Recipes By Kasia Pilat
4 recipes found
Strawberry Pasta
This Polish childhood staple of creamy strawberry sauce over pasta is a fast, fuss-free way to make the most of peak summer berries.
Pickle Lemonade
The tart, tangy flavor of pickles can be found across the food spectrum — from pickle-brined chicken to pickle soup and even pickle brine margaritas, it seems nearly everything is better with brine. It’s no surprise, then, that simple lemonade is improved with the addition of salty pickle brine, too. Balancing out the sweetness of lemonade’s sugar, it lifts the drink and makes it a bit more complex, with an unexpected yet familiar flavor profile. You might not immediately guess the secret ingredient, but it’s a pleasant surprise once revealed. Depending on what brand of pickles is used, adjust the flavors and add more pickle brine as you like; the level of lip-smacking tartness is up to you.
Chłodnik Litewski (Chilled Beet Soup)
An ideal dish for peak summer, when hot meals seem unthinkable yet fresh produce is bountiful, chłodnik litewski is perhaps the best-known of the Polish chłodniki (chilled soups). Chłodnik litewski translates to Lithuanian cold soup, and reflects a time when Poland and Lithuania were under the rule of the same dynasty starting in the late 14th century, a period in which Polish cooking was influenced by Lithuanian cuisine and vice versa. It’s certainly the most eye-catching, with a lovely magenta hue that emerges when the roasted beets meet the kefir and sour cream to form the soup’s tangy base. It combines both cooked and raw ingredients — you’ll need to roast some beets and boil some potatoes and eggs — and is best prepared in advance, ready for easy assembly. (For the most vibrant pink color, be sure to refrigerate the soup overnight, as the color deepens with time.) Beets and their greens lend an earthy note, and fresh cucumbers and radishes provide a satisfying crunch. A tangle of fresh herbs and vegetables and a soft-boiled egg on top complete the dish.
Pickle Soup (Ogórkowa Zupa)
Sour flavors are common in Polish cooking, as with the subtle tang of white borscht and red borscht and with the vinegary sauerkraut found in dishes like bigos. Ogórkowa zupa fits perfectly into that tradition. There are as many variations as there are Polish cooks, but the key component — sour dill pickles — is always present. Here, the pickles are grated and gently cooked with garlic and bay leaves, then added along with their brine to a hearty blend of root vegetables in broth. In Polish households, soups usually start off most meals; the generous helping of vegetables in this version makes it a full meal. Serve with some good crusty bread, and feel free to add shredded chicken or even kielbasa if you’d like.