Halushki Recipe

Halushki is a simple Polish recipe that is easy and inexpensive to make. There are basically three separate components that are combined during the final assembly of the dish: a spicy onion and garlic sauce, egg noodles, and cabbage.

Halushki is a hearty dish with a subtle, spicy flavor from the olive oil infused with crushed red pepper. It's a great choice if you want to feed alot of people at a low cost.

This Halushki recipe serves 4 to 6 people.

Ingredients:
1 head of cabbage
8oz. of egg noodles (1/2 of 1 pound bag)
1 large yellow onion, diced
4 tbsp butter
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, diced
1 tspn brown sugar
1/2 package of turkey bacon, chopped
1 tbsp red pepper flakes
salt and pepper

Preparation:

1. Cook turkey bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp. Set aside on a paper towel leaving a small amount of fat in the skillet.
2. Add butter and olive oil to the skillet over medium heat.
3. Add the red pepper flakes and the diced onion. Cook until onion changes color and becomes translucent.
   
4. Add the garlic, brown sugar, salt and pepper (to taste) to the skillet. After about 3 minutes, remove the skillet from the heat and set aside.
5. In a separate pot, add about 1/2 to 3/4 inch of water along with the cabbage. Put a lid on the pot and lightly steam the cabbage. Be careful to not overcook. Cabbage should be tender but crisp. Strain the cabbage and set aside.
   
6. In a separate pot, boil the egg noodles for 5-6 minutes until al dente. Be careful not to over cook. Strain the noodles and set aside.
7. In a large serving bowl, add the noodles, then stir in the onion and oil mixture so that the noodles are coated.
8. Add the cabbage and stir into the noodle mixture.
9. Add the crispy bacon and stir all of the contents of the bowl together so that they are well integrated. Serve hot.

Poland [ print this recipe for Halushki ]

Holupki (Gołąbki) Recipe

Holupki originated in Poland but is popular and is known by other names throughout Eastern Europe. They are made with a mixture of ground beef and pork formed into a fist sized ball. This is then wrapped in lightly steamed cabbage and cooked slow and low with sauerkraut and tomato sauce.

Recommended Equipment:
Large pot or Dutch Oven with a lid

Ingredients:
1/2 pound ground pork
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup uncooked rice
1 egg
1 yellow onion, diced
4 + 1 cup water
salt and pepper to taste
1 head of cabbage
1 jar sauerkraut
1 12oz. can tomato soup

Preparation:

1. In a mixing bowl, mix together the pork, beef, uncooked rice, egg, diced onion, salt and pepper. Use your hands to mix the ingredients so that they are well combined. Set aside for later.
2. In a large pot, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Add the head of cabbage to the pot and boil for about 5 minutes or enough time for leaves to loosen up so that you can peel them off the head. You may have to peel a few cabbage leafs off then return the head to the pot to loosen more leaves. The leaves should be tender enough to peal off of the head without tearing them. After you have peeled off most or all of the leaves, pour out any remaining water and dry out the inside of the pot.
3. Form small, handful sized balls of the meat mixture and wrap each with a single cabbage leaf.
   
4. Place the wrapped balls of meat (Holupki) in the bottom of the large pot.
5. When the bottom of the pot is covered with Holupki, cover them with a layer of sauerkraut.
6. Repeat steps 3 through 5 until you have wrapped up all of the meat.
7. Add 1 cup of water and 1 can of tomato soup to the pot.
8. Place cover on the pot and cook over low heat for 2 1/2 hours.
   

Poland [ print this recipe for Holupki ]

Maxwell Street Polish

The Maxwell Polish is a Chicago classic. It is a spicy Polish sausage topped with grilled, caramelized onions and yellow mustard on a toasted bun.

When you make a Maxwell Street Polish, it's important to use a Polish with some heat so you may have to seek out a good specialty meat shop or butcher to find the key ingredient.
I used a "Bahama Mama" sausage, sold at Schmidt's Sausage Haus in Columbus, Ohio's German Village. Schmidt's has been in business since 1886 and they feature a great selection of sausages for carry out.

Ingredients:

• Bahama Mama - cross between a polish kielbasa and a all-beef hot dog but spicier than either - made with beef and pork
• 2 medium yellow onions, cut into strips
• 1 tspn sugar
• 1 tspn salt
  
• mustard, yellow
• butter
• hot dog buns
  

Preparation:

1. Place onions in a skillet with 2 tbsp butter, sugar, and salt. Cook onions over medium-low heat until onions become golden brown.
2. Remove from heat and set aside.
   
3. Cut sausages lengthwise almost all of the way through.
   
4. Place a metal cooling rack on a baking sheet and place in an oven preheated to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the sausages on the cooling rack and bake for about 40 minutes until edges of sausage begin to get crisp.
5. Melt 1/2 tbsp butter in skillet over medium heat. Toast hot dog buns face down on skillet for 2-3 minutes until golden brown.
6. Place sausage in bun, apply desired amount of mustard, and caramelized onions. Serve hot.
   

Polish Chicago