Culinary tradition of Poland, just like the Polish History, goes back to the beginning of our existence, more then thousand years ago.
Our predecessors, using loco products used to prepare the first dishes. Over the centuries they kept adding new dishes, some of them were influenced by the neighbors (Jews, Germans, Russians or Lithuanians) or some of recipes were brought from Western Europe. The queen Bona Sforza, wife of the Polish King Sigmund the Old, coming to Poland from Italy also brought new Italian and French recipes and vegetables (in Polish “włoszczyzna”).
Polish nobleman after the military battles with Turks, Swedes or Tatars were bringing too new products or recipes which were later used in the preparation of a new dishes.

Polish cuisine characterizes regionalism, many recipes are only characteristic to the specific region of Poland. For example, dishes from Silesia are not known in the Pomerania region.

The recipes are the part of Polish culinary traditions. Well known dishes, especially in US, like “golabki” and “pierogis” are just the small part of the whole variety of the soups, desserts, appetizers and main dishes, which are a part of Polish Kitchen. Some of the recipes may have very specific taste because of the spices, especially the successes but some of the dishes are unique and well recognized in the world. Of course the recipes were “traveling” to the world with Polish emigrants over the centuries but it is worthwhile to find out some many interesting dishes from the Polish Kitchen here.

We will try to use this site to introduce the most popular and less popular
recipes. All of you, visiting the site are welcome to send us the recipes that are not presented here so in the future these recipes will be shown.

At the last Polish Picnic many people have asked us about the Polish cookbooks. Well, there is good news. At the next Picnic we will try to prepare the small cookbook with the most popular Polish recipes.

Recipes:

****COLD BEETS AND CUCUMBER SOUP****

6 cups of sour milk*1cup of sour cream*5-6 small beets with stalks and young leaves*3cups of water*4 hard boiled eggs*1 cucumber*1 bunch of radish*3tbs chopped green parsley*3tbs chopped chives*salt*pepper*1tbs
of lemon juice or vinegar*

Peel and rinse beets, greens and chopped, cook in 3 cups of water with 1tbs of lemon juice or vinegar until tender, set aside and cool.
Peel cucumber, rinse radish and chopped finely.
Stir sour milk and sour cream until smooth, add beet greens, add chopped cucumber, radish, parsley, chives and add salt and pepper to your taste. Chill for at least an hour. Serve in the bowls garnish with a quarter of hard boiled egg. Can be served with bread or boiled potatoes.

****PORK CUTTLETS (”SCHABOWY”)****

4 pork chops 1” thick*1 egg*1tsp & 2tbs of water*1tbs of flour*1/2 cup bread crumbs*1tsp of butter**salt*pepper*2tbs of oil or lard for frying*

Pound the pork cutlets until thin 1/8”, sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides, set aside for 15 min. whip the egg and 1tsp of water with fork.
Dip each pork chop into the egg and then in bread crumbs mixture. In the frying pan heat (medium) oil or lard and fry pork chops until golden color on both sides. Lower the heat, add butter and 2tbs of water, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
Serve with boiled potatoes and sauerkraut salad.

****SAUERKRAUT SALAD****

1 jar (30oz) of sauerkraut*1 medium onion*1 medium carrot*2tbs of green parsley*1 stalk celery* 1tbs of sugar*1/4 cup of olive oil*salt*pepper*1 tsp of caraway seeds*

Slightly squeeze out juice of the sauerkraut and cut up several times, place in salad bowl.  Add chopped onion, celery and parsley and grated carrot. Sprinkle with sugar, caraway seeds, pour over olive oil, mixed well.
Add more sugar, salt and pepper to your taste.

****SOUR-MILK PANCAKES****

2 cups of flour*2 cups of sour-milk*2 eggs*1/2 tsp of sugar*1/2 tsp
of baking powder or baking soda*1 cup of fruits – to your choice (rhubarb, blueberry or apples)*1 cup of shortening*sugar powder*maple syrup or fruit syrup*

Mix sour-milk thoroughly, add eggs, flour with baking soda or baking powder, sugar and at the end add fruits. On the griddle, heat fat and pour dough on it and spread into a small round cakes. Fry on both sides until golden color. Place on a platter and sprinkle with sugar powder and pour over maple syrup or fruit syrup.

*Sour milk* To make your own,  use 2-tbs of plain yogurt and sour cream, 6 cups of milk and mix together in a large jar or clay pot, cover with linen cloth. Leave in a warm place for 2-3 days until is thick, like a jelly. Refrigerate.