Personally I have not much use for them modern "it looks so beautiful" dishes, I have a fast metabolism and I like to eat real (good)food
and a "caricature" of it, invented by some fancy-schmancy chef.
A good food like a good woman, is hard to find this days but one has to keep searching for them...

Homestyle Fried Cabbage:

Ingredients:

1/2 head green cabbage
6 slices bacon
1/2 lb. sausage
1/2 medium onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon vegetable oil (optional)

Directions:

1 Dice bacon and sausage into small pieces and place in a large skillet over medium high heat to brown for 5 minutes. I find that my wok also does a great job on this recipe.

2 Dice the onion and roughly chop up the cabbage while the bacon and sausage is browning. Add onion and garlic and allow to brown with bacon for another minute.

3 There should be a couple tablespoons of bacon drippings in the bottom of the skillet but if it is the meatier high quality bacon add a tablespoon of vegetable oil as well and then add all the cabbage and seasonings.

4 Stir the cabbage in well so that it gets coated in the oil and then allow it to brown and cook down for about 20 minutes, stirring again every few minutes so that it doesn't burn or scorch on the bottom.

............and no doubt the kitchen smells a bit more Irish now, so serve and enjoy.

Recipe for Pyzy (Potato Dumplings)

Pyzy - mashed potatoes, combine with equal volume of flour, 1 egg for each 2 lbs. of dough and add salt. Roll the dough between palms into 1/2" to 1" thick strands and cut at an angle into 1-1/2" pieces (this is the classic way) and cook in boiling salted water till they float up.

If they are softer than you like, next time use more flour. If they are stiffer than you like, reduce the amount of flour next time round.

Serve with butter, fried onions or bacon.

Liver Steaks:

Ingredients:

portions of thinly sliced beef liver
cooking oil
salt
ground white pepper
marjoram

For the breading:

2 eggs
1 dl breadcrumbs
1 dl flour

Sprinkle the seasonings on both sides of the liver steaks. Coat the steaks with flour, dip them in whisked egg, and then roll them in breadcrumbs.

Brown the liver steaks in oil in a frying pan (2 to 3 minutes on each side).

Pancakes - with Cheese or Jelly Filling:

For batter:

1/2 cup of milk
1 egg
1/2 cup of water
about a cup of flour
one teaspoon of baking powder
a pinch of salt

Batter preparation:

Mix milk, egg and water in a bowl. Add flour gradually, mix and add some more, so that the consistency of the dough (after adding the baking powder and salt) will be similar to a consistency of yogurt.
Heat 1-2 tablespoons of butter or margarine in a medium or small size frying pan (use oven with medium heat). When the butter is hot, pour a dough into the frying pan so that it would cover the whole pan with a thin layer of dough. Flip a pancake to the other side when it is getting brown (see the picture below). If it is ready, remove. Add more butter and repeat the procedure for another pancake. The number of pancakes will depend on the size of the pan. I usually do at least four pancakes. If you need more, increase the size of the ingredients proportionally.

For cheese filling:

1 pound of farmer cheese (if farmer cheese is not available you can use small curd cottage cheese, but make sure that it is not to liquid)
1 egg
1/2 cup of sugar
2 tablespoons of raisins (optionally)

Cheese filling preparation:

Mix cheese with egg yolk and sugar. Beat the egg white and add to the mixture. Add raisings (optional). You may cool down the cheese filling in the refrigerator before serving.

Final Preparation:

Pour the cheese filling (one tablespoon) on the top of the hot pancake, fold in half and pour some sifted powdered sugar on the very top. See the photographs below for instructions. Instead of cheese filling, one can use the jelly or honey.

PIEROGI - Polish Dumplings:

2 eggs
1/2 cup water
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt

Mound flour on kneading board and make hole in center. Drop eggs
into hole and cut into flour with a knife. Add salt and water and
knead until firm. Let rest for 10 minutes covered with a warm bowl.
Divide dough in halves and roll thin. Cut circles with a large
biscuit cutter. Place a small mound of filling a little to one side
on each round of dough. Moisten edge with a little water, fold over
and press edges firmly together. Be sure they are well sealed to
prevent the filling from running out. Drop the pierogi into salted
boiling water. Cook gently for for 3 to 5 minutes. Lift out of water
carefully with a perforated spoon.

