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Polish Housewife

Polish recipes served up with tidbits of folklore, customs, and history

Eggs

Polish Eggs in Shells (Jajka w Skorupkach)

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Polish Eggs in Shells (Jajka w Skorupkach) is a simple recipe made with inexpensive, humble ingredients, eggs, herbs, butter, maybe mayo, breadcrumbs. The presentation gives it a bit of panache. There is something about stuffing the mixture back into the shell. The diner scoops the mixture out of the shell, much like you might with a kiwi or avocado that has been sliced in half, or maybe Oysters Rockefeller. Digging out the riches.

Polish Eggs in Shells (Jajka w Skorupkach)

Ideally,  you’d serve this with a really good bread alternating bites, or maybe spreading a bit of your egg mixture on said bread.

As for herbs, I’ve used garlic chives, in the mixture and for garnish, because that’s what I have going absolutely crazy in my herb garden this time of year. Mix up the herbs based on what you have on hand. Dill, thyme, chives, parsley, etc. Remember that if you’re using dried herbs rather than fresh, you should use only 1/3 the amount.

Polish Eggs in Shells (Jajka w Skorupkach)

I was glad that I used brown eggs for this dish. The darker color helped me catch the little bits of shell that tried to sneak into the egg mixture. I wish I had great advice for you on how to get a clean cut on the eggs without little cracked pieces along the edge, but I’m still looking for that tip. Maybe you have a tip to share? I used a small very sharp knife (not serrated), but a straight clean cut was still an issue.

Before you move on to preparing Polish Eggs in Shells (Jajka w Skorupkach), let me share with you that I’ve just sent out my first monthly newsletter, and if you’d like to receive the August edition, you can sign up at the top of this page.

Smacznego!

Lois

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Polish Eggs in Shells (Jajka w Skorupkach)

Polish Eggs in Shells (Jajka w Skorupkach)

  • Author: polishhousewife
  • Prep Time: 15 min
  • Cook Time: 11 min
  • Total Time: 26 minutes
  • Yield: 12 egg halves
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Polish
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Description

A novel egg dish for any meal

Ingredients

  • 6 eggs
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (dill, chives, parsley, etc)
  • 2 tablespoons soft butter (or you may substitute mayo for part or all of the butter)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
  • butter for frying

Instructions

Boil eggs for 6 minutes, the yolk with still be a little soft in the center, cool eggs, cut in half lengthwise, carefully scoop out yolk and white, save shell halves

Mash egg yolk and white with a fork or dice, add herbs, butter or mayo, salt and pepper, stir to combine

Return egg mixture to the shell, dip the top (eggy part) in breadcrumbs and saute in butter until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes over medium heat

Keywords: harb boiled eggs, Jajka w Skorupkach, Polish egg dish, stuffed eggs

Polish Eggs in Shells (Jajka w Skorupkach) #polishrecipe #polishfood #polishegg #eggs #polishhousewife polishhousewife.com

Polish Eggs in Bull’s Eyes (Wołowe Oczy)

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It’s tempting to describe Polish Eggs in Bull’s Eyes (Wołowe Oczy) as a breakfast dish, but eggs are appropriate for any meal of the day. This is a quick and easy dish from the classic cookbook Treasured Polish Recipes for Americans. (This is an affiliate link which means Amazon pays me a few cents if you make a purchase.)

Polish Eggs in Bull’s Eyes (Wołowe Oczy)

We’ve made a pared down version of this recipe for ages after sampling it late at night at one of Ed’s colleague’s homes when we were newlyweds. You may know it as Egg in the Hole.

The ingredients and process on this version are simple, but don’t underestimate the outcome. Ed loved this dish;  he declared it “a $20 breakfast!” The simple add ons to our Egg in the Hole were well worth the effort. The prescribed baking time of 15 minutes gives you yolks that are set (not runny) but not hard, so adjust the time accordingly.

Before adding the recipe, let me say that I’m starting a monthly newsletter. It will include a summary of the months’ blog posts, some inside info and a recipe that isn’t part of the blog feed. Your subscription includes my infographic, Poland Travel Guide, with inspiration for your next trip to PL.

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I hope you enjoy the newsletter and Polish Eggs in Bull’s Eyes (Wołowe Oczy).

Smacznego!

