Polish recipes

Hi everybody,

My husband is Polish and I really want to make some Polish dishes for his family, especially on Thanksgiving day and Christmas day, when my parents in law are here.

If anybody has some, please, share it with me.

Thank a lot.

Stuffed Cabbage is Polish. They call them Galumpkies.

Pierogies are Polish. So is keilbasa and saeurkraut. My husband's mom was Polish also. I never knew what keilbasa was 'til I met her. She made great Galumpkies. That's how they said it too Bunchster -- but I was recently corrected by another Polish person that the actual pronounciation is "Halupkies" - but kind of with a "ch" sound at the start. My husband says baloney - it's galumpkies! She did teach me how to make those - do you want the recipe oanh??

I grew up in a Polish neigborhood, (even though we weren't Polish) and that's how we've always pronounced them too. I've never quite figured out how to spell it, (I think there's as many spelling variations as there are pronounciations and recipes) but Bunchster's comes the closest to the way I pronounce it lol!

Mom used to make Babka at Christmas too because once a year (Easter) just wasn't often enough. She also bought a Rum Cake from Wojack's (the Polish bakery) which was the only goodie not homemade at Christmas.

Golumpki (Holupki or Stuffed Cabbage)

1 large cabbage head
1/2 pound ground pork
1 pound hamburger
1 medium onion -- chopped
3/4 cup rice -- uncooked
1 large egg
1 can tomato soup -- divided
salt, pepper & garlic powder -- to taste
2 tablespoons white vinegar

Steam cabbage for about half an hour in a large covered pot with some water in the bottom or 20 minutes in microwave until outer leaves are softened. Meanwhile, mix meats, onion, rice, egg, seasonings & about 1/4 of the can of soup for filling. Cut around core of cabbage to loosen softened leaves & carefully pull off head. Return still-hard cabbage to pot & continue steaming for another 5 minutes. Trim off center vein of softened cabbage leaves. Put a "log" of filling--about 2x1-inch big--on end of leave that was near core of cabbage & roll up in leaf, folding in sides as you start to roll. Place in large heavy pot, seam side down. Continue until all leaves are steamed & filled or until filling is gone, making 2 layers in pot. Put rest of soup & the vinegar (this cuts gassiness of cabbage) on top of rolls in pot. Place any rough outer leaves of cabbage that were unsuitable for filling on top of rolls & add enough water to pot to just cover everything. Bring to a boil, lower heat & simmer for 2 hours or until tender.

Serving Ideas : Good with Swirled Rye bread or mashed potatoes.


Golumpki is Polish, Holupki is Slovak--this version is more Slovak. I believe Polish ones are baked in the oven & have some brown sugar in the sauce.

Golumpki (Holupki or Stuffed Cabbage)

1 large cabbage head
1/2 pound ground pork
1 pound hamburger
1 medium onion -- chopped
3/4 cup rice -- uncooked
1 large egg
1 can tomato soup -- divided
salt, pepper & garlic powder -- to taste
2 tablespoons white vinegar

Steam cabbage for about half an hour in a large covered pot with some water in the bottom or 20 minutes in microwave until outer leaves are softened. Meanwhile, mix meats, onion, rice, egg, seasonings & about 1/4 of the can of soup for filling. Cut around core of cabbage to loosen softened leaves & carefully pull off head. Return still-hard cabbage to pot & continue steaming for another 5 minutes. Trim off center vein of softened cabbage leaves. Put a "log" of filling--about 2x1-inch big--on end of leave that was near core of cabbage & roll up in leaf, folding in sides as you start to roll. Place in large heavy pot, seam side down. Continue until all leaves are steamed & filled or until filling is gone, making 2 layers in pot. Put rest of soup & the vinegar (this cuts gassiness of cabbage) on top of rolls in pot. Place any rough outer leaves of cabbage that were unsuitable for filling on top of rolls & add enough water to pot to just cover everything. Bring to a boil, lower heat & simmer for 2 hours or until tender.

Serving Ideas : Good with Swirled Rye bread or mashed potatoes.


Golumpki is Polish, Holupki is Slovak--this version is more Slovak. I believe Polish ones are baked in the oven & have some brown sugar in the sauce.

Sorry about the double post. It didn't look as though it went through the first time.

Pierogi

4 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup lukewarm water

Sift together flour & salt. Process all ingredients in food processor. Roll out on floured board or surface or put through pasta rollers. Cut out rounds with large fluted cookie cutter. Put a spoonful of filling on middle of each round; fold over & pinch edges together well. Boil in salted water until they float; lift out with slotted spoon. Eat boiled or saute in butter or bacon grease, browning both sides well.


Serving Ideas : May serve with sour cream or onions sautéed in butter.

NOTES : Potato/Cheese filling: Melt enough shredded or cubed Cheddar cheese in mashed potatoes to make them look yellow or to your taste.
(Or use leftover mashed potatoes & reheat with cheese until cheese is melted.)

