When I moved abroad I was sure I would cook traditional
Polish meals at least once a week. Well the truth is I live now in ‘foodies
melting pot’. Restaurants and markets with food from all around the world are
at my fingertips, so old cooking tips I’ve learned in my origin country seem to
be a little boring. However, sometimes I get nostalgic for old flavors. I’m
pretty sure that most countries have own special meal for Sunday lunch. Traditional
Polish Sunday lunch served at my home had 3 courses:
1) soup- chicken broth with vegetables and pasta, sprinkled
with fresh parsley
2) breaded pork chops, mash potatoes with fresh, chopped
dill, fresh salad - it could be cucumber and cream salad or shredded cabbage/
sour kraut with carrots
3) Dessert usually cake with fresh or frozen seasonal
fruits, berries or rhubarb or ‘babka’ cake
There was also traditional drink ‘kompot’ which is nothing
but compote with hot or cold water.
Well, traditional lunch I’ve made last Sunday consisted of
course No 2 only. In my opinion real pleasure of cooking comes when we don’t
feel forced to do it and we can spend as much time in kitchen as we like. I can
stay in kitchen even all day long if I want to. That Sunday wasn’t cooking day
for sure.
Breaded pork chops “Schabowe”
Ingredients
6 pork chops
2 eggs
Breadcrumbs
Salt, pepper
1 tsp. of sugar or
1/5 of cup sparkling water ( to make breading more crispy)
½ cup Cooking oil
You will also need 2 deep plates, paper towel, and skillet
Beat each pork chop on both sides with meat mallet to break
up the meat fibers and get them tender. If you don’t have meat mallet use blunt
side of knife. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Beat eggs on plate with
sugar or sparkling water until white and yolk are combined. Place breadcrumbs
in second plate. Dip pork chops first in breadcrumbs then in beaten eggs and
again in breadcrumbs. Make sure pork chops are well covered on each side. Many
people I know use regular flour for the first step of breading but using only
breadcrumbs makes cover thicker.
Preheat skillet with
cooking oil. When you sprinkle it with a little drop of water it should sizzle.
Place pork chops and fry them on each side until golden brown. Then put them on
paper towel to absorb excess oil. Ready to serve!
Simple beet salad
4 grated cooked medium beetroots (washed, unpeeled boil in
water for about 40 minutes)
Half of red pepper finely chopped (optional)
Half of onion finely chopped
2 tbsp. Olive oil
2 tbsp. Lemon juice
Salt, pepper
You will also need a grater
Peel cooled beets. Skin should come off easily. Grate them
and combine with other ingredients. You can serve it straight away but I find
this salad tasting better served couple of hours after preparation.
Mashed potatoes
½ kg of potatoes
1 l of boiling water
Salt
1 tbsp. of butter
½ cup of milk or plain yoghurt
1/3 cup of chopped, fresh dill
Peel potatoes and cut them into smaller pieces. Place them
into pot and cover with boiling water. Add salt and put the pan over medium
heat and boil until tender. Test it with sharp or fork. If it goes in easily,
potatoes are cooked. Drain the water and still hot mash with milk/yoghurt and
butter until creamy consistency. Serve it sprinkled with fresh dill.
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