Lois

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Polish Eggs in Bull’s Eyes (Wołowe Oczy)

Polish Eggs in Bull’s Eyes (Wołowe Oczy)

  • Author: polishhousewife
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Description

Egg baked in a toasted bread cutout, dressed up with a little cream and anchovy

 

Ingredients

  • 6 eggs
  • 6 slices bread
  • Butter
  • Cream
  • Salt & Pepper
  • 1/2 – 1 cup heavy cream
  • anchovies and lettuce, to garnish

 

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350
  2. Remove the center of the bread with a cookie cutter (circle, heart, star?) and saute the crusts in butter until golden brown
  3. Cover the bottom of a baking pan with a thin layer of cream, top with with bread, crack an egg in the hole of each piece of bread, season with salt and pepper
  4. Pour a teaspoon of cream on top of each egg and bake for 15 minutes
  5. Garnish with lettuce and anchovies

Notes

You might like to add a little shredded cheese before baking rather than garnishing with anchovy

Lody Brzoskwiniowe (Peach Ice Cream)

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I have an important piece of foodie advice for you. When you visit Poland, you must eat ice cream, eat the ice cream at every opportunity. It’s just wonderful. While I’m trying to recreate a Polish ice cream, not too sweet, I can only get so close with this Lody Brzoskwiniowe (Peach Ice Cream) because I’m using American dairy products. I have nothing against Americnan dairy, but it’s just better in Poland. I’m not sure why. Smaller farms, less commercial production process? Different grass? Happier cows? I can’t say, but I found everything from ice cream to yogurt to cream cheese to just have more flavor.

Lody Brzoskwiniowe (Peach Ice Cream)

You’ll notice a theme here, the other main ingredient is peaches, in this case from our little Desert Gold peach tree. After peach cocktails, peach barbecue sauce, and peach cake, this batch of peach ice cream finished off the harvest.

Find some yummy peaches and try Lody Brzoskwiniowe (Peach Ice Cream).

Smacznego!

Lois

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Lody Brzoskwiniowe (Peach Ice Cream)

  • Author: Polish Housewife
  • Prep Time: 3 hours
  • Cook Time: 30 min
  • Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
  • Yield: 6 to 10 servings
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Description

Smooth and creamy with a light peach flavor

Ingredients

  • 3 eggs
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 1 tablespoonflour
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 4 cups ripe peaches, peeled and diced
  • 2 tablespoons bourbon or rum (optional)

Instructions

  1. Whisk together eggs, sugar, flour, vanilla and salt until well combined
  2. Over medium heat, warm milk until it begins to steam, very slowly, add hot mixture to the eggs a tablespoon at a time, blending after each addition, as the cold egg mixute begins to warm, you can add a little more with each addition, but don’t rush it, you don’t want scrambled eggs
  3. Once it’s all combined, return to the saucepan, and over medium heat, stirring (from the bottom of the pot) constantly, cook for 15 – 20 minutes, it will be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and you should be able to leave a clean trail by tracing your finger over the back of the spoon
  4. Remove from heat, cool, chill at least a couple of hours or overnight
  5. Puree peaches and add to custard, pour into ice cream freeze and process according to manufacturer instructions until firm, add bourbon or rum just before finished (don’t add too much, the alcohol will keep it from freezing)
  6. Move to the freezer for another hour or two before serving

Tarta Szparagowa – Asparagus Tart

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Tarta ze Szparagami or Asparagus Tart, delicious for any meal of the day

With two kilograms of this seasonal veg in the fridge, I was bound to make a cheese and asparagus tart!

As is so often the case in Poland, our friends downstairs know someone, who knows someone who is growing organic asparagus. Our friends buy a lot of the asparagus every year at this time, we’ve been the recipients of part of their annual organic asparagus haul.  Two kilograms of asparagus is more than I would usually buy at one time, but this is so fresh that it’s keeping well. So far, we’ve wrapped asparagus in bacon; we’re preserving asparagus in brine, and now a tart.

2014-05-28 06.29.03   2014-05-28 07.59.12

I loved the taste of this tart, but I’m disappointed in the appearance. I should have added the asparagus last, so they would be more apparent, but I was concerned about fitting the entire 500 grams of asparagus into my pastry shell, so they were placed first (and buried by the cheese.) So this will be a case of do as I say and not as I do. The pastry is a sage crust , one I use for my savory galettes. It’s nice to work with and adds a lovely texture and flavor. If you have some yummy fresh asparagus, give this a try. It’s one of those dishes that I could eat for any meal of the day

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asparagus cheese tart

Asparagus Tart with Sage Crust

  • Prep Time: 90 mins
  • Cook Time: 25 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hour 55 mins
  • Yield: 6 - 8
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Description

A wonderful sage crust encasing a little custard with a lot of asparagus and cheese – perfect for summer

Ingredients

for crust:

  • 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
  • 3/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 1 tablespoon fresh sage leaves, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dry sage)
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 4 to 8 tablespoons cold water

for filling:

  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • dash cayenne
  • 4 ounces cheddar cheese, grated
  • 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 pound fresh asparagus spears

Instructions

for the crust:

