Awesome Summer Grilling – Polish Style

Witamy!
It says August on our calendar and it’s probably hot and humid wherever you live - unless you’re “down under” in Australia or New Zealand.  You’ve worked hard all day and the last thing you want to do is prepare an involved dinner.  That sounds like us almost every night!  But luckily we love to do entire meals on the grill.  They’re quick and easy, healthy, delicious, don’t require heating up the ovens or stove and come with a little reward – minimal cleanup.

We like to take advantage of the farmer’s markets where most of the time we can get amazingly fragrant and tasteful fruits and vegetables.  Yesterday I bought some grapefruit-sized tomatoes that had been harvested just 24 hours earlier.  The samples we tasted were a deep crimson all the way through, so you know they were on the vine until perfectly ripe. 
Our menu for tonight’s supper will be grilled tomato, vegetable kabobs with dill and a piece of lean grilled kielbasa, kicked up with a spoonful of Ćwikła - the iconic beet ‘n horseradish garnish.

Shopping List - dinner for 4

1 can of sliced beets (not pickled)
1 jar of prepared horseradish (4 or 5 ounces, whatever is at the store

2 ripe tomatoes

1-2 pounds of fresh vegetables, include: zucchini, yellow squash, baby onions, mushrooms, young carrots – anything that looks good

1 bunch fresh dill

1½  pounds lean kielbasa, more or less according to hunger

Prep  (15 minutes):



1. For the Ćwikła, open a can of sliced beets (not the pickled variety), and rough-chop them, either by hand or your favorite chopping machine.  Add in about 4 ounces of ground prepared horseradish, but be sure to taste as you add the horseradish because it can clear your sinuses in a hurry!  Refrigerate.  Ćwikła is best made a day or so ahead of time so that the flavors can infuse, but never let that be an obstacle.

  2. Cut your tomatoes in half, brush lightly with oil, salt & pepper the flat tops.

3. Rinse the dill thoroughly, dry between paper towels and finely chop about 3 tablespoons - more if you love dill.

4. Cut your vegetables into 1-to-2 inch pieces, place in a bowl and season with a little oil, salt & pepper, and the dill and toss to thoroughly coat with the flavorings.  Reserve some of the dill for the last step.

5. Place the vegetables on skewers – the two-pronged kind are good because it’s easier to turn them without losing food into the fire.  If the veggie pieces are small, it may be smart to use a vegetable basket on the grill.

6. Cut the kielbasa into smaller pieces and score the casing in several places so that the hot fat can drip out.

Grilling  (10 minutes)
Heat your gas grill to high, and then turn the heat down to medium.  If you are using real charcoal, raise the cooking grid as high from the very hot coals as it will go.

Oil the cooking grids and put everything on at the same time.  Start the tomatoes flat side down to get your impressive sear marks.  Grilling time for everything will be about ten minutes, depending on the heat of your grill.  Be sure to turn everything frequently. Grill the kielbasa long enough to get most of the fat out.  We like our vegetables and kielbasa with a little char on them so that usually takes about 5 more minutes.   Remove, sprinkle more fresh dill on the veggies and serve right away. Don’t forget to take the Ćwikła out of the fridge...stir and serve as a garnish for the kielbasa.
Smacznego! 

Polish Peach Turnovers

Witamy! 
Our heads are still in dessert mode as we’re put the finishing touches on Polish Classic Desserts.  And since this is peach season, these turnovers will make a great dessert for you to try.  The recipe is an unpublished favorite of my mom’s (Alina Zeranska, The Art of Polish Cooking, available on Amazon and some better book stores) because they are easy to make and have bold flavors of summer.  When finished, they look a bit like Kolaczki – the classic Eastern European cookie.

Peaches are a very tasty ingredient when baked into cakes, tarts, or other pastries.  Their natural sweetness and soft texture works well with all types of dough and the flavors are easily enhanced when dusted with cinnamon or drizzled with a bit of lemon juice.  There are many varieties of peaches, so for baking, always ask for “freestones” or another variety that gives up its pit more easily.

Note:  these tunrovers also work well with tart apples, apricots or other tree-hanging fruit.

YIELDS  50 to 60 small turnovers
½ pound of margarine
4 cups flour, sifted
½ ounce fresh yeast
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
4 large ripe peaches, pitted and sliced thinly (not peeled)
5 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
½ cup confectioners’ sugar

Cut the margarine into the flour with a knife and rub in well with your fingertips.  Mix the yeast with vanilla and sour cream, and add to the flour.  Knead the dough for a few minutes (a standing mixer with dough hooks will makes this task much easier).  Roll out the dough into a very thin square - about 1/8th-inch or less.  Using a cookie cutter or knife tip, cut into 3x2-inch rectangles. 

Place a peach slice onto each rectangle and dust with sugar and cinnamon.  Lift two opposite ends of the rectangle.  Fold over the peach and press together to seal.

Using a knife or very thin spatula, transfer the turnovers to a buttered cookie sheet, so that they do not touch.  Bake at 375°F for 40 minutes or until golden.  Remove from oven, immediately sprinkle generously with confectioners’ sugar.  Best enjoyed while still warm.  Smacznego!

Summer Salmon Salad - Polish Style

Witamy!

Canned salmon!  Yes indeed, canned salmon has a place in every pantry.  It has more flavor than canned tuna and offers a world of options for a light healthy meal when time is short or you’ve had a hard day and your energy tank is running on fumes. 

The fishing industry in Poland is growing rapidly as eating fish is becoming even more popular.  Baltic salmon, as in this photo,  is a unique Polish specialty item.  Unlike fatty farm-raised salmon, its firm flesh is only slightly pink (after cooking it is nearly white). Whether cooked or smoked, wild salmon provides amazing taste sensations far superior to the farmed varieties.  It is available in cans and can be also eaten raw when salted.  Have you ever tried Polish canned salmon and what did you think of it?  I’ve never tried it but will look for some on the next visit to our favorite Polish Deli.

Serves 8
1 pound canned, wild-caught salmon, drained and crumbled
2 cups young potatoes, boiled & diced
1 cup mayonnaise
2 medium tomatoes, sliced
2 hard boiled eggs, sliced
1 tablespoon scallions or green onions, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped

The only prep is to arrange all the ingredients in layers, so how easy is that?  On the bottom of a serving platter, spread the potatoes in a flat layer.  Second, spread the crumpled salmon for the next layer.  Third, lightly spread the mayonnaise over the salmon.  Cover with alternating slices of tomato and the egg – show off your wild side and be creative!  Sprinkle the chopped green onions, and lastly sprinkle generously with chopped dill.  Chill for an hour and serve on lettuce leaves.  A glass of dry white wine or fresh iced tea can be a very relaxing accompaniment. 
Smacznego!