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26 Nov Spiced pumpkin pierogi

Posted at 12:56h in Blog

The time has come to reflect and review...

Read More
  • Semolina porridge and structure in 2020
  • Where to eat in the Baltic States – my top 10
  • to show "racuchy"A summer brunch: “racuchy” with strawberries
  • Spiced pumpkin pierogi
  • Lublin, Gryczak and the European Festival of Taste
  • Poppy seed and chocolate pierogi
  • My new supper club: A Slavic Tale
  • Botwinka soup and my supper club
  • Elderflower, pear and peach yeasty buns
  • Polish Easter Cakes – Baba, Mazurek
  • RECIPE TESTING: I haven’t fallen off the face of the earth, I’m just recipe testing and finishing off my next cookbook. All sorts of madness happening my my kitchen right now - last couple of months before deadline are always quite intense. Back soon! #seabuckthorn #rokitnik
  • WEEKEND BRUNCH: we don’t get anything done around the house until guests are coming, then about 20min before they arrive, pictures get put up that have been standing around for days, boxes get put away etc. Luckily, I got a waffle maker for Xmas (something to do with new book actually) so brunch today was simple to throw together. Estonian-style #kama cream was everyone’s favourite topping from the #waffle bar #weekendbrunch
  • NEW BLOG POST: I have written about one of my favourite breakfasts - kasza manna or semolina porridge - and about how I intend to introduce more structure into my life. Just click the link in my bio if you’d like to read more #kaszamanna
  • HELLO 2020: Does anyone make resolutions anymore? I used make huge, yearly to-do lists at this time of year, now I have just one: structure. I know that structure will benefit me in every area of my life from PhD to creative stuff to health. I’m not quite sure how I’m going to create it yet, except dedicating a little bit of time to it every day, that’s how I get anything done and it feels like a good place to start #happy2020 thanks for 📷 @sarsipius3rd
  • GOODBYE 2019: I generated my top nine but it made it look like last year was all about #pierogi. As much as I love 🥟, 2019 was so much more - a new book in the making, two pregnancies, one miscarriage, a journey across the Baltic States, starting my PhD, three months without my partner... such an intense year! So I’ve made my own selection to represent the growth, the healing, the munching, the cooking and all the bits that have truly mattered to me (including pierogi). Happy New Year everyone! #mylifeinpictures
  • KRAKÓW: A quick Boxing Day jaunt to the medieval city of #Kraków ended with a memorable meal at my favourite #krakowrestaurant @podnosemkanonicza22 - scroll to see what we ate: #barszcz #sweetmeats cooked in cider and #venison with #buckwheat - if you come to Kraków I wholeheartedly recommend you try it’s fresh take on #polishcuisine
  • POLISH CHRISTMAS: Today is our big day in terms of Christmas celebration. It’s called #wigilia and starts with the first 💫 (or when we are finally ready). More in my stories #pierogi
  • BIRTHDAY NEWS: Continuing the tradition of baking my own birthday cake (mainly because we left it too late to order one), except this year I am baking with bump. Happy to be able to share the news finally, I had a difficult time over the summer with a miscarriage, so it’s such a relief to see it swimming around happily in there. Also incredibly relieved that the nausea is finally over and I can cook again! #lovecooking❤️
  • STILL TIME TO ORDER FOR XMAS: Apologies for shameless plug, but it has to be done because #polskacookbook makes such a lovely gift for anyone interested in #polishfood or of Polish heritage. Stunning photography by @laurajayneedwards and published @quadrillebooks #linkinbio👆
  • SUPPER CLUB: Thank you so much to all who came to my last #supperclub of 2019, this is me tired but happy after the special evening. As usual, I didn’t have time to take photos during the night but I did manage to take one of the #makowiec - I put some toasted sesame seeds inside the poppyseed mixture and it was delicious, so to anyone making Makowiec this Christmas, I wholeheartedly recommend you try it. My mum said it added a halva taste to it. #polishchristmas
  • USZKA DUMPLINGS: Uszka are literally translated as “little ears” - here’s how you form them: circles or squares to start; halve into miniature pierogi; then round your little finger and stick (much easier to see it). There’s still time to enter the competition for two supper club tickets, just go to yesterday’s post and follow the instructions #londonpopups
  • XMAS GIVEAWAY CLOSED: there were two tickets left for my supper club on Friday, so I’m giving them away as a Christmas gift! If you’re free this Friday evening and fancy being treated to five delicious veggie courses whilst celebrating Christmas the Polish way, this is what you do: 1. Make sure you’re following @zuzazakcooks 2. Like this post 3. Tag a friend you think might be interested Each tag is a separate entry and if you share it you get 3 entries. I’ll pick a winner at random Friday morning. Good luck!
