Taste of Polonia returns to Chicago
CHICAGO (WLS) -- The oldest Polish festival in Chicago is back! The Taste of Polonia shows off Polish music, food, and crafts over the Labor Day weekend, Sept. 4-7 in Chicago's Jefferson Park neighborhood.
There are four stages featuring a variety of music and entertainment. The Taste of Polonia also features festival favorites like kielbasa, paczki, and a whole lot more.
To show off some of the tasty food available at this year's Taste of Polonia, Chef Michael Niksic visited ABC7.
Name of event: Taste of Polonia
Sept. 4-7
Hours: Friday: 5 p.m.-10:30 p.m., Saturday: Noon-10:30 p.m., Sunday: Noon-10:30 p.m., Monday: Noon-10 p.m.
5216 W. Lawrence Avenue, Chicago
Admission/Ticket Prices: $7
LINKS:
http://www.Freecookingprograms.com
http://www.copernicuscenter.org
RECIPES:
Double cherry honey sorbet
Ingredients:
Best if Dark Red Cherries are cooked, strained and slightly sweetened. Using cherries that have not been cooked and reduced to strengthen flavor will make a weaker flavored sorbet. Using cherries canned is not a good substitute. It will take about 1.5 pounds to make 1 pint of puree. Use about 1 tablespoon of sugar to each 1/2 pound, 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and 2 oz. fruit juice as a ratio to make your puree. Any fruit juice will work as a background enhancing flavor.
1 pint cherry puree strained (chilled)
1 pound cleaned pitted chopped yellow cherries (not too fine)
3/4 cup honey
1 pint warm cherry juice, 1 pint cold cherry juice (better quality juice makes best sorbet)
3 pkg. granulated plain gelatin
1 oz. lemon juice fresh is best usually 1 large lemon will do the job+
Preparation:
Mix honey, gelatin and lemon juice with warm cherry juice until dissolved and mixed well. Mix in puree, lemon juice and cold cherry juice.
Chill well. For softer sorbet, mix in ice cream mixer and freeze. For firmer version, freeze in sealed container. As it sets up in freezer, occasionally stirring whips in air and makes a softer sorbet plus it ensures an even mix. If for any reason the consistency is too hard and uneven for your liking, mixing the sorbet in a mixer with a paddle attachment adding small pieces slowly until it is smooth will cure this. Don't start on high speed or all at once, you may end up wearing it. Take your time. Transfer to a freezer storage container and freeze.
Grilled Polish chili
Ingredients:
Soak 12 oz. of small Lima or navy beans overnight in refrigerator in 1 quart of water. The next day, in a 1-gallon pot, simmer the beans with remaining water while adding an additional quart of water, then add:
1tablespoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 tablespoon granulated garlic
1/2 tablespoon dry mustard
2 tablespoons granulated onion
1 tablespoon paprika
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
Preparation:
Simmer uncovered until beans are cooked and tender. Add additional water if needed. Mix will thicken naturally while cooking.
On a grill, brown 16 oz. of kielbasa, and 16 oz. ham, set to the side. Dice to same size as rest of ingredients when cooled. Adding roast duck or grilled duck breast is always cool for an even heartier final version.
In a 6-quart soup pot saute on a medium/high heat in 3 oz. corn or salad oil in order:
1 cup diced parsnips
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced carrot- then add:
1 cup diced green bell pepper
1 cup diced onion and then 4 oz. sliced white mushrooms.
When all are half cooked and starting to brown add three tablespoons of chopped fresh garlic. Stir for a minute then add the cooked beans ham and kielbasa, one-26 oz. can of diced tomatoes, and season with:
1 1/2 tablespoons sea salt
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Bring to a boil and turn off. Stir in 1 oz. fresh picked oregano leaves, 1 oz. cleaned marjoram leaves, 1 oz chopped chives and 1/4 cup chopped parsley.
Caramelize/brown diced red potatoes in a light oil until brown (lightly salted) and done in a separate skillet for the purpose of adding them is also a neat addition.
Caramelized onion and buckwheat pilaf
Ingredients:
Dice 3 cups of onions of your choice
Add:
1/2 teaspoon English/dry mustard
1 teaspoon marjoram
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon granulated onion
1 bay leaf
Preparation:
Saute in whole butter (enough to prevent sticking) the onions until they caramelize and turn brown, not black so stir regularly. Season the onions with sea salt and black pepper to taste. Then set the onions to the side.
In a 3-quart or larger pot, simmer 4 cups of chicken stock, or water salted to taste. Vegetable broth can be used also. If vegetable broth is thick, thin down with a little water so the buckwheat has enough moisture to absorb.
Then add 2 cups roasted buckwheat, (best) adjust water proportion if needed as per manufacturer directions. Simmer until water is absorbed. Fold in onions. Many things can be added: nuts, peppers, vegetables, poultry, cheese-etc. - if desired. Can be used as a side, entree or filling for pirogi, peppers, cabbage, small poultry.