  1. To make the dough, pulse the flours, butter, sage, and salt in a food processor until it has the texture of a coarse meal. (I’m not intimidated by making pie crust, so I usually don’t bother with using the food processor – too many parts to wash, but in this case, it seemed like the best way to insure the sage was finely chopped and evenly distributed.)
  2. While pulsing, slowly add ice water, using just enough for the dough to form a ball. Don’t overwork it.
  3. Shape the dough into a 5 inch disk, wrap in plastic, and chill at least one hour.

for the filling:

  1. Preheat oven to 375.
  2. Roll out dough to fit your baking pan; I used a shallow 8 x 11 pan.
  3. Place dough in pan, trim crust, I just cut it at the top of the pan, no fancy fluting or anything.
  4. Mix the eggs, cream, salt, pepper, and cayenne, and pour into crust.
  5. Sprinkle with cheeses.
  6. Remove the woody ends of the asparagus by holding the bottom and middle of the stalk and snapping.
  7. Add asparagus to the pan, lining it up side by side.
  8. Bake for approximately 25 minutes.
  9. Allow to set up for 10 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Reheat in a 350 degree oven for 5 – 10 minutes, microwaving will make it soggy.

asparagus tart

Low Carb Tortilla Espanola

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Tortilla is a Spanish favorite – usually a potato omelet (no similarity to the Mexican tortillas).  I wanted to omit the potatoes, which taste terrific, but add a lot of carbohydrates to the dish.  So in their place, I’ve added broccoli, cauliflower, and red bell pepper.   I usually serve tortilla  in wedges for dinner (or breakfast) or 1-inch squares for an appetizer. We ate this plain for breakfast, but you could also top with salsa.

Ingredients
Adapted from The Foods & Wines of Spain

head of broccoli, sliced 1/4 inch thick (leaving the core behind)*
head of cauliflower, sliced 1/4 inch thick (leaving the core behind)*
red bell pepper, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
coarse salt
6 – 8 large eggs

*save the cores for soup; I’ve been making this one without the cream and it’s still thick and tasty!

DirectionsThis technique takes some practice, be sure to read through it before beginning.

  • Preheat oven to 375
  • In a 9 x 13 baking dish, toss the broccoli, cauliflower, bell pepper, and onion with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, sprinkle with salt, bake until tender (about 45 minutes)
  • Beat 6 eggs in a large bowl, salt lightly
  • Add the hot cooked vegetables to the beaten eggs, pressing them down so they are completely covered in egg. Add additional beaten eggs if necessary. Let the mixture sit 15 minutes
  • Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over high heat until very hot
  • Add the vegetable and egg mixture, spreading it evenly in the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium-high and shake the pan to prevent sticking
  • When the mixture begins to brown, invert a plate of the same size (or slightly larger) over the skillet. Flip the tortilla onto the plate; add 1 T. of reserved oil to the pan, slide the tortilla back into the skillet to brown the other side. (If the pan wasn’t hot enough, some pieces may have stuck to the bottom. Scrap them off and fit them back into place. They’ll reattach as you continue to flip the tortilla.)
  • Lower the heat to medium. Flip the tortilla 4 or 5 more times (this helps with the shape), cooking for a bit on each side, 8 – 10 minutes in total. Spaniards like their tortilla to be a little juicy inside; I prefer my eggs cooked all the way through. Adjust cooking time accordingly. Transfer to a platter and serve hot or at room temperature
This is caloriecount.com’s analysis of the recipe assuming 2 cups each of raw broccoli and cauliflower and 6 eggs:
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 155 g
Amount Per Serving
Calories

167
Calories from Fat

117
% Daily Value*
Total Fat

13.0g
20%
Saturated Fat

2.6g
13%
Cholesterol

164mg
55%
Sodium

470mg
20%
Total Carbohydrates

6.9g
2%
Dietary Fiber

2.4g
10%
Sugars

3.2g
Protein

7.4g
Vitamin A 20% • Vitamin C 115%
Calcium 5% • Iron 7%
Nutrition Grade B+

Zucchini Pancakes

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Our produce bin has been full the last few weeks with our Bountiful Baskets purchases.  Over the next few days, let me share some of the new recipes we’ve tried with our fruit and veggies.  The first thing we made was zucchini pancakes.

I’ve gotten pretty good at making potato pancakes while we’ve been in Poland, so this was right up my alley.  The recipes and technique are very similar.  The only difference is that the zucchini gets a much needed flavor boost from the addition of cheese and spices.  Let’s face it, potatoes taste great on their own, but zucchini is pretty neutral flavor-wise and will just take on the taste of whatever you pair it with.   So it needed a little more than just egg and flour.

