10 May 2012

Simple Vegetarian Meal


Potatoes with Buttermilk.  So simple.

This is the type of recipe which kept the people of Poland going during hard times; peasants and fasting Catholics during Lent and other seasons.

Potatoes with Buttermilk is the sort of recipe that transports my Tato and myself back to our childhoods.  When I made it yesterday, I could tell it made him miss his mother, my amazing Babcia.  This truly is one of few dishes I would dare to call comfort food, a title I do not give to just any dish.

Ingredients:


6 or so Potatoes, red or white, scrubbed, boiled and skinned
Dill
Salt
Butter
Buttermilk

Optional:2 sliced and caramelized Onions
Bacon, cooked and diced





Place potatoes in large bowl, drizzle with butter, top with dill.  If using onions and/or bacon, top with that as well.

Serve with a tall glass of cold buttermilk for each family member.


Notes:

If you can get "new potatoes", this very simple recipe becomes even more delicious.

You could also mash the potatoes with a bit of the buttermilk, if you like.



Polish Mama Nutrition And Language Lesson:

This meal actually has more nutrients in it than you might think at first glance.

Potatoes, boiled, skinned

Ziemniaki (Zee-ehm-nee-ah-key)
A "a good source of Vitamin B6, Potassium and Copper, and a very good source of Vitamin C."  This is why during the Irish Potato Famine, many suffered from a Vitamin C deficiency when corn was given in substitute of potatoes.
They also have as much fiber as an average serving of typical grocery store mass produced American white loaf bread.

Dill, fresh

Koper (Koh-perr)
A "good source of Dietary Fiber, Niacin, Phosphorus, Zinc and Copper, and a very good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium and Manganese."
It is has fiber.

Koper is also safe for diabetics to eat.


Buttermilk, low fat

Maślanka (Mahsh-lahn-kah)
A "good source of Potassium, and a very good source of Protein, Riboflavin, Calcium and Phosphorus."


Onions, Sauteed

Smażone Cebuli (Smah-szoh-neh Tseh-bool-ee)
A "very good source of Vitamin K".
It also has fiber.


I won't count the bacon because we all know that it's loaded with protein but also saturated fats and salt.



All in all, with or without bacon, this can be a filling, frugal and quick meal for the family on Meatless Fridays or during days of fasting. 

Smacznego...



Related Posts:

Baba Kartoflana

Polish Potato Salad

Ruskie Pierogi or Potato and Cheese Pierogi




2 comments:

Unknown said...

I will never ever ever drink maslanka! Blech....but I used to love zimne nogi and flaczki. Go figure.

Unknown said...

I used to hate Maslanka myself as well. And flaczki and zimne nogi. Which reminds me, a zimne nogi recipe would be perfect for summertime!