My Favorite Market in Warsaw

At least once or twice a week, I trek down to my local market in Warsaw so I can handpick my own fruits and vegetables.

I detest the major grocery stores here except to buy dry goods like cleaning supplies, cereal or canned goods. I’d much rather buy my fresh produce from a small, local vendor than some corporate giant.

To some, Hala Mirowska may look a little rough around the edges as you’ll find its exterior riddled with bullet holes from WWII. But to me, the building’s history is just part of its charm.

Originally constructed between 1899 and 1901, Hala Mirowska functioned as Warsaw’s largest market until the outbreak of the Warsaw Uprising in 1944. The building has survived bullets and a raging fire and even served as bus depot following the war, but today you’ll find that the “hall” offers a one-stop shopping experience. In fact, Hala, as I affectionately call it, reminds me of my beloved pazars in Istanbul.

Here, you’ll find more than 50 stalls selling fresh meat, fruits, vegetables, sauerkraut, Polish sausages, yogurt, baked goods, bread, nuts, quinoa, spices and more. You can even get your watch repaired, your shoes shined or a pair of pants hemmed. You’ll find cheap dresses, shoes and even women’s underwear. There’s a small kitchen store with odds and ends including a great selection of canning jars and baking pans.

There’s the egg lady on the corner who sells GMO-free and organic eggs. She’s finally warmed up to me and smiles when I ask her for my “dziesięć jaja” even though my Polish grammar is incorrect.

For the best market experience, you’ll definitely want to speak some Polish, but there are several stalls where the younger vendors do speak English. Of course, a smile, hand gestures and a simple “proszę” go a long way.

Around the corner, I stop at the meat lady for some of the best Polish kielbasa, cured meats and even her own Polish prosciutto. I’m guessing she’s about 70 years old, but still has a feisty spirit and makes everything from scratch with the help of her daughter. She's awesome!

The summer months are the best time to visit Hala Mirowska. In June, strawberries and blueberries arrive. By July, all the berries are in season and it’s wonderful.

In August, you’ll still find blueberries, raspberries, red, white and black currants, gooseberries, apricots, peaches and the beginning of apple season. For vegetables, you can buy tomatoes galore, colored sweet peppers, eggplants, broccoli, cauliflower, etc.

Summer bounty! I just took this photo yesterday!

Late summer strawberries in August.

In September and maybe part of October, if you’re lucky, watch out for the Polish mushrooms. The Poles go crazy over their mushrooms, and rightfully so, as they are quite tasty! You’ll find lines of people even outside the market selling jars and plastic containers of mushrooms of all varieties. Maybe this fall I’ll figure out what all the mushrooms are!

These mushrooms make the best soups! 

Not all the produce is locally grown. From what I understand, there is a produce wholesale market where the vendors can buy their goods and then sell them at the market. During the winter months, you’ll find root vegetables and lots of imported produce such as limes, eggplants, berries and more, which of course, you’ll pay a premium for then.

But I’d still rather shop at my local market any day!

Where is your favorite market to buy fresh produce?

Location: Plac Mirowski 1

Poland is the largest producer of apples in Europe. Earlier this month, Russia slapped an embargo on Polish produce in retaliation against Western sanctions. However, Poles are fighting back with an “#eatapples” campaign online.

Homemade Polish dill pickles are delicious!

The Damas stall, number 17, sells a variety of Mediterranean goods such as legumes, bulgur, couscous, hummus, pita bread, baklava and more.

As you approach Hala Mirowska, the first thing you will notice are the plethora of flower stalls outside.

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Turkish Loquat Kebabs at Home

Do you remember when I first discovered this strange yellow fruit in Istanbul?

If not, please check back to this old post: Bu Ne? Loquat Var. Back then, I had no idea what to do with these delicious, tangy, but sweet fruits.

During our last trip to Istanbul earlier this spring, I “smuggled” a package of fresh loquat from the bakkal back to Poland. (Oh, to the lengths I will go to have Turkish food back at home!) We had just eaten at Çiya Restaurant where loquat kebabs were featured on the menu, and I wanted to make them at home. In spring, loquat kebabs also are popular in the southeastern Turkish city of Gaziantep as written about on Istanbul Food.

Turns out, loquat kebabs are fairly easy to make at home. Like most Turkish cooking though, there’s a lot of prep work involved. The loquats need to be halved and stuffed with a minced-meat mixture similar to making köfte. I decided to use this köfte recipe by Ozlem’s Turkish Table, but only used ground beef since lamb is very difficult (and expensive) to find in Warsaw.