Because these are so much like potato pancakes, I’ll suggest that you consider topping them with sour cream or goulash.

Lauren and I both enjoyed these for dinner, and the leftovers heated up in the oven were great the next day.

Adapted from:  Allrecipes

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Zucchini Pancakes

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews
  • Author: Polish Housewife
  • Yield: 20 pancakes
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Description

Think potato pancakes, but made with zucchini

Ingredients

  • 2 cups grated zucchini
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup chopped green onion
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon dried oregano or thyme
  • pinch red pepper flakes
  • canola oil, for frying

Instructions

  1. Spread zucchini on a paper towel to remove any moisture
  2. Beat eggs
  3. Add onion, flour, cheese, baking powder, salt , oregano or thyme, and pepper flakes to eggs
  4. Stir in grated zucchini
  5. Add 2 – 3 tablespoons of oil to a large frying pan, over medium heat
  6. Carefully place heaping tablespoons of mixture into hot oil, spreading a bit with the back of the spoon (don’t over crowd the pan, you’ll need room to maneuver a spatula for flipping, you’ll fry several batches)
  7. Fry until golden brown, 2 – 3 minutes on each side
  8. Drain on paper towels

Faux (Easy) Deviled Eggs

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We love the taste of deviled eggs, but I seldom take the time to make them. I’ll bet the same is true for most families.  Everyone enjoys the nibble, easy to pick up, a juxtaposition of rich creaminess and tartness.  I’m not suggesting you use this shortcut for holiday buffets or neighborhood cookouts, but I’d like to share with you the way hard-boiled eggs are served in Poland – with mayo on the side.  I take it a step further and dab the mayo and a little mustard (sounds like dijonnaise) on top of a hard-boiled egg half.

You get the combination of the major flavors and textures in deviled eggs without all the scooping, dicing, blending, and refilling.  It’s a time saver that has me adding this inexpensive protein to many more meals.

Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs

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During a recent road trip, I was listening to a Barbara Taylor Bradford audio book.  The main characters often referred to Parisian Eggs as a family favorite.  They described them as hard boiled eggs with some little fish – anchovy or sardines, I can’t remember which.  That got me to thinking about the smoked salmon I had in the fridge for a pasta dish.

I borrowed a small amount to add to deviled eggs.  As long as we were going fishy, it seemed like a good idea to top them with a bit of caviar.  The result was subtle and attractive.  Next time, maybe a little more of the salmon and caviar (as if I always have caviar in the fridge.  Mine came from the grocery section at Ikea.)

This was a small batch.  You could just use the fishy add-ins for your usual deviled egg mix.

Ingredients

3 hard boiled eggs, sliced in half
1 heaping tablespoon mayonaisse
2 heaping teaspoons mustard (I like dijon, whole grain would compete with the caviar texture)
1 tablespoon smoked salmon
2 small pickles (mine were 1/2 inch wide and 2 inches long)
seasoning salt
1 tablespoon finely snipped fresh dill
caviar (optional)

Directions

  • Remove the yolks from the eggs and add to food processor
  • Add mayo, mustard, salmon, and pickles; process until smooth. (I needed to add a tablespoon of pickle juice to get a consistency that would blend
  • Stir in salt and dill
  • Top with caviar and a small sprig of dill

Fancy Egg Salad

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Egg salad is an American classic and an inexpensive source of protein. You can spoon it on top of greens and serve with cherry tomatoes or you can spread it on bread for a delicious sandwich.

Making hard boiled eggs should be a simple thing. I tried following the instructions on Simply Recipes for making the perfect hard boiled egg.  I never seem to get the timing right.  This technique helped a lot, as long as I remember to set a timer.  If you forget the eggs long enough, you still get a green outline on the yolks. It’s so easy to get distracted by other projects, at least it is for me.

Have I mentioned how much I love having herbs in our window boxes?  Sniping a few sprigs to add to our meals adds a special touch to both the flavor and the appearance, and I have to think that the more green things you consume the better. Besides this eggs salad, I’ll do the same just add a mix of what we have growing to a green salad or sprinkle some chopped chives on top of scrambled eggs. Try it, you’ll feel like you’re eating in a fine restaurant.

My favorite addition to this egg salad has to be the finely diced red bell pepper. Besides the flavor, I love the color and the tiny bit of crunch the pepper adds to the dish.

Ingredients (just combine them all)

  • 6 hard boiled eggs, peeled and diced
  • 2 heaping tablespoons mayo
  • 1 rounded tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 cup diced onion (this time it was shallots)
  • 1/4 of  red bell pepper, finely diced
  • 1 pickle, diced
  • 1 teaspoon pickle juice
  • fresh herbs, (I used parsley, sage, thyme, and chives)
  • salt and pepper, to taste