juice
10 gram of walnuts
10 gram of raisin
1/2 cup of natural yogurt
2 tbsp of mayonnaise
salt, black pepper.

Clean,peel and grate celeriac and apple. Pour  a lemon juice on vegetables. Chop walnuts and add to vegetables. Add also raisin. Mix yogurt, mayonnaise, salt and pepper and add to  vegetables. Mix the salad well and serve  immediately.

Christmas Eve - Dish 6 - mushroom soup

 

There are many types of soup which are served on Christmas Eve. Apart from fish soup, borscht is the most popular but mushroom soup is also well-known. In my family there are always two soups served on Christmas Eve - borscht and mushroom soup with dried wild mushrooms.

The smell of cooking mushrooms reminds me of Christmas in my Polish home and of my childhood. I love that smell and there are always Polish dried mushrooms in my kitchen even if I'm in a very distant place.

60 grams of dried mushrooms
2 carrots
1 onion
1 tbsp butter
3 tbsp fresh cream
salt, black pepper
2 l. vegetable broth

łazanki (Polish pasta cut into squares) or other small pasta

Soak mushrooms overnight in 4 glasses of water. Cook mushrooms slowly until they are boiled. Strain mushrooms. Cut mushrooms into small pieces. Add mushroom broth to vegetable broth and boil. Clean and peel carrots, cut into thin slices and add to broth together with salt, and cook unlit carrots are soft. In the meantime cook pasta. Cut the onion into small pieces and fry on butter until gold. Add the onion and mushrooms to soup and cook 5 minutes. Next add pepper and fresh cream. Strain pasta, add to soup and serve.

Christmas Eve - Dish 5 - fish in aspic.

If you don't like carp, the other option is fish in aspic.

for 10 portions

 300 grams of fish
1 carrot
1 parsley root
2 onions
1 bay leaf, black pepper, salt
5 tbsp of instant gelatin

Clean the fish very carefully. Clean and peel vegetables but don't cut.   Put vegetables into a pot with 2 litres of water, add salt, pepper and bay leaf and cook 25 minutes. Put the fish into the broth and cook slowly about 25 minutes. Cool down the fish and broth. Divide the fish into small pieces and put in small bowls. Cut carrots into slices and add to the fish. Cook two cups of broth and add  gelatin, mix well and add to the rest of the broth and mix. Pour the fish into the broth and put into the fridge overnight.

Christmas Eve - Dish 4 - carp in aspic.

Carp is very popular and traditional fish on Christmas Eve in Poland. In Polish tradition we have  many recipes for this fish but the most popular is carp in aspic.

1 carp (about 2 kg)
1 carrot
1 parsley root
1 leek
2 onions
1 bay leaf, black pepper salt
5 tbsp of instant gelatin
1 tbsp of butter

Clean the fish  very carefully and cut into rings. Clean and peel vegetables, and cut into small pieces.  In a pot melt butter, add vegetables and fry 5 minutes. Pour vegetables into water, add salt, pepper and bay leaf and cook 15 minutes. Put rings of carp to the broth and cook slowly about 25 minutes. Cool down the fish and broth. Put the fish into a deep dish in which it will be served. Cook two cups of broth and add  gelatin, mix well and add to the rest of broth and mix. Pour the fish into the broth and put into the fridge overnight.

Christmas Eve - Dish 3 - salad with smoked fish and mushrooms.

1 smoked mackerel or other fish
150 gram of fresh white mushrooms
1 apple
1 small onion
3 large gherkins
2 tbsp of olive oil
1 tbsp of lemon juice
salt black pepper

Clean the fish from skin and bones and divide into small pieces. Peel and grate the apple and sprinkle lemon juice over it. Cut the onion and gherkins into small cubes. Clean the mushrooms and cut into thin slices. Put all ingredients into a bowl, add oil, salt and pepper and mix well. Put the salad into the refrigerator for minimum 1 hour. Serve cold.