A Dish That Guarantees Good Luck in 2017

Bigos, pierogi, and salad

Let's face facts, 2016 was not a very good year.  We had a terribly divisive election, mass shootings, a worldwide refugee crisis and many Hollywood icons died.  It's time to do something to make sure that 2017 turns out better.  The best thing we can do is to eat Sauerkraut on New Year's Day which is a long-held Pennsylvania Dutch tradition that's believed to bring good luck throughout the upcoming year.  Bigos is a wonderful stew made from sauerkraut.                       

 

Bigos—Hunter's Stew (The Polish national Dish) 

This recipe comes from the Bigos Bar website first developed by Mike Oborski, the honorary consul of the Republic of Poland in Kidderminister, England. Rick Podowski likes this dish with a glass of Syrah because the boldness of the dish is complemented by the boldness of the wine. 

More information about rick's love of this dish can be found in  Murder Before The Bell

Serves 4 (This recipe can be doubled or tripled)

1 lb. sauerkraut

1/2 lb. ham with bone, pork spareribs pork rib roast, or chicken

1 bay leaves

1/2 ounce. dried mushrooms, chopped

1/2 onion chopped and sautéed in butter

5 black peppercorns

3 allspice berries

1/4-teaspoon salt

4 cups beef broth,

1 lbs. green cabbage chopped like sauerkraut

1 tablespoons butter or margarine

l pound of Polish Kiełbasa
1 chopped onion

Rinse sauerkraut with cold water and drain well. In a large stockpot, combine sauerkraut, ham or pork, bay leaves, mushrooms, peppercorns, allspice and salt. Add 2 cups of broth, bouillon, or water. Cook, uncovered, 15 minutes over medium heat. Cover and simmer over low heat 45 minutes. Remove meat and let it cool.

Place cabbage in a large saucepan. Add remaining 2 cups broth, bouillon, or water. Bring to boil. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat, 1 hour or until cabbage is tender. Add to sauerkraut mixture. Bone the cooked meat. Cut cooked meat into 1/2-inch cubes.

Melt butter or margarine in a large skillet. Add cooked meat and Kiełbasa. Sauté over medium heat 10 minutes or until browned. Add to sauerkraut mixture. Also, add the onion. Cover and cook over low heat 1 hour or longer. Remove and discard bay leaves. Serve hot.

Bigos, pierogi and salad--delicious!

 The secret of old-time Bigos is that it gets better as it's reheated on successive days, peaking at the 6th or 7th day. In between, store covered in the refrigerator.

A Special Christmas Treat

It's Christmas and that means Rick Podowski will make his famous Polish Nut Strudel for all of his students and friends.  This tradition has been happening for almost fifty years.  Read Murder Before The Bell to find out how this tradition began.

Rick's Famous Polish Nut Strudel 

Rick makes fifty small rolls for all of his students and friends at Christmas.  People love it because it is not too sweet.

Serves 20 (10 small rolls)

5 cups flour

8 tablespoons sugar

1 pound margarine

4 egg yolks

1 cup milk

2 packages of dry yeast

1 tablespoon vinegar

Stuffing

4 egg whites

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 pound walnuts, ground

Spread

1 egg white

In a food processor, make the dough in two batches, using ½ the ingredients for each batch.  Combine the flour with the sugar; slice the mar­garine or add it in tablespoons.  Add the egg yolks (save the whites for the stuffing).  Put the yeast in a 1/2 cup of warm milk and add it to the processor.  Add the vinegar.  Process until a ball forms.  Put the ball into a large bowl.  Complete the second batch, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

The Egg Whites and Nut Stuffing

Beat the egg whites till stiff; add the sugar by spoonfuls, beating constantly.  Add lemon juice, beat 1 minute more.  Add the walnuts and mix slightly.

The dough with the stuffing spread on top

Brush the rolls with egg white

Place on a buttered cookie sheet seam down. or use parchment paper  Spread with egg white.  Bake in a moderate 375-degree F. oven for 40 minutes (350-degrees for non-stick pans).  Check at thirty minutes.  Rick cuts the finished rolls in half and stores them in his freezer.