Happy Easter! - SOKOL ONLINE

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MEMBER NEWS Celebrate a Polish Easter EASTER GREETINGS (życzenia wielkanocne): Wesołego Alleluja is the traditional way of wishing someone Happy Easter, but Wesołych Świąt Wielkanocnych, often shortened simply to Wesołych Świąt, is becoming increasingly widespread. A humorous greeting goes: Wesołych Świąt, Smacznego Jajka i Mokrego Dyngusa! (A Happy Easter, Tasty Egg and Wet Dyngus Day). EASTER CRAFTS (rękodzieło wielkanocne): The main Easter-related crafts are Polish Easter palms, especially the rod-type bouquets, Easter eggs, wycinanaki (paper cut-outs), carving butter-lamb molds and reverse painting of religious scenes on glass. Considering the interest in folkcrafts, with the right advance publicity a class or workshop teaching such skills may attract a good following. THE LORDʼS TOMB: This traditional tableau of Christ lying in His tomb, often surrounded by flowers, ferns and votive lamps, is an inseparable part of Polish Holy Week observances. Set up on Good Friday for adoration up until Easter, it may be watched over by rotating honor guards round the tomb, including uniformed war veterans, scouts, altar servers, parish-society members, etc. FOOD BLESSING (święcenie pokarmów): Easter baskets containing eggs, sausage, ham, bread, butter (usually in the shape of a lamb), horseradish, babka, etc. are brought to church for the blessing in Holy Saturday, the day before Easter. The clergyman blesses the baskets, sprinkling them with Holy Water. The faithful normally pay a visit to the Lord's Tomb (above) and take home a bottle a freshly blessed Holy Water for the family's use. EASTER MORNING MASS (Rezurekcja): The first Mass of Easter Sunday has traditionally been held at daybreak (6 a.m.), but in recent years some parishes have been holding it at 7, 8, even 9 a.m. to attract more worshipers. It begins with a Eucharistic procession which encircles the outside of the church three times before entering church. The incense, jangling hand-held bells, the church all ablaze with lights and candles and filled with flowers and greenery and the glorious Easter hymns all lend splendor to the occasion. PARISH “ŚWIĘCONE” (święcone w parafii): The traditional święcone is the Easter breakfast or brunch held in the family circle after Easter Morning Mass. Nowadays, however, for the benefit of those living alone or families that have drifted away from the custom, holding such a breakfast after Easter Sunday Mass at the parish social hall or church basement may not be a bad idea. A concert of Easter hymns by the parish choir could enhance the occasion. EASTER MONDAY DRENCHING CUSTOM (śmigus-dyngus): Glasses, jars, squirt guns, plastic bottles and anything else that holds water comes into play on Easter Monday when the śmigus-dyngus drenching custom is re-enacted. Needless to say, it is the youngsters who go for this custom the most. DYNGUS DAY: Easter Monday the way it is practiced in Buffalo, South Bend, Chicago and elsewhere is a purely Polish-American invention. Traditional Polish Easter fare, polka music, dancing and general festivities, including the drenching custom, are prominently featured at Polish clubs and bars. A special “Get Wet Dyngus Day” T-shirt has even been developed for the occasion. ŚWIĘCONKA PARTY (zabawa święconkowa): The Święconka as a social get-together is another Polonian-originated custom. Usually held during the week or weekend after Easter, it usually begins with the blessing of food by the officiating priest and the sharing of blessed Easter eggs. Apart from traditional Polish Easter foods, some Święconkas are little more than polka dances. Others attempt to include genuine Polish traditions: folk song and dance