To prepare, slice each loquat in half, remove the seeds, place on a skewer and stuff with a meatball in the middle, alternating with slices of red pepper. I placed three loquats and three meatballs on each skewer. Then I drizzled each skewer with a bit of Turkish olive oil and nar ekşisi (pomegranate molasses).

Since we don’t have an outdoor grill, I placed my loquat kebabs on a baking tray in the oven and baked at 200 C for about 20 minutes.

The loquats caramelize nicely in the oven are absolutely delicious with the kebabs. 

To round out our Turkish meal at home, I made my fresh Tabbouleh salad recipe as well as bulgur with a dab of tomato paste and my Herbed Yogurt Dip, which we generously topped our kebabs with. Luckily, I can stop at a local Lebanese shop to find some decent flat bread (lavaş). Hopefully, you’ll have the same success wherever you live and can make your own Turkish loquat kebabs at home too. 

Afiyet olsun!

A complete spread of Turkish food, including the loquat kebabs, at home in Warsaw.

Tabbouleh Salad is so fresh and one of my favorites!

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Blackberry & Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Before berry season ends, I should share this super delicious summer ice cream recipe with you!

I’ve finally figured how to work my 220v machine so I don’t blow a fuse. That way I can fulfill my marriage vows of making homemade ice cream for my husband at least once a year. He’s one lucky guy, let me tell you!

From one of my favorite foodie blogs, October Farm, I stumbled upon this recipe for blackberry & chocolate chip ice cream on another blog called Gourmandistan, written by a food-loving couple in Kentucky. This recipe caught my eye because the market stalls at Hala Mirowska have been flooded with berries.

This is how I buy my berries and eggs at Hala Mirowska in Warsaw.

I can make only so many berry-flavored vodkas as well as freeze and eat so many berries for breakfast, so of course they must be used in desserts.

I actually love making ice cream and probably could make it in my sleep. I used to make several ice cream batches a day when I worked in restaurants full-time. Now, I only make ice cream as an occasional treat at home.

Homemade ice cream is really worth the effort, especially when there's chocolate involved! I promise! 

Smacznego!

Blackberry & Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
(Adapted from Gourmandistan’s recipe)

Yields: about 1 quart

425      g.         (3 cups)           fresh blackberries, rinsed

Juice from ½                           a lemon

55        g.         (1/4 c.)             granulated sugar

180      ml.       (6 oz.)              milk

110      g.         (1/2 c.)             granulated sugar

Pinch                                       salt

3          ea.                                egg yolks from large eggs

180      ml.       (6 oz.)              heavy cream (I used 36% Polish cream.)

½         tsp.                              vanilla extract

100      g.         (3.5 oz.)           dark chocolate, chopped small

1.         In a small pot, combine the blackberries with the lemon juice and first amount of sugar. Cook over low heat for about 10 minutes until the berries are softened. Then, purée this mixture with a hand stick blender or in a food processor. Strain through a fine-meshed strainer to remove the seeds. Set aside to cool.

2.         In a medium-sized pot, heat the milk, sugar and salt together until the sugar is dissolved.

3.         In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Then slowly pour some of the warm milk mixture into the yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed yolks back into the pot. This is the tempering stage of making a custard...i.e. ice cream in this case.

4.         Cook the custard, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula, which takes just a few minutes. This stage is known as nappe in French cooking. If using an instant read thermometer, it should read around 170ºF (77ºC). I always do this stage by eyeballing it. If I can run my finger through the custard on the back of the spoon and the lines don’t run together, then the custard is done. Strain.

5.         Let the mixture cool slightly over an ice bath. When cool, add the blackberry puree, heavy cream and vanilla extract. I used my hand stick blender again.

6.         Refrigerate the mixture thoroughly, preferably overnight, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

7.         When your ice cream base is almost done spinning (about 20 minutes later), add the chopped chocolate.

8.         Transfer your homemade ice cream to a plastic container and allow to harden for several hours or overnight in the freezer. (I always sample a spoonful or two before I freeze it!)

Note: We like dark chocolate, but we found the 90% chocolate bar to be too bitter. Next time, I’d stick with using 60 or 70% dark chocolate.

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Mini Muffins Made with Wild Polish Blueberries

It’s just too hot to cook.

This week is the hottest week yet we’ve experienced in Warsaw with near record highs of 33 and 35C (91-95 F). Living without AC like most Poles means sleeping is quite uncomfortable, so we’re hightailing it to a hotel for the next two nights. Yesterday, I even leisurely strolled the aisles in a grocery store for nearly an hour because it was the coolest place I could find.

