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Farm Kitchen:  Cultural and regional cuisine  |
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prairie_princess
True Blue Farmgirl
613 Posts
Elizabeth
Carpenter
WY
USA
613 Posts |
 Posted - Sep 11 2010 : 11:29:53 AM
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I'm getting more and more interested in cultural and regional cuisines, trying to make my own at home. We have a pretty big German, Swedish, and Mennonite influence in my area, so I'm hoping to get into those types of foods.
I'm making and trying Borscht for the first time today after a friend of my hubby's passed me the recipe. I had to go to Wikipedia to find more information... it originated in the Ukraine, but many eastern European countries have adopted their own version. The version I'm making today is made with beets and cabbage. Anyone else make Borscht or know any information about it? Are there traditionally any starches, like bread or rolls, eaten with it? I can't wait to try it!
I made Runsas yesterday... they are my new favorite freezer food! I think they are traditionally German. My MJF friend and I found a restaurant that makes them and refers to them as Kraut Burgers.
And she also passed on a recipe to me that is a Mennonite recipe, green bean soup.
"Only two things that money can't buy, that's true love and homegrown tomatoes."
- Guy Clark
"The man who has planted a garden feels he has done something for the good of the world."
- Charles Dudley Warner |
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AuntieM
True Blue Farmgirl
151 Posts
Marjorie
Holly Springs
NC
USA
151 Posts |
Posted - Sep 11 2010 : 1:35:38 PM
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| Hi Elizabeth - I ran across a great website www.mennonitegirlscancook.com (I might have found it here, suggested by another farmgirl, I'm not sure). But there is a new recipe every day - I've made quite a few of them and they have all been good. You might enjoy it! |
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Hallie
Video Sister
79 Posts
Hallie
Pullman
WA
USA
79 Posts |
Posted - Sep 14 2010 : 11:51:24 AM
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We make a lot of beet soup (borscht) in our home, but we call it barszcz ("BAR sh ch"), like they do in Poland.
One of our favorite ways is to sauté chopped leeks or onions, carrots, celery and peeled beets in a little butter or olive oil in the soup pot, wait until the vegetables kind of wilt, add salt and pepper to taste and some marjoram, and cover with water. The soup just simmers until the vegetables are done.
We serve a couple spoonfuls of mashed potatoes in the bowl and garnish with minced leek greens fried in butter -- absolutely delicious! I think leek soup, by the way, is one of the most wonderful things in the world. For weeknights, instead of mashed potatoes I add quartered potatoes or yams to the first step and just cook the soup until they're done. I don't know anything about traditional breads; my boyfriend is the baker between the two of us.
In Poland, they also make a clear barszcz and it usually has a little lemon juice or vinegar and some sugar or honey added. Oh and while we're talking about Polish soups, there is a white soup called #380;urek which is also sometimes called white barszcz that is made with a fermented rye culture, potatoes, dill, hard-boiled egg, and usually some white sausage. It is one of my favorite soups and is pretty much a complete meal in a bowl. I always keep a little jar of the mother for it.
I think beet soup goes really well with fishes like cod. Of course, sautéed beet greens with a little oil/butter and vinegar are also pretty wonderful. I hope you find some of this helpful. Sounds like you've got some Baltic cooking in your future!
Hallie
Sister #1112
www.maryjanesfarm.tv |
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prairie_princess
True Blue Farmgirl
613 Posts
Elizabeth
Carpenter
WY
USA
613 Posts |
Posted - Sep 14 2010 : 5:10:31 PM
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Marjorie, that's where I got the recipe for the green bean soup! It was recommended to me by my MJF friend. I haven't looked over the website a ton yet, but can't wait to try some more of the recipes!
Hallie - your soups sound delicious! I read that all the eastern European countries have created their own type of Borscht, they are all a little different. Which I think is interesting. The Borscht I made was delicious... so simple, yet so yummy! That Polish soup you mentioned also sounds delicious... maybe you can point me in the right direction for a good recipe?
"Only two things that money can't buy, that's true love and homegrown tomatoes."
- Guy Clark
"The man who has planted a garden feels he has done something for the good of the world."
- Charles Dudley Warner |
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Hallie
Video Sister
79 Posts
Hallie
Pullman
WA
USA
79 Posts |
Posted - Sep 15 2010 : 10:39:30 AM
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Elizabeth and Marjorie, I will have to try that green bean soup!
The white barszcz I mentioned is more properly called Zurek or #379;urek. I'm not sure if white barszcz is exactly the same thing or not. It has a fermented, or sourdough, starter so it's really healthy! Here's one recipe for Zurek that also has good instructions for the sourdough starter.
When you make the starter, you should choose a good sourdough rye bread. Find a nice artisan made bread with a thick crust and strong sour flavor that tastes good to you. Rip off the crust, and put it in a glass or ceramic jar.
Cover with about 2:3 parts rye flour (I use Bob's Red Mill) to water, a couple whole, peeled cloves of garlic and top the jar off with some fabric secured by a rubber band or something. You can stir it up every few days and sniff it.
It should start to smell sour in a couple days. At that point you can put it in a warmer part of the fridge to slow down the fermentation if you're not ready to use it. The zakwas (starter) will get progressively sourer (faster if kept warmer) so you can use less of a more mature one.
Add most of the starter to a basic vegetable soup with waxy potatoes. Add a hardboiled egg before serving. Here's a recipe with a picture.
Just like sourdough, every has their own tastes for their starter and it's really simple and low maintenance. You can always revive it with a little time out of the fridge and some fresh flour and water or another rye crust.
I usually season my zurek with fewer ingredients than most of the recipes I see (salt, pepper, lots of marjoram, dill, good vegetable base). Serve it with that good rye bread! Or pierogi...
I wonder if anyone has a recipe for this soup like they make it in Krakow?
Hallie
Sister #1112
www.maryjanesfarm.tv |
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countrymum
True Blue Farmgirl
97 Posts
Lorie
PA
USA
97 Posts |
Posted - Sep 15 2010 : 10:51:16 AM
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Hallie, you are correct.
I am Polish and Lithuanian and we make Zurek for Palm Sunday & Easter. However, we have it as our breakfast.
My grandmother makes the starter, then adds 1 egg, flour, water, milk, onion powder, salt & pepper. This is the Zurek "base" which stays warm on the stove.
Everyone grabs a bowl and chops up their own hard-boiled egg and piece of kielbasi in their bowl and then ladles the "base" over it.
Because there is no meat during Lent, we only have egg on Palm sunday. Then on Easter we have the kielbasi too!
"Life is brief & very fragile. Do that which makes you happy."- Flavia |
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Montrose Girl
Farmgirl Legend/Schoolmarm
1360 Posts
Laurie
Montrose
CO
1360 Posts |
Posted - Sep 16 2010 : 07:46:11 AM
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I was once told Broscht was the end of the season soup as everythign that was still left inteh garden went in. Mine might not be the traditional, butI love it and make extra to put up for later.
Best Growing |
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Farm Kitchen: Cultural and regional cuisine |
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Cultural and regional cuisine