The dough has a tendency to dry while you are working. A dry dough
will not seal completely. We suggest rolling out a large circle of
dough, placing small mounds of filling far enough apart to allow for
cutting, and folding the dough over the mounds of filling. Then cut
with a small biscuit cutter and seal firmly.

Never crowd or pile pierogi !!! The uncooked will stick and the cooked will lose shape and lightness.

Note: Pierogi can be frozen after boiling and they keep well. I
perfer all my pierogi fried in butter and onions and seasoned with
salt and pepper. They should be fried on a medium low heat till
golden brown.

VARIETIES OF FILLINGS:

Cheese:

1 cup cottage cheese
1 tsp. melted butter
1 egg beaten
3 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp currants
1/4 tsp cinnamon

cream cheese with melted butter. Add other ingredients and mix well.
Fill pierogi. Serve with melted butter and sour cream.

Cabbage and Mushrooms:

1 small head cabbage
2 cups mushrooms
2 tbsp sour cream
1 small onion, chopped fine
butter
salt and pepper

Quarter cabbage and cook in salted water for 15 minutes. Drain, cool
and chop fine. Saute onion in butter, add chopped mushrooms and fry
5 minutes. Add chopped cabbage and continue to fry until flavors
blend. Add sour cream and cool. Fill pierogi.

Sauerkraut:

Two cups sauerkraut may be substituted for the cabbage. Rinse and
chop sauerkraut. Proceed as above.

Mushrooms:

1 cup chopped mushrooms
1 onion chopped fine
salt and pepper
2 egg yolks
butter

Saute onion in butter. Add mushrooms. Season. Remove from fire, add
egg yolks and stir well. Cool and fill pierogi. Serve with chopped
onion browned in butter.

Mushrooms and Meat:

1/2 cup cooked beef
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
1 onion chopped fine
butter
salt and pepper
2 tbsp sour cream

Run cooked meat through meat grinder. Fry onion in butter until
transparent, add mushrooms and meat. Season to taste. Add sour cream
and cool before using.

WHITE BARSCZ:

MAKING THE BARSCZ - 5-6 days before making the soup:

1/4 pound dark rye flour
4 cups warm water
Stir together in an ample container (ceramic is good) and set it aside in a warm place, covered with a towel. I made mine in a big plastic container, covered it with a potholder, and put it on the back of the stove. The kitchen counter is also fine.) Stir once a day. The fermentation and sour smell is a sign that it's getting good. After making the soup, you can decant the clear liquid, refrigerate, and use as a flavoring in other soups.

PREPARING THE CONDIMENTS, PER SERVING BOWL:

1 slice rye bread, torn into bits
1 hardboiled egg, chopped
1 4-inch piece of smoked kielbasa (Polish sausage), chopped
horseradish, freshly grated and mixed with a little vinegar

MAKING THE SOUP:

4 cups of water
1 egg
1 cup milk or buttermilk
1 cup Barscz--thoroughly mixed before measuring
salt and pepper
When you're ready to make the soup, bring a quart of water to a simmer on the stove. Beat together the egg and milk, then slowly stir it into the simmering pot. Turn up the heat a bit, let thicken, then slowly pour in the barscz. Stir until it thickens to the consistency of watery oatmeal or runny pea soup. Season well with salt and pepper. It should smell sour.

FINAL ASSEMBLY:

When ready to serve, place the bread bits, chopped sausage and egg into each bowl that you're serving. Ladle the Barscz soup over all, then stir in horseradish to taste.

That's one of my favorites. I don't eat it much anymore as a (barely) try to eat healthy.

Great fixins!!!

