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In Grandmas Kitchen (Part I)
One of my fondest childhood memories is being in the kitchen with my Hungarian grandmother. I loved watching her chopping vegetables, kneading dough, and leaning over bubbling pots in a kitchen that was always filled with wonderful aromas. I'd always help her after school-shelling peas or beans, scrubbing and peeling vegetables, and when I got older, helping to prepare dinner. My favorite was Friday dinner-we would always have some kind of savory soup followed by a noodle or sweet dish. I was always a sweet tooth and looked forward to egg noodles with eggs or jam, palacsinta (Hungarian crepes eaten with jam, cocoa, nuts or sweet cheese fillings), and, in the late summer, silvas gomboc (plum dumplings) topped with cinnamon sugar breadcrumbs. Silvás Gomboc (Plum Dumplings) The dough: The filling: Topping: Cook the potatoes in salted water until done. Melt the butter in a frying pan. Layer the dumplings and breadcrumb mixture in a heatproof casserole dish. Sweet dishes, cakes, and cookies are a major component of Hungarian cuisine and Hungarian cooks are great at taking advantage of fresh, seasonal ingredients for their creations. Summer is a wonderful time to eat in Hungary-the abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables is amazing-gooseberries, melons, sour cherries, squash, beans, peas, tomatoes, and an abundance of fresh herbs to flavor and garnish dishes. Most Hungarians with a back yard plant fruit trees and vegetable gardens. My grandparents continued that tradition after they immigrated to Canada--we had a huge garden where we grew beans, peas, cabbage, different varieties of squash, tomatoes, carrots, parsnips, as well as essential herbs such as parsley and dill. We also had a cherry tree, pear tree, and a sour cherry tree. Sour cherries have recently become more widely available in North America-you can find fresh ones at local farmer's markets in the summer and canned/jarred varieties are available in specialty grocery stores (Trader Joe's carries a good brand). Two of my favorite recipes feature sour cherries. The first is a wonderful chilled soup that refreshes even on the hottest summer day. The second is a simple, versatile dessert for those craving something fresh and fruity after dinner or with afternoon coffee. Meggyleves (Sour Cherry Soup) 1 medium/large-sized jar of sour cherries (also known as Morello cherries), strained. Put the water, sugar, cinnamon, and lemon rind in a pot. The strained sour cherry juice can be mixed with chilled mineral water is a refreshing drink. This soup can also be made with gooseberries or apples. I have also had a tasty version of this soup made with a mixture of pears and plums and thickened with yogurt instead of sour cream. This simple cake is a classic and can be put together in less than 30 minutes. Sour Cherry Cake 1 medium/large sized jar of sour cherries Preheat oven to 350F. When the cake is cool, trim edges and cut into squares. Dust with icing sugar and serve with whipped cream if desired. Another classic recipe is rétes (strudel). Although many Hungarians make strudel dough by hand-a long and messy process-filo pastry from the freezer section does the trick. Almás Rétes (Apple Strudel) 1 kg grated apples (granny smith work best) Preheat oven to 350F. Other rétes fillings include: Sour cherry filling (drained, jarred cherries work best) Sweet Cheese filling Another favorite sweet main dish my grandmother made was the Hungarian version of rice pudding, usually served with a white wine sauce. This was a Friday favorite. Rizskoch (Rice Soufflé) Butter/oil spray for baking dish Preheat oven to 350F.Prepare an over proof dish by greasing with butter.Place rice and milk into a saucepan and bring to a boil.Cook over gentle heat, stirring often, until the rice is half cooked. Set the rice aside to cool slightly. Mix the butter, sugar, and egg yolks and mix into the half-cooked rice.Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.Fold into the rice mixture and mix well.Spread the mixture into the prepared dish and bake for about 30 minutes (or until the top is golden brown). Borsodó (White Wine Sauce) 1 cup/250 mL white wine In a double boiler, whisk egg whites, sugar, wine, lemon juice and rind together. Continue whisking until the mixture is heated and thickened, but do not let it boil. Serve hot or chilled over the rice soufflé. Palacsinta (Hungarian crepes) are an indispensable dessert in Hungary, and another Friday dinner classic. These thin pancakes can be served with simple fillings (jam, cocoa, or cinnamon sugar) or more elaborate fillings such as sweet cheese or ground nuts mixed with a bit of rum and sugar. Fresh fruit or apples sautéed in butter and sugar until soft and caramelized are also a nice filling. Palacsinta 1 cup flour Place the flour and salt into a bowl.Make a well in the center and add the eggs.Begin whisking and slowly add the milk, breaking up any lumps (you can also use a hand mixer to do this).Stir in the melted butter. Heat a few tablespoons in a skillet/frying pan. Pour a ladle-full of the batter into the pan, tilting the pan to coat the entire surface.Fry until the underside is golden brown and use a spatula to flip the crepe to cook the other side.Re-oil the pan and repeat. Stack the crepes on a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Serve with desired filling. Ilonka Oszvald is the co-founder of Online Cooking.
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