performance, folk-art demonstration, egg-rolling and egg-tapping contests, etc. SHARING BLESSED EGGS (dzielenie się jajkiem): After grace has been said, but before the Easter meal begins, all present share wedges of blessed hard-cooked eggs. Either the host goes around with a plate of quartered eggs which each guest impales on a fork or the plate is passed from guest to guest. All wait with their fork-impaled egg wedge in hand until everybody has been served, and then amid mutual wishes of “Wesołego Alleluja” and “Wesołych Świąt Wielkanocnych” everybody consumes their egg at the same time. HOME-MADE WHITE BARSZCZ SOUR (domowy zakwas do białego barszczu): This tart soup was a Lenten staple in Old Poland. In crock or glass jar combine 1 c rye flour or 1 c rolled oats or 1 part of each, add several rye-bread crusts or 1 slice rye bread and 1 - 3 buds slivered garlic and drench with 4 c pre-boiled lukewarm water. Cover mouth of container with cheese cloth fastened with rubber-band and let stand in warm (75°- 80°F) place 3 - 5 days, or until liquid becomes pleasantly TRADITIONAL WHITE EASTER BARZSCZ (biały barszcz wielkanocny): Cook 1 lb lbs of fresh (raw) kiełbasa, 1 quartered onion and 1 bay leaf and cook covered in 4-5 c water at a gentle rolling boiling 45 min. Leave in pot until cooled to room temp. Remove sausage and refrigerate until needed. Strain liquid and refrigerate over night. Next day remove and discard congealed fat. Heat sausage stock to boiling, adding water if needed to have 4 c. Add 2 c home-made barszcz sour (above) or store-bought żur liquid, simmer several min and remove from heat. Fork-blend 1 heaping T flour with 1 c sour cream until smooth and stir into it 1 c hot soup a T at a time, whisking until smooth. Slowly stir into soup pot and simmer briefly. As 1-2 buds crushed garlic, 1 heaping T prepared horseradish, 1 T marjoram and salt & pepper to taste if required. In soup bowls place sliced hard-cooked eggs, the sliced cooked kiełbasa and (optional) some cubed farmer cheese, and ladle the hot soup over them. EASY WHITE EASTER BARZSCZ (biały barszcz wielkanocny łatwy): To 4 c (de-greased) water in which kiełbasa was cooked add 2 plain c water, bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer briefly. Remove from heat and, when slightly cooled, stir in 1 c sour cream fork-blended with a heaping T flour. Use whisk or hand-held mixer to obliterate any lumps that form. Simmer briefly and sour with 2-4 T white vinegar (more or less to taste). Season and serve as above if desired. EGG SALAD (sałatka z jaj): Toss together six chopped hard-cooked eggs, 1 bunch finely chopped chives and 1 bunch coarsely grated radishes. Fork-blend 3 T mayonnaise with 1 t brown mustard and lace the salad ingredients with the sauce. Salt & pepper to taste. Optional: a bit of sugar may be added. EASTER SALAD (sałatka wielkanocna): Toss together 2-3 peeled, cored, diced apples, 2-3 diced brined cucumbers (ogórki kiszone), and a heaping T prepared horseradish. Drizzle with 4 T salad oil, 1 T cider vinegar, toss well and salt & pepper to taste. A t sugar may be added. Decorate top with 3 sliced hard-cooked eggs and garnish with finely chopped parsley. GREEN PEA SALAD (sałatka z zielonego groszku). Drain well 4 c canned peas. Gently toss with 2-3 chopped green onions, 6-8 chopped radish and 2-3 dill pickles. Lace with just enough mayo to lightly coat ingredients. CHIVE-STUFFED EGGS (jaj ze szczpiorkowym nadzieniem): Shell 6, cold, hard-cooked eggs, cut in half lengthwise, gently scoop out yolks and set whites aside. Mash yolks, add 3 T room-temp butter, 3 T finely chopped chives, 1/4 t mild paprika and mix into a uniform filling. Salt & pepper to taste and use mixture to fill egg-white halves. HOME-MADE HORSERADISH (chrzan tarty domowy): Peel horseradish root or roots with vegetable peeler, wrap in plastic wrap and keep in freezer overnight. You can grate the horseradish with a hand-held grater, but the fumes are overpowering, so this should be done outdoors, near an open window or some other well-ventilated place. An easier way is to cut the horseradish root into cubes and grate it in food processor. But also do this in a well ventilated room and stay a good arm’s length away! Its container should be no more than 1/2 full, add 1-2 T cold water and process until well ground. If too runny, pour off some of the liquid. Add 1/2 t salt, 1-2 T vinegar and pulse top combine. Pack mixture into small jars, seal and refrigerate until needed. Use as you would store-bought prepared horseradish. CREAMY HORSERADISH SAUCE (sos chrzanowy ze śmietaną): Combine 1 c sour cream with 1 heaping T prepared horseradish. Season to taste with salt, sugar and lemon juice or vine continued on page 19 SOKÓŁ POLSKI—POLISH FALCON APRIL 2010 PAGE 18
MEMBER NEWS continued from page 18 gar. Variation: Fork-blend 1/2 c prepared horseradish with 1/2 c heavy cream. Season to taste with salt, sugar and lemon juice or vinegar. WARM CREAMY HORSERADISH SAUCE (sos chrzanowo-śmietanowy na ciepło): Melt 2 T butter in skillet, sprinkle in 1 healed T flour and simmer into a roux stirring constantly. Add 1 c sour cream and a heaping T prepared horseradish and simmer a few min on low, stirring often. Season to taste with salt, white pepper, sugar and lemon juice. Excellent spooned over warm hard-cooked eggs! HORSERADISH-CRANBERRY SAUCE (sos chrzanowo-żurawinowy). Fork blend 1 jar of imported Łowicz brand żurawina (cranberry jam) with a heaping T prepared horseradish. Stir in 1 t freshly squeezed lemon juice. A good go-together with coals roasts and sausages! EASTER SAUCE (sos do święconego): Forkblend 1/2 c dairy sour cream with 1/2 c mayonnaise, add 1 - 2 chopped hard-cooked eggs and 1/2 - 3/4 c mixed finely chopped additions: dill pickle, chives, pickled mushroom and radishes. Stir in 1 heaping t to 1 T prepared horseradish and season to taste with salt, sugar and lemon juice or vinegar. SPRING SAUCE (sos wiosenny): Proceed as with Easter sauce (above), but omit the egg and add 2/3 - 1 c finely chopped spring greens (green onions, radishes, chives, parsley, dill, garden cress). Season with 1 t prepared horseradish, 1 t lemon juice, 1/4 t salt and several dashes of pepper. Note: All the above sauces are great with hard-cooked eggs and cold meats. MUSTARD SAUCE (sos musztardowy: Forkblend 1/2 c sour cream and 1/2 c mayonnaise with 1 heaping T brown mustard. Season to taste with salt, vinegar and sugar to taste. RED PICKLED EGGS (jaja marynowane na czerwono): Combine 1 c white vinegar with juice of enough canned pickled beets to give 4 c liquid. Bring to boil, simmer briefly and set aside to cool. When cooled to room temp, pour over shelled hard-cooked eggs to cover. Use a lid or plate to keep the eggs submerged. Refrigerate overnight or longer. When ready to use, pat eggs dry with paper towel. Use to decorate meat platters or form a cross on a big plate of white shelled hardcooked eggs. EGG PLATTER (półmisek jaj): Serve bowls of plain, shelled hard-cooked eggs and let your guests dress them with different sauces served in separate dishes. Or, line platter with leaves of Boston or bib lettuce, place halved hard-cooked eggs cut-side down on it and them with dollops of sauce. EASY BEET & HORSERADISH RELISH (łatwa ćwikla z chrzanem): Dice the pickled beets from the pickled-egg recipe (above) and stir in about 1 heaping t or T prepared horseradish per c diced beets. Toss gently and refrigerate overnight in closed container before using. This is the classic Polish