Vegan Polish Dishes - Recipe

Vegetarian Journal, July, 2001 by Nancy Berkoff

Gorgeous heads of green and creamy white cabbage, noodles made lovingly by hand, slowly simmering soups redolent with caraway and dill, and magenta tureens of red beet borscht are all hallmarks of Polish food--a hearty, simple, flavorful cuisine.

Polish history and geography lent a lot to the cuisine. In the 1400s, Europe developed a taste for products made from flour, and Poland became the largest supplier of grain. With trade came the introduction of many new ingredients. In the 1500s, a Polish king married an Italian princess and she introduced tomatoes, oranges, olives, figs, and chestnuts to the country. Russia, Hungary, and Germany alternately traded with and conquered parts of Poland, always leaving a culinary influence behind.

Sour cream, dill, kasha (toasted bulgur), cabbage and beet soups, and vodka are the Russian contributions to Polish cuisine. Potato dishes come from both Lithuania and Germany. Using paprika as a spice is a Hungarian legacy. Stuffed cabbage or gelumpkis, cholodnik (cold beet and sour cream soup garnished with sliced vegetables), pierogi (boiled dumplings), and kugelis (savory potato pudding) are Polish variations on international themes.

Polish cuisine is not big on spicy, fiery ingredients. Fresh dill is a popular herb, as are parsley, marjoram, juniper berries, and caraway. Pickled vegetables, especially cucumbers and cabbage, are used as both seasoning agents and condiments. Onions are used, raw and fried, to complement savory dishes. The staple ingredients of Polish cuisine--potatoes, red and green cabbage, beets, grains, and dairy products, especially buttermilk and sour cream--are naturally flavorful and require only simple preparation to enhance them. You can substitute non-dairy alternatives to make the dishes vegan-friendly.

Tart and sour flavors are very popular. Pickle juice is used to flavor soups, salads, and savory dishes, as are sour cherries. Lemon juice, vinegar, and even citric acid powder are also added to soups, salads, and desserts to lend a sour tang.

Cabbage, potatoes, carrots, beets, dried beans and peas, cauliflower, turnips, and onions are the bases for many Polish dishes. Traditionally flavored with smoked or boiled sausage, soy sausage or "fake bacon" can be used for the vegan versions. Sometimes garnished with the classic Polonaise (toasted, buttered breadcrumbs), vegetables and potatoes can be a meal unto themselves. Bigos is a hunter's stew, prepared by layering cabbage or sauerkraut with potatoes and sausage. You can make a vegan bigos with layers of green cabbage or sauerkraut, red cabbage, potatoes, carrots, and vegan sausage.

Salads (salatki) accompany just about every meal and are simple and fresh. Bukiet surowek is very popular; a combination of shredded cabbage, sour pickles, carrots, and radishes. Mizeria is a salad of thinly sliced cucumbers tossed with sour cream, lemon juice, vinegar, and parsley.

Potatoes are made into dumplings, noodles, pancakes, and soups. Pierogi are stuffed with potatoes and other ingredients. Simple dishes of boiled potatoes with sauteed onions, tossed with caraway seeds and sauerkraut, are popular evening meals.

Many varieties of mushrooms grow in abundance throughout Poland. Dried mushrooms are used to provide mild, but intense, flavor to soups, stews, and potato dishes. Morels, button, chanterelles, and others are prized for the rich flavor they impart.

Breads and grains are an important part of the national cuisine. Pumpernickel and sourdough rye are made from excellent Polish whole grains. Groats or kasha (hulled buckwheat) are toasted and boiled and baked, used in rolls, stuffing, pie fillings, and for hot cereal. Whole-wheat flour is used by bakeries, while rye flour is more often used by home cooks. Barley is also used in stuffing and soups, or served as a side dish. Barley and mushrooms are a popular combination.

Soups are a really important part of the Polish menu. Barszcz (or borscht) was originally made from the roots of wild vegetables and was quite sour. Today vinegar is added to beet juice to recreate the sour flavor. Grochowka, or pea soup, and krupnik, or vegetable barley, are delicious hot soups. Cold soups made from beets and greens are popular in the warmer summer months. Cholodnik is made from cold borscht mixed with sour cream and sliced cold cooked vegetables, such as carrots or turnips. You can purchase vegan sour cream or you can create your own by pureeing silken tofu with a small amount of lemon juice.

Fruit is a national treasure. In the spring, several varieties of strawberries are available. Later in the summer, plums are eaten fresh or preserved as prunes. Much fruit is simply served, splashed with black currant juice (sok z czarnej porzeczki) or sugar syrup. Fruit soups are popular in the summer, and compotes, or stewed fruit, more popular in the winter. Make your own compote by stewing dried prunes, peaches, apricots, raisins, and apples in a small amount of water, seasoned with powdered ginger and cinnamon. Powida is thick fruit butter, most often made with plums and flavored with anise. Powida can also be made with apples, peaches, and pears.