piwo
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Post by piwo on Aug 5, 2006 14:51:35 GMT -7
Well, this being the last weekend of my vacation, I did something for me: I decided this morning to make Czerwony Barszcz from scratch. My source for recipe came from Mikey B's cookbook (he calls it Borsht, but I"m not going to hold it against him ;D)which I purchased earlier this year, and I went to it. It's still on the stove doing the 2 hour simmer at this time, so I cant' tell you how it is. This is more a "real time blog" then anything else. Here's what I was looking at at 3:30, central time: This was not the entire ingredients, but most. One omission needs to be made: the "green peppercorns" were purchased instead of "black peppercorns". Upon realization, I went back and returned them for the appropriate spice! After the required 30 minute simmer of beef stock and chunky bones with meat, we added the ingredients at 4:00PM central (48 minutes ago at this posting). Here's what that looked like. I can only say, it smells wonderful 48 minutes into it's low simmer.. I'll keep ya posted.
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piwo
Citizen of the World
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Post by piwo on Aug 5, 2006 17:46:20 GMT -7
Ok... so here's my dinner. Tasted wonderful, very much like the instant, only "richer". My color was not so clear, and that was confusing because I simmered it VERY slowly on low. Also, I didn't do as good a job as I could have getting the oils and grease from the meat... In any event, it was quite good, and I'll make it again...
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Post by leslie on Aug 6, 2006 1:58:33 GMT -7
Well done John. As a fellow Barszcz maker (and eater) I'm proud of you. It certainly looks rich - About an hour ago I started a panful of beet, onion, water on the first 1.5h simmer. Just to add body I've added a large Knorr packet (one of the ones I got from Pars) of concentrate also as I think I was a little low on Beet. I have the beef stock, red wine, glass of wodka and seasonings standing by all ready!
Hope you enjoy - it gives you a real sense of achievement making it yourself rather than just have a packet of concentrate and a kettle of boiling water. But it's all barszcz so it's all good!!!!
Pozdrawiam
Leslie
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piwo
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Post by piwo on Aug 6, 2006 7:21:17 GMT -7
Thank you SIr Leslie.
It indeed gives one a sense of accomplishment to make something one loves so from scratch. As I've said before, I have nothing to compare it to except from instant, since I had never eaten it before. So, I am unable to know comparatively how well I did, other then I thought it was good, and my wife enjoyed it immensely.
My grandmother would have had beef stock on hand, gone out to the garden and got vegetables. Leeks, Parsnip, beets, fennel, meaty beef shanks (or meaty duck legs) and beef stock are just not items I keep on hand so it's an expensive soup to make "one time"....
No matter, I'll do it again and try to learn from some of the errors.
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Post by leslie on Aug 6, 2006 8:12:27 GMT -7
Lord John You say that it is an expensive soup to make one time. What quantity did you make? I can imagine a panful. I make what must be a litre or more at the one time and I find it keeps very well. So instead of 'one time' I have a bowlful before dinner on five days. The fifth serving seems as fresh and tasteful as the first (the saving may be helped by the tumbler of red wine and the glass of wodka I put in it!!). Perhaps Gardenmoma can tell me whether I am putting my health on line, keeping it in the pan in which I have put the final strained soup for four days? Sir Leslie of the red-white shirt. ;D
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piwo
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Post by piwo on Aug 6, 2006 13:10:27 GMT -7
Based on the bowl size we used, and the amount leftover right now, I'd say we got @ 60 oz (@ 1.75l). I heated some up in the microwave, along with a bowl of leftover bigos for lunch. ;D , as is my wife and daughter. It's funny, we had a "Polish dinner on Friday, had remnants of that plus the Barszcz for dinner Saturday, and remnants of both for lunch on Sunday! So, above you have dinner Saturday, here is dinner Friday, and here is lunch on Sunday. Someone riddle me this: If I used too many beets, would the color be deeper burgundy, or brighter red? The recipe called for 2 large beets, but in the store, I could only find medium to smaller beets, so I used 4 of them figuring they would be about the same as two large.... Just curious........