STEAK TARTARE:

Trim fat and sinew from 3/4-1 lb. beef tenderloin and grind. Add 1-2 teaspoon prepared brown mustard, 1 Tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon Maggi seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Mix well and divide into 4-5 portions. Roll into balls and place on serving platter (or individual plates), pressing down slightly to form a mound. Cover with plastic wrap and chill at least 30 minutes.

To serve, make a well at the top of each mound and deposit a fresh raw egg yolk in each. Next to each portion place a small mound (1 heaping teaspoon) finely chopped onions and another of finely chopped dill pickles or zesty gherkins.

Garnish egg yolks with a sprinkle of chopped chives and serve immediately. Polish rye or black bread and ice-cold Polish vodka are perfect accompaniments.

According to legend, this now world-famous cold steak dish originated in the eastern borderlands of medieval Poland which were repeatedly invaded by Tatar (also spelled Tartar) hordes.

These ferocious horsemen, descended from the Mongolian hordes of Genghis Khan, were constantly on the move astride their fleet-footed ponies and seldom had time for a leisurely meal.

Hence, they would place a piece of tough raw meat beneath their saddles. The constant pounding, heat and horse sweat served to marinate and tenderize the meat, which was then eaten uncooked.

JELLIED PIGS FEET:

Wash 1 1/2 lbs. split pig's or calf's feet and place in pot with 10 cups of water. Simmer on low heat, skimming off scum until no more forms. Add 1/2 to1 lb. lean pork and cook on low heat another 1 1/2 hours.

Add 1 portion soup greens, 1 bay leaf, 6 peppercorns, 2-3 grains allspice, and 1 teaspoon salt and cook 1 hour longer. By now the meat should be falling off the bone. Strain. To stock add 1 teaspoon to 1 Tablespoon vinegar and 1-2 buds of crushed garlic. Taste stock and season with salt and pepper if necessary.

Remove meat from bone and dice. Cool stock to room temperature. Arrange diced meat evenly in square or rectangular pan and drench with stock. Refrigerate overnight. Scrape off congealed fat from top and discard. Dip pan briefly in hot water to loosen jellied meat and turn out on platter of proper size.

Cut into squares and serve with vinegar, lemon-vinegar or lemon juice provided in cruets. Some like this old-fashioned cold dish with horseradish.

CALF'S BRAIN CUTLETS:

Blanch 1 lb. calves brains in 4 cups boiling water, containing 2 Tablespoons salt and 2 Tablespoons until they turn whitish. Remove from pot and set aside to cool.

Slice brains into small cutlets (patties), discarding membrane, veins, and gristle. Salt & pepper, dip in beaten eggs, roll in bread crumbs, pressing in breading on both sides in 2 Tablespoons oil and 2 Tablespoons butter, then reduce heat and simmer a while longer. Serve with tartar sauce.

BRAISED BEEF HEART:

Remove all tubes from 1 beef heart and wash thoroughly. Place heart in pot, cover with cold water, bring to boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer about 2 1/2 hours.

Replace water that evaporates. Add 1 portion soup greens, several peppercorns, 1 bay leaf, 2 grains allspice, and 1 clove; continue simmering until heart is tender.

Remove heart and, when cool enough to handle, remove and discard all fat and hard matter. Slice heart and simmer briefly in brown gravy, hot cream sauce, or other hot sauce of choice.

Note: In general, beef heart requires slow long cooking, because it is on the tough side, but can be very tasty if properly prepared. It should be avoided by people with above-normal cholesterol levels.

STEWED BEEF KIDNEY:

Cut away any fat still attached to 1 1/2 lbs. beef kidneys. Slice each kidney in half and soak in plenty of cold water for 1 hour.

Transfer kidneys to pot containing 8 cups fresh cold water, bring to boil, simmer several minutes and drain. Repeat 1 or 2 more times, using fresh cold water each time. Drain kidneys.

When cool, cut into thin slices, sprinkle with flour, and brown in 3 Tablespoons lard on all sides. Midway through browning, add 2-3 diced onions, mixing and browning with meat.