But last week, when temperatures weren’t near as hot, I baked a batch of mini muffins with Polish wild blueberries for hubby to take to work for our Turkish friend’s final week in Poland.

Wild blueberries have been in season for nearly two months, and I cannot get enough of them! They are much smaller than cultivated varieties and have a distinct, almost winey, sweet flavor. I’ve eaten handfuls of the wild blueberries just by themselves as well in cereal, yogurt and in my Independence Day Berry Cobbler. I even made a batch of blueberry-ginger jam and blueberry cheesecake ice cream.

Sadly, the wild blueberries at Hala Mirowska seem to be disappearing, and normal-sized blueberries have replaced them. Luckily, I stashed away a kilo or two of the wild blueberries in the freezer so I can make another batch of these muffins when our Istanbul friends arrive next month.

These muffins are a combination of lemon-poppy seed and blueberry – a perfect pairing! Hope you enjoy them as much as our friend, Ozerk, did!

Smacznego! (Bon appétit in Polish)

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Mini Muffins with Wild Polish Blueberries

Yields: 48 mini muffins

Ingredients:

1 ¾      c.         all-purpose flour

½         c.         granulated sugar

2          tsp.      baking powder

¼         tsp.      salt

1          ea.        lemon zest, freshly grated

1          tsp.      poppy seeds

1          ea.        large egg, beaten

¾         c.         milk

¼         c.         sunflower or vegetable oil

1          c.         fresh or frozen wild blueberries

1.         Preheat your oven to 375F/190C. Also, line mini muffin pans with paper baking cups.

2.         In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, lemon zest and poppy seeds.

3.         Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients.

4.         In a second bowl, mix together the egg, milk and oil. Add this mixture into the well of the previous bowl. Using a rubber spatula, stir just until moistened. Batter will be slightly lumpy.

5.         Lastly, fold in the wild blueberries. If you are using frozen, I like to toss them with a little flour to help prevent them from sticking together.

6.         Using a spoon, fill the paper cups about 2/3s of the way full. Bake for about 10 minutes or until lightly golden on top. Optional: sprinkle a bit of raw sugar on top of the muffins before baking.

7.         Of course, you also can bake these muffins in standard-sized baking cups. Just increase the baking time by five minutes or bake the muffins until lightly golden on top. 

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Independence Day Berry Cobbler

Celebrating 4^th of July Abroad – Year 3

Today is an exciting day as my in-laws will be arriving here in Warsaw!

It’s also the Fourth of July back in the U.S.A.; and, this is the first time we’ll be celebrating with family since we moved abroad in 2010.

While most Americans will be grilling hamburgers outside today, I will be introducing my in-laws to Polish pierogies and Zywiec Beer. We’ll be strolling through the cobblestone streets of Old Town Square and admiring the Royal Castle.

It certainly won’t be a traditional Fourth of July by any means, but I did make a festive dessert for the occasion.

Since the Polish markets are bursting with berries right now, I bought a bunch of blueberries and ruby red raspberries to make my all-time favorite summer cobbler. This is a recipe I’ve used for several years with all kinds of fruit.

What's nice about this dessert is that you can use this recipe year-round with whatever seasonal fruit you have on hand such as rhubarb, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, peaches, plums, etc.

I fancied up my traditional cobbler with an idea I “borrowed” from Pinterest. (You can find me pinning away all things Polish and Turkish and favorite recipes here on Pinterest.) When you roll out your cobbler dough, cut out various star shapes and place them on top of your fruit.

Voilà! You instantly have a festive Fourth of July berry cobbler!

Hope all my American friends, wherever you may be, have a fun and safe Fourth of July!

Smacznego! (Bon appétit in Polish)

Seasonal Fruit Cobbler

Ingredients:

1          kilo.     (about 7 c.)      raspberries and blueberries (or whatever fruit combination you prefer)

2          Tablespoons                corn starch

110      g.         (1/2 c.)             granulated sugar

Cobbler Dough:

220      g.         (1 2/3 c.)          all-purpose flour

55        g.         (1/4 c.)             granulated sugar (plus a little more for sprinkling on top)

1 1/2    teaspoon                      baking powder

1/2       teaspoon                      salt

70        g.         (5 T.)               cold butter, cut into small pieces

120      ml.       (1/2 c.)             whole milk (plus a little more for brushing on top the dough.)

Preheat the oven to 200 C.

In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch. Add the fruit, and toss to coat.

