what the heck is haluski?!

Can't take another cod fillet during

meatless Lent Fridays?
Try hearty Polish Haluski!

Before I worked for a newspaper that serves a city with a large central European population, I had never heard of haluski. Ever.

A little snooping around revealed to me that this traditional Polish-Slovakian cabbage dish was very similar to something my mother used to make and I decided to give it a try.

The dish makes a great vegetarian main dish (perfect for Lent) or you can sneak in a bit of bacon on your carnivorous days (as shown in the photo). Using homemade egg noodles makes all the difference in the world but if you're short on time, use good-quality store-bought noodles (like I did). And, if you want to add more protein to this dish, try what others do: stir in some cottage cheese.

ingredients:

• 1 medium head of cabbage, cored and either shredded or cut into strips
• 2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter (you may need more)
• 8 ounces cooked egg noodles, either homemade or store-bought
• salt and pepper to taste

Begin by heating butter in a large saute pan or large deep skillet until lightly browned; this is one of the tasty tricks of cooking haluski. Add chopped onion and cook until translucent and slightly browned. Add shredded cabbage and saute for 5 more minutes, tossing thoroughly with the browned butter-onion mixture. Cover and cook another 5 to 10 minutes then add the cooked noodles. Combine everything thoroughly, add a bit more butter if the mixture seems "dry" and cook over low heat, stirring, until noodles are heated through. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Makes 6 servings.

Another tasty addition to haluski is caraway seeds; add them just before covering and cooking the cabbage-onion mixture.

Some people substitute rinsed sauerkraut for the shredded cabbage; I have not tried this version but I think I could learn to love it.

Can't get enough cabbage? Check out:

Cabbage Hash

and Chet Atkins' Cole Slaw

green with a twist - cabbage hash for St. Patrick's Day

Corned beef and the fixings is really a dish that cooks itself with very little fuss. This year, why not take a little extra time with some of the side dishes, making them extra-special and delicious as well as nutritious?
This colorful, tasty and different Cabbage Hash is inspired by a recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks, "Vegetarian Planet" by Didi Emmons. The original dish is called "Little Cabbage Hash" referring to the use of Brussels sprouts as the main ingredient instead of cabbage. As expected, cabbage works perfectly in this recipe as well. Try it for something different this St. Patrick's Day, or any time you're in the mood for a simple but easy vegetable side dish.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1-1/2 cups minced onions
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 lb. cabbage, thinly shredded or chopped
• 1 large carrot, chopped in small pieces
• 1/2 cup of water
• 1 red or orange bell pepper, minced and seeded
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper to taste

Saute onion in olive oil until soft. Add garlic, cabbage, and carrot to the onions.
Add water and simmer the vegetables, stirring occasionally, about 5 to 8 minutes, or until water is completely evaporated (watch carefully to avoid burning dry).
Then stir in bell pepper, salt and black pepper to taste.
Saute one more minute and serve.

sunday dinner redux - love on a plate with a twist 2 - labor day edition

Chet Atkins' Coleslaw
Planning on grilling this weekend for the big "end-of-summer" Labor Day cookout? What could be a more perfect side dish than cool, crisp coleslaw?
This is reportedly the coleslaw recipe of the guitar great Chet Atkins, published in the awesome "Dinah Shore Cookbook" (yes.. Dinah Shore) which I scored in my favorite resale/consignment shop. It is one of my all-time favorites; a vinegar-and-oil-based recipe with just the right touch of sweetness. The original recipe does not include onion, but I do like a bit of onion added to the slaw. I also use real apple cider vinegar in place of the recipe's original white vinegar; it's probably just me but I equate white vinegar with pickle-making and house-cleaning. Heh.

For best results, let this blend for about an hour before serving with your masterpiece of the grill.

7 to 8 cups shredded cabbage (or a 14 oz. bag of pre-packaged coleslaw mix)
1/2 cup shredded carrots (if not using the coleslaw mix
1 tablespoon finely minced onion (more if you like)

For the Dressing:
Scant 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (I've used light olive oil with good results as well)
2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon sugar (I added the extra teaspoon of sugar because the apple cider vinegar is quite piquant!)
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard (like Coleman's)
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, more or less to your taste (I like Tabasco's green sauce made with jalapenos)
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Thoroughly whisk together the dressing ingredients (the dry mustard will want to clump a bit; just keep whisking it until dissolved). Add dressing to the cabbage, carrots and onions; refrigerate for around an hour before serving.

Serves 4 to 6, depending on how much you like coleslaw!