Polish cuisine for dummies p.2 Sunday lunch (serving for three)

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.

Husband Rate: 10/10

Zucchini Frittata

Frittatas and omelettes are the best option if you are very hungry or felt desperate urge for hot meal. Preparation is quicker than ordering a pizza. Zucchini Frittata has also another advantage – it doesn’t contain garlic or onion so it perfect food before a date.

Serving per person:

1. Half of small zucchini - sliced
2. Half of cup of ham
3. 1 small tomato cubed
4. Half of small red pepper- cubed
5. 3 free range eggs
6. 0, 5 tsp. of baking powder
7. 4 tbsp. of milk
8. 1 tbsp. of grated cheddar
9. 1 tsp of butter or cooking oil
10. Salt, black pepper

4 tbsp of water

You will need also small skillet with metal handle (without plastic parts so you can place it into oven), whisk or mixer, mixing bowl

1. Preheat oven to 400C (if it’s possible switch only top elements in your in your oven- broil/grill
2. Poach zucchini on the skillet with butter or cooking oil and water until water evaporates and zucchini is half cooked but still tender. Stir it often.
3. Add ham, tomatoes, pepper and cook all together for around 5 minutes. Remember about stirring.
4. Mix eggs with baking powder, milk in a bowl until light yellow and frothy. Add pinch of salt and a dash of black pepper.
5. Pour the mixture into skillet with other ingredients. Cook for 5 minutes, then sprinkle the top with cheddar and place it into oven on higher rac.
6. Bake it until golden brown (around 5 minutes).

Husband Rate: 9/10

Quinoa apple salad

If something was approved by NASA it means that it must be extraordinary. I can imagine astronauts saying “Oh no! Not quinoa again!” Or... seeing them when they’re trying to catch those little grains in a state of weightlessness ;). I tried quinoa for the first time couple month ago. Surprising taste. Something between boiled wheat and boiled millet but with different texture. Process of boiling causes that quinoa splits into little grains and small pieces that look like noodles in mini version.

Ingredients

1. 225 g of quinoa
2. 2 medium apples (red)
3. 100 g of pecans
4. 1 orange pepper
5. 200 g of snow pea
6.  100 ml of lemon juice
7. Black pepper
8. Salt
9. 3 tbsp spoons of olive oil
10. 750 ml of water

Bring to boil 500 ml (2 cups) of water in saucepan. Add quinoa and allow to simmer for 15 minutes until water is completely absorbed. Leave it for another 5 minutes covered with lid and then place it in cold place to cool down. Wash and core apples. Chop them into cubes (diameter around 1,5). Place them in water with lemon juice for couple of minute to prevent browning. Chop pepper into this same size of cubes as apples. Chop snow peas into diamond shape. Grill pecans on a pan. Combine quinoa, vegetables, pecans and apples in large bowl adding salt pepper and olive oil. Serve immediately.

Husband Rate: 7/10