Transfer the fruit mixture to a medium-sized glass baking dish (about 20 cm by 26 cm or a standard 9"x13" pan) with sides that are about 5 cm. deep.

Set aside while making the cobbler dough.

In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the cold butter, using your fingertips (or paddle attachment), rub the butter together with the dry ingredients until a coarse meal forms. Then add the milk. Mix just until the ingredients come together.

Gather the dough together into a ball and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Gently knead 5 or 6 times.

Then, roll the dough about 12 mm thick. Using star cookie cutters, cut out stars. Arrange the dough stars on top of the fruit. Brush the tops with milk and then sprinkle granulated sugar or raw sugar on top.

 

Here is the unbaked cobbler sprinkled with raw sugar.

 Bake the cobbler until the fruit is bubbling and the cobbler dough is cooked through and a golden brown on top, about 30 minutes.

I like to serve my cobbler while still fairly hot/warm with ice cream.

The cobbler can be made 4 hours or so in advance and then rewarmed as needed. (NOTE: this time, I made the cobbler the night before and it seems just fine too.)

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Polish Rhubarb & Strawberry Jam

It’s the middle of June and I’m still enjoying the ruby red rhubarb here in Warsaw.

During the past month, I’ve made rhubarb mini tarts, rhubarb quick bread, rhubarb-strawberry vodka (recipe coming soon) and two batches of rhubarb & strawberry jam. The Poles seem to love rhubarb as much as I do because I’ve seen it all the local markets. (Remember last year when I smuggled rhubarb from Nebraska to Istanbul?)

Plus, rhubarb is ridiculously cheap here! I’ve been buying bunches for about 3 PLN per kilo (about $1 USD). I’ve even stashed away two kilos of diced rhubarb in the freezer so I can extend its season through the summer. Yesterday, I bought another two kilos that I need to freeze.

Fresh produce from the Polish market at Hala Mirowska in Warsaw.

What I’ve learned from all this rhubarb madness is that making homemade jam is a pain in the butt! It’s been nearly three years since I made my last batch of Turkish Grape Jelly. I’d forgotten how many hours it takes to wash, cut and prep the fruit and then process the jam and how much the jam boils up like a cauldron of lava-like liquid and spills all over my countertop.

Because of the fruits of my labor, I now have about two dozen small jars of homemade rhubarb & strawberry jam sitting in my pantry. I decided I would like to have some homemade gifts on hand that I can give to new friends I meet here in Warsaw or for visiting friends.

I tested two batches of the jam and learned not to cook the rhubarb beforehand if you want it to retain any of its stringy texture. My first batch of jam looked a bit more like red fruit jelly versus chunky jam. I like seeing the rustic pieces of fruit in my jam. I also doubled the amount of lemon juice so the resulting jam has a nice, tangy, but sweet flavor.

Who knows I may even brave another round of jam making as a plethora of Polish berries flood the summer markets.

Smacznego! (Bon appétit in Polish)

At the Polish markets, strawberries are sold in these cute wooden baskets!

Polish rhubarb & strawberry jam served on top of my rhubarb quick bread at home.

Rhubarb & Strawberry Jam

Yields: about 12 4-ounce (120 ml) glass jars

Ingredients:

2          lb.        (900 g.)            rhubarb, washed and cut into ½-inch pieces

4          c.         (1025 g.)          strawberries, washed and mashed (I recommend placing the amount of strawberries in a large bowl and then mashing with a potato masher. Just mash enough to leave the berries chunky. Also, if going by volume, measure the strawberries after you mash them.)

4          c.         (880 g.)            granulated sugar (If you like really sweet jam, I saw some recipes online that called for as much as 6 c. of sugar.)

½         c.         (118 ml)           fresh lemon juice

¼         c.         (55 g.)              granulated sugar set aside to mix with the pectin

1          package                       Sure-Jell Fruit Pectin (or the amount of pectin needed if you use another brand. For example, the Polish version I recently bought calls for 1 package of pectin per kilo of fruit used.)

1. If you are canning the jars of  jam, you will need hot and sterile jars and lids. I like to run mine through the dishwasher on the hottest cycle and time it just right so they are ready to use once the jam is finished cooking. My machine’s cycle is 60 minutes, and I pulled the jars out around 50 minutes. Alternatively, you can place the jars and lids in a pot of simmering water. (See this excellent article for more canning tips: The Basics of Home Canning. I also re-read my grandmother’s Ball canning cookbook from the 1960s to refresh my memory.)