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Post by hollister on Aug 6, 2006 15:43:04 GMT -7
I wish my computer was equipped with smell-o-vision and taste-o-vision ......
It doesn't work to lick the screen ....
BTW Leslie - no smart remarks from you!
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Post by leslie on Aug 7, 2006 4:41:53 GMT -7
Chris (Holly) - Wot, me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Slurp, slurp.
John, As far as I know the more beet you put in the same amount of liquid, the darker (probably nearer burgundy than simply red)and the stronger it will be. But I think you would really have to overdo it spoil it. For a large panful I usually use two of the largest beets I can find, or as near the equivalent in smaller ones - I don't think it's critical. Also when you made the one at the weekend, when all the boiling etc was done, did you strain the liquid out (having crushed as much juice out of the beet that you could while still in the pan) so that the beet was left behind (I then throw it away including any other solids that remain). I am not an expert barszcz maker, but what I make I like, so to me that's all that matters - As I'm the only one in the house who eats it! Leslie
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piwo
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Post by piwo on Aug 7, 2006 15:22:42 GMT -7
John, As far as I know the more beet you put in the same amount of liquid, the darker (probably nearer burgundy than simply red)and the stronger it will be. Well, since mine was deep, deep Burgundy, I'll presume I used a tad more then required. The taste was fine, but presentation is also important! Also when you made the one at the weekend, when all the boiling etc was done, did you strain the liquid out (having crushed as much juice out of the beet that you could while still in the pan) so that the beet was left behind (I then throw it away including any other solids that remain). I did exactly as you describe. I strained the soup well. It was only broth when served, save for the chopped basil added at serving. I was able to remove almost all the residual fat/grease from the leftovers, as they set up in the ice box overnight, and easily removed. Overall I was pleased, just trying to "tweek" the process, and gain some "collective experiences".
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nancy
European
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Post by nancy on Aug 9, 2006 18:55:28 GMT -7
Piwo -- Good job! My only semi-recent experience is from 2 years ago in Krakow, and it was a little spicy - is yours spicy? bland? Color and presentation are important, but what about taste?
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nancy
European
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Post by nancy on Aug 9, 2006 18:56:03 GMT -7
PS!!!
Great pictures!!!
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piwo
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Post by piwo on Aug 9, 2006 19:35:41 GMT -7
Hi Nancy! Tasted good, but as I've said before, I have nothing but instant soup to compare it to. It wasn't overly spicy, but if I had added the entire fennel, it would have been! It was fun. I'll make it again when I save up enough scratch....
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Post by gardenmoma on Aug 15, 2006 20:47:26 GMT -7
08/15 Wow! Such wonderful pictures, Piwo. And attractive beautiful table settings! Thank you for sharing the pictures with us. Leslie, If you've used an old-fashioned enamel pot, there should be no trouble. Same with the stainless-steel clad alumnium. However, depending upon the acidity of your soup, the ss-clad Al as well as other metal pots will become discovered and have to be scoured. You probably pick up some Al ions from non-clad pots, but researchers have, I blieve, shown that Al does not percipitate Altzmimer's :-/GM
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piwo
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Post by piwo on Sept 9, 2006 12:22:13 GMT -7
Well, I finally made my 3rd attempt at Barszcz Czerwony, using this time my homemade stock. My stock is very light and not terribly "meaty" tasting, and others have said the same of theirs. My opine is that is the way it should be. This attempt had the right color, to go along with the taste. I probably could have rendered it down about 1 cup more, but all enjoyed the taste. My wife, who likes it "sweeter" enjoyed this batch, and my daughter who likes it more "salty" simply added a touch of salt. On a side note, I did find Knorr broth in the supermarket, and could try it. If I do, it will be about 35% store bought, 65 % water mix, since otherwise it's a salty brine that does not in my opinion made great soup. If you look a few posts up, you will see a bowl from my first attempt, and from this attempt. Notice the color: it's lighter, and more like the type I ate in "little Poland", in Chicaco...
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Post by rdywenur on Sept 9, 2006 15:05:11 GMT -7
Bravo, Piwo. Looks yummy. Now can anyone guess where Piwo's place is at the table....hint hint. .........look closer.
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