Growing up, family gatherings were a celebration of cabbage medleys, kielbasa dishes, and filled stomachs as people would laugh and share love over the hard work that went into these dishes. My grandma would invite all my cousins over days in advance to have “Peirogie parties”, where we would mend together the dough, fill the pierogies, all while making new memories. Having grandparents who moved to America from Poland at a young age allows me and my family to indulge in the traditions of making authentic meals from scratch every chance we can get.
So let’s talk cabbage. Cabbage is one of the most popular ingredients in Polish cuisine. Without cabbage, there would be no sauerkraut, which is just fermented shredded cabbage, golumkis, which is a Polish stuffed cabbage, or kapusta, which is a warm dish containing meats and watered-down sauerkraut. Cabbage is my favorite when it’s boiled down and put in a soup, or served as its crunchy fermented alternative on top of warm pierogies. Speaking of pierogies, let’s get into my favorite Polish dishes that my cousins and I grew up on.
These delicious rounds of love never fail to warm my soul. Pierogies are similar to dumplings in shape, but pierogies are usually either filled with potatoes and cheese, sauerkraut, or sweet farmers’ cheese, which is just goat cheese. They are served with sour cream and sauerkraut, but if you are new to the fermented vegetable, maybe don’t eat as much of it as I do. My family and I usually make them from scratch, but if you don’t have the time, the best brand to buy (in my opinion) is Kowalski, which you can get at your local grocery store.
Golumpkis, or stuffed cabbage, is just as it sounds. Mix together rice, ground meat, and various seasonings, wrap them up in leaves of cabbage, drown them in tomato sauce, then put them in the oven. Obviously, it’s a bit more complex than just that, but those are the simple steps to making this hearty flavorful dish. I like the lighter leaves of cabbage for this recipe since the darker ones tend to be a bit tougher after being cooked. This meal is absolutely perfect on a cold day. Coming home and eating this with some mashed potatoes on the side is definitely a core memory of mine.
This may not be my grandma’s recipe (the best Kapusta in the world), but Kapusta is Kapusta, it is bound to be delicious. Also known as Bigos, this is a Polish cabbage dish baked with onions, mushrooms, sauerkraut, bacon, and kielbasa. It may not be the prettiest meal, but it is one of my favorite foods ever. Served warm, this beautiful medley of flavors is ensured to leave you reaching for another serving. Although I am now a vegetarian, which means I cannot have the traditional recipe, it doesn’t stop me from raving about this meal and remembering the tins filled with steaming sauerkraut mixed with various sausages at our family gatherings.
Delving into different cultures’ foods is a great way to spread your palette and social awareness. I have always loved hearing people’s stories about their family recipes and why they are so significant to them. Is there a food from your culture that you could spend hours rambling about? Mine would definitely be Polish food.
