01 April 2011

"Busia's" Mizeria or Cucumber Salad

My husband's grandmother, who liked to be called "Buzia", woud always make this family favorite for special occasions, Cucumber Salad.  It is a different version of the Mizeria I grew up with but it is still delicious and I felt it was worthy of sharing with others. 

As the days start warming up and Lent is nearing it's end, such recipes are welcome additions to the Easter Table, picnics, and warm weather days.  Because I am becoming very impatient for winter to end, I am starting to make such dishes off and on, to remind myself that summer is coming.



Ingredients:

3 Cucumbers (I used 2 European Cucumbers instead this time)
Salt
2-4 tablespoons Sour Cream
1-2 Chives or 1/2 small Sweet Onion, diced finely
Salt, Pepper, Sugar and White or Apple Vinegar to taste


Peel cucumbers, if you like *.  Depending on your family's preference, you might julienne, dice in 1/2" to 1" cubes, or slice thinly using a mandolin slicer.

In a dish, layer cucumbers with pinch of salt between layers.  Allow to sit for 1/2 hour to an hour so that the salt can draw out the moisture from the cucumbers. 




In a colander, rinse under cold water well, squeezing cucumbers to remove extra moisture (I don't squeeze them, but this is how "Buzia" did it).

In a bowl, combine the Sour Cream with the Pepper, Sugar, and Vinegar.  Mix with Cucumbers. 




Taste to see if any Salt is needed.  Serve with bread and Chicken or Pork.

Smacznego!

* If cucumbers tend to upset your stomach, peel and also remove seeds,as this works for some people.



5 comments:

stephanie said...

Love cucumbers in salads of all kinds. This looks yummy, similar to one my hub makes but of course his involves lots of dill. He also makes a cuke salad with tomatoes, sunflower oil, salt and a squeeze of lemon. Curious if sunflower oil used in Polish cooking as much as it seems to be in Russian?

Louise Marie said...

WOW...........in my 61 years i have never seen a recipe as close to Babusha's cucumbers & vinegar as this one. i usually eat this every Spring until i get burned out. Then, i start over again next Spring. I don't even have a recipe for it, i just throw it together to taste. Here are the ingredients: cucumbers (peeled and sliced thinly), salt, pepper, half and half, white vinegar, sugar. i like mine sweet. Daddy did not like his quite so sweet. i like to eat mine with boiled or mashed potatoes and chicken.

Unknown said...

Stephanie, yes, Poles use sunflower oil in their recipes. Instead of the GMO oils: "vegetable oil" (soybean oil), Canola oil or Corn oil. Much healthier for you :)

And yes, normally it's made with dill. I have two versions my family does. This is my husband's third generation Polish American grandmothers recipe, not my family's. I will share that another time. Thank you for your kind feedback!

jennyonthespot said...

Oh this looks yumms!

Anonymous said...

OMG! Uwielbiam mizerię!!! It's such a simple and yet so delicious dish!!!