Easter condiment to accompany ham, sausage, roasts and hard-cooked eggs. VEGETABLE SALAD (sałatka jarzynowa): Combine 2 c canned navy beans and 2 c canned drained peas & carrots (all canned items well drained!); add 3 c cold, cooked, diced potatoes, 1 bunch chopped green onions, 1 bunch diced radishes, 2-3 diced dill pickles, 2 - 3 peeled, cored, diced apples and 4 - 6 diced hard-cooked eggs. Toss ingredients gently, season with salt & pepper and garnish with 3 T chopped fresh parsley. Lace with just enough sauce to thinly coat ingredients. For 1 c, fork-blend 1/2 c sour cream, 1/2 c mayonnaise and 1 slightly heaped t sharp brown mustard. Season to taste with a little salt, pepper, sugar and lemon juice or vinegar. COLD-MEAT PLATTER (półmisek zimnych mięs): On oval or rectangular serving platters arrange an assortment of sliced cold meats: rounds of cooked white (fresh) and smoked kiełbasa, sliced ham, Canadian bacon (polędwica), kabanosy (thin dry sausage), sliced pork roast, Krakowska sausage, kaszanka (kiszka is also good cold!), boiled beef tongue, head cheese (salceson), etc. Decorate platter with red pickled eggs, radish roses, dill-pickle spears and sprigs of curly parsley. HOME-MADE KIEŁBASA (kiełbasa domowa): Combine 4 lbs coarsely ground pork butts and 1/2 lb unsalted pork fatback (słonina) with 1 lb finely ground veal or beef round steak. Sprinkle with 3 T salt, 1/2 t pepper, 1 T marjoram and 3-4 buds crushed garlic. Mix well by hand, adding 1 c cold water until fully absorbed. Spread mixture in shallower glass or crockery pan and refrigerate overnight. Next day, stuff hog casings with mixture, twisting into 12” - 15” links and tying them with white twine. Hang up to air-dry in cool, wellventilated place several hrs or overnight. To cook, proceed as follows. WESOLEGO ALLELUJA! BEER-BAKED FRESH KIEŁBASA (biała kiełbasa pieczona w piwie): Arrange 3 lbs fresh kiełbasa in a single layer in baking pan. Drench with a 12 oz bottle beer and enough water to barely cover the sausage. Bake in pre-heated 375° oven 30 min. Turn sausage over. Smother with 4 small thinly sliced onions, sprinkle with caraway seeds and bake another 30 min. BAKED POLISH HAM (polska szynka pieczona): Remove a 5 lb Krakus ham from its tin and transfer to baking pan together with the gelatin included in tin. Drench ham with 1 c Polish mead (miód pitny = honey wine), sprinkle with a little marjoram, cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake 1 hr at 375°. The ham is already fully cooked so all you need to do is heat it through. ROAST VEAL (pieczeń cielęca): Slice 2 cloves garlic into 6-8 vertical slivers. In a 2-1/2 to 3 lb veal leg, rump, loin or boneless shoulder roast insert the garlic slivers into as many deep incisions. Sprinkle meat with salt, pepper and paprika and rub seasonings into all surfaces of roast. Sear the meat all over in hot fat until a brown crust forms on the outside and place in uncovered on rack in roasting pan. Roast in a preheated 350 °- 375° oven. Place several thin slices of pork fatback on meat, add 1-1/2 c water to roaster and roast about 2 hr or until done. Cool to room temp and refrigerate over night. To serve, slice cold roast about 1/4” thin and reheat in pan dripping. SILESIAN BABKA (baba śląska): Mash 1 oz fresh yeast with 1 T sugar and stir in 5 T very warm milk, then set aside to rise. Beat 2 egg yolks and 1 whole egg 1/3 c sugar until fluffy. Add risen yeast mixture, 3-1/2 c flour, 1/2 c. warm milk, 2 T orange zest, 1 T lemon zest and 1/2 t salt. Combine ingredients well and knead until dough is smooth. Gradually work in 1/2 c melted butter and continue kneading until it is fully absorbed. Place dough in warm place until doubled in bulk. While it rises, melt 2 T butter in saucepan. Prepare