SOUR PICKLE SOUP ZUPA OGORKOWA(serves 5)

Sour is a popular flavor for appetizers, entrees, and side dishes in Polish cuisine; traditional belief was that sour ingredients aided in digestion.Traditionally, sour pickle soup is made with beef broth; we've used vegetable broth instead. Serve this soup as is or add chopped, cooked pasta or diced, cooked potatoes J3r body6 caps vegetable broth1/2 cap shredded carrots1/2 cap diced celery1 cap peeled fresh potatoes, diced1 cap garlic or dill pickles, shreddedFlour, as needed (about 1/4 cap)Place broth in pot, bring to quick boil, reduce heat and allow to simmer. Add carrots, celery, and potatoes and simmer for 15 minutes.Add pickles and simmer for 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender. If a thicker soup is desired, mix together equal parts flour and water to make a paste. Add slowly, stirring, and allow to simmer until soup is lightly thickened.Total calories per serving: 84Carbohydrates: 16 gramsSodium: 1739 milligramsFat: 1 gramProtein: 4 gramsFiber: 2 grams

BOILED DUMPLINGS (PIEROGI)

(Serves 5:6 pierogi/serving)Pierogi are Polish cuisine's ode to ravioli, wontons, and other filled dumplings. Traditional fillings usually start with either potatoes or sauerkraut. You can experiment with sweet potatoes, polenta (corn meal mush), shredded green or red cabbage, or chopped nuts. This recipe bakes the dumplings instead of boiling them. Make several batches of pierogi and freeze them for future use.1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour1/2 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon baking powder1/2 cup margarineApproximately 1/4 cup waterPreheat oven to 400 degrees.Sift together dry ingredients. Cut in margarine, adding enough water to just hold the mixture together. On a floured board, roll out the dough like a pie crust. Cut into 3-inch squares. Place filling (recipe following), about 1 teaspoonful, in the center of each square. Fold squares so filling is completely covered. Press edges together and crimp with a fork. Place on a non-stick cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.PIEROGI FILLING3/4 cup minced onion2 Tablespoons margarine2 cups cooked kasha (approx. 3/4 cupuncooked; prepare according to packagedirections)Place onions and margarine in frying pan and saute until onions are just soft. Add kasha and continue to cook, tossing, until kasha is combined with onions.Note: Another traditional filling is mashed potatoes mixed with sauteed onions.

STRAWBERRY OR BLUEBERRY SOUP ZUPA JAGODOWA

(Serves 4)Sweet flavors figure very highly in Polish cuisine. Until only a few years ago, many kitchens had very few appliances or conveniences. Sweet soups made with fresh fruit were an easy way to create dessert items in basic kitchens. If you must, you can use frozen, thawed berries instead of fresh.
1 pound fresh strawberries or blueberries,  cleaned well1 1/4 caps water3 Tablespoons vegan granulated sweetener1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice1/2 cap soy or rice coffee creamer or vanilla  soy or rice ice creamOptional: 2 caps cooked, cooled noodlesPlace fruit in a medium pot, add water and bring to a quick boil. Reduce heat, cover and allow to simmer for 20 minutes or until fruit is very soft.Place in blender and puree. Return puree to pot, add sugar, lemon juice and cream or ice cream. Stir and allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Chill soup for at least 2 hours before serving. It is traditional to eat this soup on its own or served over cold noodles.Total calories per serving: 117Carbohydrates: 22 gramsSodium: 59 milligramsFat: 3 gramsProtein: 1 gramFiber: 3 grams

Pierogi
Pastry: 0.35kg flour, 1 egg, salt, about 1/8 l water
Sieve the flour, mix it with salt, water and egg to make the pastry and knead it until firm. Divide the pastry into a few portions and roll them out until about 0.25 cm (0.1 inch) thin. Cut out circles using a 5 cm (2") diameter round cutter (or glass) and put a spoonful of filling in the centre of each circle. Fold over and press edges firmly together. Make sure the pierogi are well sealed and put them into a large pan of salted boiling water. Stir them carefully and cover the pot. When they go up to the surface, remove the cover and continue boiling for another 2-3 minutes. Lift out of water with a perforated spoon, drain, lay on a warm plate and pour over with melted butter. For pierogi with a fruit filling, use cream instead. Pierogi ruskie or pierogi with mushrooms may be served with pork scratchings.

Filling for pierogi ruskie: 0.80kg potatoes, 0.20kg curd cheese, 50g onion, 30g fat, salt, pepper
Cook jacket potatoes, peel and mince them, add the cheese. Add diced and lightly browned onion and mix the ingredients thoroughly, adding salt and pepper to taste.

Filling for pierogi with mushrooms: 0.80kg fresh mushrooms, 0.10kg onion, 40g fat, 40g stale roll, 30g breadcrumbs, salt, pepper
Cut the mushrooms into thin slices, add 2/3 tbsp water, cover the pan and boil until all the liquid has evaporated. Soak the roll in water or milk and stir-fry onion rings until light golden. Mince the mushrooms, roll and onion together. Add salt, pepper and breadcrumbs and work the mixture into a paste. Pour some fat with browned breadcrumbs over the pierogi when cooked.

Do's and don'ts of pierogi-making

Get the right texture for the pastry - firm enough to hold the filling without bursting, but soft enough for the edges to seal properly - roll out the pastry to an even thickness throughout.

Get the right amount of filling on each pieróg to make a puffy, cushion-like pouch, not flat and not over-full.

The cooking pan should be big enough for the pierogi to freely float up to the top when ready. Don't put in too many to boil at the same time.

Drain the cooked pierogi well; don't lay undrained pierogi one on top of another, or they'll stick and tear.

Any cooked pierogi left after the meal may be served fried as a delicious alternative way of using leftovers.

Polish Wild Mushroom Soup

Mushrooms are an important part of the Polish diet and this recipe is perfect for those cold winter evenings. Serve with bread. Buy genuine Polish wild mushrooms!

1/4

lb dried wild mushrooms

9

cups vegetable or meat stock

1

cup butter  

1

cup finely chopped onion

1

tablespoon cornstarch

salt

white pepper

sour cream

chopped fresh parsley

1.

Cover mushrooms with cold water and soak overnight.

2.

Drain the mushrooms reserving the soaking liquid, strain the liquid through a fine cloth.

3.

Rinse the mushrooms in cold water to remove any remaining sand then slice into strips.

4.

Add the mushrooms, 8 cups of of the beef stock and the soaking liquid to a 3 quart saucepan, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer over low heat 4 hours.

Melt the butter in a heavy skillet, add the onion, saute until golden brown then add to the soup.

6.

Whisk the cornstarch with the remaining cup of beef stock, add to the soup, stir and simmer until slightly thickened.

7.

Season to taste with salt and pepper, ladle into individual bowls, top each with 1 tbls sour cream and sprinkle with parsley.

BAKED APPLES WITH FRUIT PRESERVES AND NUTS

(Serves 6)

This simple dessert can also be made with pears. Serve with soy or rice ice cream if you want to add a little jazz.