  • SUPPER CLUB 13th DECEMBER: Buckwheat blini, fermented beet #barszcz and #pierogi are just a few of the Polish veggie delights you can expect at my supper club next week. I even have a little handmade gift for you from @frankandlusia so come and kick of your Christmas off in Slavic style! Link to tickets in bio #supperclub
  • NEW PODCAST: Want to improve your Instagram? I did, so I did a mentoring session with the wonderful Kimberly @thelittleplantation which you can access through her bio. We talk about so much stuff, including my personal Insta journey, how to improve iPhone food photography and how to use Insta when you have no time! It was really fun to do and lots of ideas in there, so I think you might enjoy it #instapodcast
  • CHRISTMAS EVENT: I’m so looking forward to celebrating Christmas with you on Friday 13th December (a female power day according to ancient wisdom, turned “unlucky” during the witch hunts). There will be five veggie courses, a welcome drink and a surprise gift from @frankandlusia - #linkinbio👆
  • DELICIOUS DALSTON DINNER: squidgy ricotta stuffed dumplings (gnudi) @littleduckthepicklery - and plenty of ferments of course! I used to live just round the corner from here, sorry that this place wasn’t around then #hackneyfood
  • SUPPER CLUB MENU Welcome cocktail 🎄 Buckwheat blini with red vegetable “caviar” 🎄 Warsaw-style Borscht with fried beans and “uszka” dumplings 🎄 Wild mushroom “pierogi” with fermented purple cabbage stew 🎄 “Makowiec” poppyseed cake 🎄 Dried fruit “salad” Tickets are selling fast! #linkinbio👆
  • CHRISTMAS SUPPER CLUB: I am over the moon to announce that there is another supper club on the horizon! We will be celebrating Christmas the Polish way on Friday 13th December (female power day not bad luck day) from 7.30 @ydbmf - link to tickets in bio #supperclub
  • UKRAINIAN VARENYKY: I have been craving these for weeks! Ever since I found the recipe for these Ukrainian #dumplings in @oliahercules #mamushka they have become a staple #comfortfood in my house. I must admit I only ever do the salty Polish #twarog filling because it’s just so simple and tasty. To me, they are an easier, more rustic pierogi. I have also learnt that in some parts of eastern Poland a similar dough is used for pierogi and uszka. #easteuropeanfood #varenyky
  • SUNDAY BRUNCH: Plum butter swirls with cinnamon sugar, stewed rhubarb and baked bananas with yoghurt and Egyptian scrambled eggs with dates and tahini #sundaybrunch
  • CHOCOLATE PIEROGI: I just found some marbled chocolate #pierogi dough in the freezer - result! A couple of days ago I pulled a muscle in my leg running for a train and its made the simplest tasks - like walking to the shop - impossible, so I made this filling from what I had in the fridge: cream cheese and plum butter, and guess what? They were #delicious😋 - ate them with squirty cream #maplesyrup and toasted #walnuts from our garden in Poland #lunchtoday
  • LUNCH IDEA: Fry half a finely chopped red onion in some rapeseed oil until soft then add half a chopped, dried Polish sausage (this one is wild boar). Add some chopped kale and fry until soft. Season well. Finally, add some fermented purple cabbage but only to heat through. If you don’t have this, you could quick-pickle some purple cabbage in cider vinegar instead or even a grated carrot. Serve with a fried egg on top and crusty bread on the side #lunchinspo
  • KASZA GRYCZANA has a distinctive nutty, smokey flavour that goes incredibly well with mushrooms. You can buy toasted buckwheat groats from any Polish shop. You cook it like rice except when it looks like this, you wrap it in a towel and stick it under a blanket or duvet to steam for about an hour. You could just leave it to steam on your hob but this ancient method works best #buckwheat
  • I almost missed pierogi day! In fact, it was yesterday, but as it’s still yesterday in America I’ll take that as a win. I’ve been quite under it recently, in fact I’m posting this on a busy commuter train on my way to a lecture. I’ve started my PhD and busy working on my next book too, so I haven’t made pierogi for a while, but I will soon because I do love them so #nationalpierogiday