crumb topping by combining 2-1/2 T confectioner’s sugar with 1/2 c flour and add melted butter and 2 pinches of cinnamon. Stir to combine ingredients and set aside. Place risen dough into Bundt pan. Brush top with half a beaten egg and coarsely grate crumb-topping dough over top. Bake in pre-heated 350° oven about 1 hr, or until wooden skewer comes out clean. SAND BABKA (babka piaskowa): Combine 3/4 c flour, 3/4 c potato starch and 4 t baking powder and sift together. Cream 1 c + 2 T butter with 1- 1/2 c confectioner’s sugar, gradually adding 4 raw egg yolks, zest rind and juice of 1 lemon and mix will. Gently fold in 4 stiffly beaten egg whites. Transfer to greased, flour-dusted babka pan and bake in 350° oven 1 hr or so. When cool dust with confectioner’s sugar or ice. GRANNYʼS CHEESECAKE (sernik baboon): Combine 1-1/4 cups flour, 3/4 t baking powder and 1/4 t salt. With fork mash in 1/4 c butter or margarine. Beat 1 egg with 3 T sour cream and stir into flour mixture with 1/3 c confectioner’s sugar. Knead well until dough is smooth and roll out on floured bread-board into a rectangle. Line a 13x9x2 inch pan with the dough and bring it part way up the sides. Separately, beat 6 eggs with 2 c confectioner’s sugar at high speed 5 min, add 1 t vanilla extract and beat until fluffy. Process in food processor or sieve 1 lb farmer’s cheese, combine with 1-1/2 c mashed potatoes, add 2 t baking powder, 1/2 t salt, 1 T lemon or orange zest and a pinch of nutmeg. Combine well with egg mixture, transfer to dough-lined basking pan, smoothing out the top. Bake at 350° 45-55 min or until set. Cool well before cutting into portions. CRUMB-TOP MAZURKA (mazurek z kruszonką): Cut 1/2 lb butter into 3 c flour, gradually mixing in 4 egg yolks and 1 scant c confectioner’s sugar. Quickly work ingredients into a smooth dough, wrap in foil and refrigerate several hrs. Divide dough into 2 parts. Roll out one half and fit it into square or rectangular baking pan. Spread with powidła (Polish plum butter). Coarsely grate the remaining dough, evenly covering the entire surface. Bake in preheated 390°-400° oven about 20 min or until nice and golden. When cool, cut into squares. WAFER MAZURKA (mazurek na waflu): Get 4 plain, large, square or rectangular wafers at a pastry-supply, gourmet, specialty or European import shop. Place 1 wafer on cutting board, spread thinly with apricot or cherry jam, cover with another wafer, press down gently and spread with canned chocolate of white frosting, cover with another wafer, spread it with jam and cover with a 4th wafer. Cover with clean dish towel, weight down with something heavy (like a large book) and refrigerate. Just before serving spread top and sides with frosting and sprinkle top generously with ground walnuts. Cut into squares and serve. PASCHAL CHEESE DESSERT (pascha): Sieve 2-1/4 lbs full-cream (not low-fat!) farmer cheese. Separately cream 5 egg yolks with 1-1/4 c sugar, stir in 1 c coffee cream. Stirring constantly, heat mixture nearly to boiling point, but do not boil. Remove from flame, stir in the cheese, 1 1/4 lb unsalted butter, 3/4 c plumped raisins, 1/2 c chopped blanched almonds, 1 t orange zest and 1 t vanilla. Mix well and place mixture on cheese cloth. Tie cheese cloth into a ball and hang it up to drip-dry, twisting ball to extract moisture. When no more moisture can be extracted, refrigerate in cheese cloth over night. Remove cheese cloth and decorate pascha with chopped candied orange rind, slivered almonds and raisins. Text and recipies from Robert Strybel, Polonian Affairs Contributor SOKÓŁ POLSKI—POLISH FALCON APRIL 2010 PAGE 19
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Happy Easter! - SOKOL ONLINE

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