2. Meanwhile, in a large stainless steel pot (6-8 qt. pot) over medium-high heat, mix the strawberries, rhubarb and 4 cups (880 g.) of sugar. Add the lemon juice. Combine.

3. Additionally, I filled my 12-qt. pasta pot and strainer with hot water, and set in on a high heat burner so that the water would be boiling by the time my jam was done. This pot perfectly served as my water bath canner.

3. In a small bowl, combine the pectin with the remaining ¼ cup (55 g.) of sugar. Add the pectin mixture, stirring well to combine, to the large pot.

4. As the mixture cooks and fruits start to soften, I like to use my handy potato masher to crush the fruit a bit. This helps release the natural pectin so the jam will thicken.

5. Bring the jam to full boil – the kind of hard boil that cannot be stirred away. This could take up to 15- 20 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, stir constantly. Watch out for burning fruit on the bottom of your pot. I had to turn down the heat a notch or two because the jam was starting to burn on the bottom in a few places.

6. Once the jam has reached a hard boil, you’ll want to test the jam to see if it’s thickened enough. I like to place a plate into the freezer. Using the cold plate, I place a dollop of jam on the plate and see if it runs or not and whether it’s reached the consistency that I want. Alternatively, some people like to place a metal spoon in a cup of ice water and test the jam on the cold spoon. If your jam is too runny, you may want to add more pectin and bring the jam to a second boil.

7. Remove the pot from the heat. Using a large spoon, skim foam off top of the jam mixture. The foam can cause bacteria to grow on top of the jam once placed in the jars.

8. Remove the jars and lids from the dishwasher. Ladle the jam into the sterilized jars to within a ¼ inch of top of jar.

9. Wipe jar rim off with a clean, damp towel. Then place lids on top and secure tightly. (Be careful as the glass jars will be super hot from the boiling jam. Use a kitchen towel to prevent burning your fingertips.)

10. Next, place the jars in the boiling water bath canner. Be sure to have the jars covered with at least 2 inches of water. Process the jars for 10 minutes, in general, once the water returns to a boil.  

(Note: if you live at a higher altitude, you will need to increase the processing time. This website has a handy altitude processing chart and other tips.)

11. Once the cooking time has been reached, carefully lift the pasta strainer out of the boiling water. Use a towel-covered hand or canning jar tongs to remove the very hot jars from the strainer.

12. Place the jars on a towel-lined countertop and allow to cool for 12-24 hours. Once the jars are cool, you can check they are sealed by pressing down gently in the center of the lid with your finger. If the lid pops up and down and makes a popping sound, the jar is NOT sealed. If you place the jar in the refrigerator right away, the jam still will be safe to eat. (I had two unsealed jars in the first batch and just one in my second batch of jam.)

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My Favorite Pazar in Istanbul: Photo Post

On Friday nights, dozens of Turkish men arrive at a nearby covered parking lot to start setting up for Saturday’s pazar in Beşiktaş.

They precariously hang strands of light bulbs and electrical cords across the ceiling. Worn tables are covered in brilliant blue plastic tarps. Wooden crates are stuffed to the brim with fresh produce from around the Turkey.

On almost every Saturday morning (when we aren’t traveling), we wake up and head to the pazar to see what new fruit and veggies there are that week. This is my favorite weekend activity, and the Beşiktaş pazar is my favorite one in Istanbul!

Sometimes I’ll post my latest produce findings on Instagram; and every now and then, I’ll post a recipe using said produce. But earlier this spring, I finally brought along my good camera and took a ton of photos. Yesterday, I finally edited these photos and wanted to share them with you.

I love the vibrancy of the fresh greens splayed out on the tables! The stall holders meticulously lay out their wares every week in neat, organized piles. Some even get artistic with the displays.

I never turn down an offer for a free sample. Olives, cheese, tomatoes, mandalina, strawberries, oranges – you can taste them all before you buy!

The pazar is a bustling, bedlam filled with people clamoring and bargaining over the price of that day’s fruits and vegetables. I could spend hours here.

Afiyet olsun!

Finike is one of the coastal districts of the Antalya province and is known for its oranges.

You know it's spring when çağla (unripe almonds) appear at the pazar.

You can eat the whole fuzzy thing - tart, citrusy and strange. I don't like them.

This seller of üzüm yaprak (grape leaves) grabbed my arm when he saw my camera and wanted to pose with me. He was a very jovial man.

Şevketi Bostan translates to Golden Thistle. This common plant can be simmered or grilled and eaten with olive oil and vinegar (or lemon) as a salad. In the Aegean region, it is cooked with meat or with chickpeas.

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