  • WEEKDAY MEALS SORTED: Make your own noodles! (4 portions) 🍝 200g flour 2 eggs 4 tablespoons water Pinch of salt 🍝 Kneed for about 7-8 minutes, then roll out as thin as possible. Allow to dry for 2 hours on top of a tea towel. After that time place on a floured surface, sprinkle with flour and cut into two. Loosely roll the two halves and cut into noodles of a thickness you like. These will keep in the fridge for about 5 days, in a plastic bag. Sprinkle more flour in there so they don’t stick together. Cook them for about 5min in salted water. 🍝 Lazy meal ideas: 1. Fry a tin of anchovies in the oil they are in until nearly falling apart. Add a bit more oil and a chopped courgette. Finally, noodles and a squeeze of lemon juice. 2. Fry thin slices of aubergine until brown, add some crushed garlic, tomato passata and basil leaves. Season. Add cooked noodles. 3. Fry a chopped leek until soft. Add some smoked salmon bits, creme fraiche and dill. Add cooked noodles and a squeeze of lemon. 4. Good quality stock: cook some vegetable bits in it: carrots, courgettes, mushrooms, green beans etc. Squeeze in some lemon/lime and add cooked noodles. Top with chopped chillies and coriander.
  • Recipe for Autumn on a plate 🍂 You’ll need dried about 50g of dried mushrooms (these were picked by my uncle but you can buy them from any Polish shop), 100g pearl barley, 20g butter, half an onion, 200ml chicken stock, garlic clove, salt and pepper and parsley and soured cream to serve. This serves 3. 🍂 Wash the dried mushrooms, then soak them in boiling water overnight. Chop them them roughly before use. Wash the pearl barley and chop the onion finely. Fry the onion in a knob of butter and after 2min add the pearl barley and the mushrooms. Stir and add the water from the mushrooms (about 100ml) and about 100ml of chicken stock. Add a crushed garlic clove. Bring to a boil, then cover, turn the heat down and allow to simmer all together for about 45min, but check every 15min and add more stock if it’s looking dry. Uncover for the last 10min or so. Finally, season with salt and white and black pepper. Serve sprinkled with parsley and with a dollop of soured cream. We are eating a fermented slaw on the side of course! #lunchtoday
  • Don’t you just love #Autumn🍂 ? One of my favourite #breakfasts at this time of year is #kaszamanna - semolina porridge - today, with cacao, toasted almonds and my mum’s plum butter or #konfitury (you can buy this in any polish shop) but I am always coming up with new topping ideas (and they are all on my feed) #porridgelover
  • Need some quick lunch or weekday dinner inspo? I’ve got just the ticket - parboil some delicious new 🥔 then slice them roughly. Meanwhile chop an onion, fry it in rapeseed oil (at this point I also added some dried seaweed too but that’s optional) add the ‘tatoes and mix until covered in oil. Chop some #cavolonero (thanks for the veg @farmdrop ) and add that to the pan, along with some oregano. Fry for a few minutes, then add a splash of white wine, season well and add a mug of good quality stock. Add a handful of frozen peas. Cover and cook for 5-10min. Finally, you can cook some eggs in there (covered for about 1min), or a slice of fish... today, I crumbled some Latvian #hempbutter in - thank you @vinotava - for a nutty finish. You can scroll to see what that wonder looks like. #meatfreemonday
  • In need of #healthylunch inspiration? A large bowl of #kasza salad could last you until the end of week and you can have all sorts of sides so it tastes different each day. I used #millet , green beans, broccoli, cherry tomatoes with #seabuckthorn and #oregano in the dressing. On the side today: #labneh with oregano and toasted #pumpkinseeds - full recipe will be in my stories shortly (as soon as I’ve eaten this) #recipeshare
© Copyright 2019 Zuza Zak // Polska Photographs by Laura Edwards