Sauerkraut filling: Saute 1/3 cup chopped onion in 1 tablespoon butter until soft. Add 1 1/2 cups finely chopped sauerkraut (small can) that has been rinsed & well-drained & cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat & add 2 tablespoons sour cream.
Savory Cheese Filling: Mix in food processor: about 1/2 # farmer cheese, 1 egg, 1 yolk, 1/4 t. salt, 1 t. sugar, & 1 t. lemon juice.

These freeze well.

Halushki

1/2 cup onions -- chopped
4 cups cabbage -- shredded
1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups cooked small shell macaroni -- or noodles or Kluski
1/4 teaspoon caraway seed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Saute onions & cabbage in butter & oil until soft. Toss with cooked noodles & seasonings.

Serving Ideas : Serve as side dish.

NOTES : May add some bread crumbs fried in butter.
Best made a day ahead & reheated in a low oven (200 degrees) for at least one hour or until heated through.

Polish Sweet Bread (Babka)

12 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter -- melted
2 cups milk -- scalded & cooled
1/4 tablespoon warm water -- 105-115º
2 packages dry yeast
8 cups flour
1 cup golden raisins -- floured before adding to dough

Beat egg yolks until lemon-colored. Add vanilla, sugar & melted butter. Add yeast which has been dissolved in the warm water, then cooled , scalded milk. Add flour & mix well until elastic & sticky. Add floured raisins. Let dough rise until double--1 1/2 to 2 hours. Form into 2 loaves & let rise again in greased pans--about an hour. Bake at 325º one hour--should be medium brown in color.

Description:
"This is traditional for Easter. This recipe does not call for the candied fruit that some do."

NOTES : Angel Food cake or Bundt pans are best for this bread, but if using the Angel Food pans, have separate pans for cake & bread--Angel Food cake won't rise if there has been any fat in the pan.
This is excellent toasted the next day, too.
Makes 2 loaves.

Cucumbers in Sour Cream


Salt cucumbers & let sit; then drain & rinse off. Mix some sour cream with a little vinegar & a little water & sugar to taste. Opt.--add a pinch of dill.


It's hard to tell you how much of the ingredients or even how long to leave salt on them--until they look a little weepy, I guess. The sauce looks a little runny usually. Maybe your husband can be the taste tester for it!

Rosemarie's Kolachky

1 yeast cake
4 cups flour
1/4 pound butter
1 cup butter-flavored Crisco
4 egg yolks
1/2 pint heavy cream

Mix yeast in cream that has been slightly warmed before mixing with flour, then other ingredients.Make into ?6 balls of dough & refrigerate overnight in waxed paper. Roll out each on board dusted with 10x. Put a bead of filling to make a row & fold over (?), then cut into 1 1/2" pieces. Bake @ 400º for 12-20 minutes. Dust with 10x before serving.

Walnut filling: 1# walnuts, 1/2 c. sugar, 1 egg white (beaten), 1/4 t. vanilla. If too dry (usually), add half & half or coffee creamer (~1 T.) until spreadable.
For apricot, thin the filling with some apricot jam.



NOTES : Best made in a cold kitchen.
Freezes very well. Put in plastic container with waxed paper between layers. Seal edges of container with masking tape.
Alternate recipe: 2 yeast cakes, 1 can evap. milk, 1/2# butter-flavored Crisco, 1/2# butter, 5 c. flour, 4 egg yolks (makes 6 balls).

Polish Dill Pickle Soup

4 large dill pickles -- diced or thinly sliced
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons butter
3 cups beef broth -- or stock or bouillon
2/3 cup water -- or liquid from pickles
2 1/2 cups boiled potatoes -- cubed
1 cup sour cream

Coat pickles with flour. Melt butter in large skillet. Saute pickles in butter over medium heat 3 minutes. Stir in rest of ingredients except sour cream. Cook over medium heat 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. To serve, mix in sour cream or spoon on top of each bowl.

Kapusta

6 slices bacon -- diced
1 onion -- chopped
4 ounces mushrooms -- sliced
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups water
1 pound sauerkraut -- rinsed and drained
1/2 head cabbage -- shredded
caraway seeds -- to taste


Fry bacon in large skillet. Add onion & mushrooms & saute until soft. Sprinkle with flour & stir in well. Add water slowly, then sauerkraut & cabbage. Cover & cook over medium for 45 minutes. Add caraway seeds.

Description:
"Kapusta means cabbage in Polish & also seems to mean dishes with cabbage as the main ingedient."

Kielbasa and Sauerkraut

1 1/2 pounds kielbasa -- (Polish sausage)
3 medium onions -- sliced thin
1/2 cup beer -- or water
2 pounds sauerkraut -- well drained
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
black pepper -- freshly ground to taste

Cut kielbasa crosswise into 4-inch pieces, then halve lengthwise. Heat a large, deep, heavy skillet over medium-low heat. Brown kielbasa in 2 or 3 batches, removing to paper towels to drain when browned. Spoon off fat as it accumulates. Add onions to skillet. Cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until wilted & browned. Stir in beer, then sauerkraut, parsley & pepper. Arrange kielbasa on sauerkraut in single layer. Cover skillet tightly. Reduce heat to very low. Simmer 30 minutes. Arrange kielbasa around edge of serving platter; mound sauerkraut in center.