Barszcz Czerwony z Uszkami - Starapolska Chicago

[piwo]

I was in Chicago yesterday on business, and since I finished long before my flight home, I took a cab to little Poland section of Chicago and ate at Starapolska's again. This time, I selected Barszcz Czerwony z uszkami and pyzy z miesem, with a duzy Okocim, and a couple Nalewka Babuni for desert

From my two attempts to make barszcz czerwony, this one was in fact a middle ground between my two attempts. I could definately taste the balance between the "beefy stock" and the "sweet" of the beets. Each of my first two attempts swung the pendulem to one side or the other. and that is a pet peeve with my on all types of cuisine. If a dish says "cury chicken" the cury will be so overpowering that it's un-edible. Balance and blending is the secret I think, and I need to learn to do so better. I now have some practical experience and tasting'sunder my belt to guide me. Each of my first two attempts may have actually been fine if done correctly, but I rarely make antything correctly first time. Many will say the same of my posts here... LOLOLOLOLOLOL

Anyway, looks like I'll be cooking again this weekend..

[nancy]

Piwo,

Interesting analyses of your approach to cooking. I have to follow a recipe to the letter or I am terrified to taste it (much less serve to anyone ese) -- I just don't have the cooking gene (but I do have the eating gene!!)


Weren't you looking for a recipe for the pyzy z miesem a while back? Did you take this opportunity to ask about them?

[leslie]

Piwo
I've found that once the liquid is strained from the more solid residues I taste it. If it is too sweet I add a tablespoonful of vinegar (more if necessary), or if too beefy and or too bitter, add some sugar or even honey. After adding either of these heat the liquid and stir to mix - keep tasting until you feel you have it as you want it. I'm getting quite expert (for me) at making my own now, but every time I make it there is always a slight (or sometimes more) difference from other times. But you get those differences between different restaurants in Poland anyway.
Good barszcz-ing!
Leslie

[leslie]

Piwo
Just a further thought to get (or try to get) a fairly balanced sweet v sour, instead of beef stock, use chicken stock - I tend to use this and find that it seems more balanced in taste.

L

[rdywenur]

The only time I do any cooking is when I make sauce. Each time it tastes different even though I go through the same motions. I think it must be the way the wind blows that day.

I rememeber the first tiime I made mushroom salad. It was a recipe I got from a friend who was a cook. The recipe was cut down but I think he forgot to do the garlic and I followed it to the tee. (even though I thought so many cloves were a bit much) Well it tasted okay but for weeks all I did was smell garlic. I think it is always better to start out small and add. And safer.

[piwo]

nancy said:

Weren't you looking for a recipe for the pyzy z miesem a while back? Did you take this opportunity to ask about them?

Hi Nancy! Yes, I was and am still looking. They were pretty busy, and the staff all speak English about as good as I speak Polish: not a good combination to discuss cooking fine points.
As for my methodology, I guess I do try to be faithful to the original recipe, but somehow I just don't get the good results right away if there's some technique required other then "dumping and stirring"..LOL


Sir Leslie wrote:

I've found that once the liquid is strained from the more solid residues I taste it. If it is too sweet I add a tablespoonful of vinegar (more if necessary), or if too beefy and or too bitter, add some sugar or even honey. After adding either of these heat the liquid and stir to mix - keep tasting until you feel you have it as you want it.

Sir Leslie wrote:

Just a further thought to get (or try to get) a fairly balanced sweet v sour, instead of beef stock, use chicken stock - I tend to use this and find that it seems more balanced in taste.

Both excellent points. This I will take to battle with me this weekend!!

The "uszkami" were like miniature pyzy z miesem: dough or potato with ground meat inside. Tasty for certain.