Add 1 cup or more beef bouillon, cover, and simmer on low heat 1-1 1/2 hours or until tender. Replace liquid that evaporates during cooking. Stir in 1-2 Tablespoons tomato concentrate or ketchup, 1 jigger red or white dry wine, 1 heaping Tablespoon sour cream, and salt & pepper to taste.

Simmer 1 minute, stirring to a smooth, pourable sauce. If too thin, sprinkle in a little flour and simmer briefly. Before serving, sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley.

TRIPE SOUP:

Soak 2 lbs. beef tripe in cold water 2 hours. Scrub well, rinse and place in soup pot. Scald with boiling water, bring to boil, and cook 20 minutes.

Drain, rinse in cold running water, then scald again and cook 3-4 hours or until tripe is tender, slice it into strips about 2 inches long and 1/2 an inch wide. Add to 7-8 cups beef stock with meat removed from bones, diced, and returned to pot.

The soup vegetables should be cut into strips. Simmer 15 minutes Season to taste rather generously with salt & pepper, marjoram, ginger, nutmeg, paprika, and 1-2 teaspoons Maggi extract. Put these spices at table so your guests can season it additionally to taste.

In 2 Tablespoons butter simmer 2-3 Tablespoons flour, stirring into a thick paste; dilute with 1 cup hot soup, stirring until smooth, then return to pot. Simmer several more minutes. Serve with or without marrow dumplings.

BIGOS (Hunter's Stew)

4 lbs sauerkraut
1 cup apple juice
1 lb smoked pork
1 lb spareribs
1/4 lb bacon
1 can tomatoes (large)
2 cups water
2 bay leaves
black pepper
salt
4 lbs cabbage
1 lb pork loin chop or pork ribs
1 lb smoked kielbasa (sausage)
1/2 cup onions (chopped)
16 ounces mushrooms (fresh)
1 ounce mushrooms (dried)
2 tablespoons flour

1. Brown pork and spareribs in a large heavy pot.
2. Add smoked pork with 1 cup of water and simmer until 1 hour.
3. Add the sauerkraut and one cup apple juice.
4. Chop the cabbage fine and add to sauerkraut.
5. Add lots of pepper and salt cover and simmer 1 hour.
6. Remove lid and keep pot on a very low simmer.
7. In a pan, fry bacon until crisp, then crumble into sauerkraut mixture.
8. Remove most of the bacon fat and fry onions and mushrooms and flour until they just brown.
9. Mix into sauerkraut mixture.
10. Cut kielbasa into slices add to sauerkraut mixture with the tomatoes.
11. Bring to a boil, simmer 30 minutes and serve hot.

The secret of Bigos is that it gets better as it's reheated. The more it heated the better it gets. Serve with good bread and vodka.

Golabki (Stuffed Cabbage)

1 cabbage, center core removed
3 lb minced meat (turkey or pork)
2 cups cooked white rice
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup tomato paste
2 cans crushed tomatoes
1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
1/4 teaspoon parsley
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup butter
4 carrots, sliced
16 ounces mushrooms, quarted
2 bay leaves

1. Parboil cabbage in a large pot, removing leafs as they fall off into the water and are tender.
2. Cook till all leaves are tender, but not ripping apart; usually 15.
3. Run under cold water and drain.
4. Cut the thick membrane off back of each leaf.
5. While cabbage is cooking saute onion in butter until lightly browned.
6. Put all the uncooked meat into a large mixing bowl add eggs.
7. Add the sauted onions.
8. Next add salt pepper, celery salt, parsley, nutmeg, and worcestershire sauce along with the cooked rice.
9. Mix thoroughly.
10. Lay out leaves and depending upon their size, place 2-3 tablespoons of meat mixture on the wider side.
11. Roll leaf up and over meat, tuck in sides of leaf, and continue to roll to use all leaves and stuffing.
12. Place rolls, seam down into a greased roasting pan.
13. Then layer carrots and mushrooms over cabbage.
14. Mix together the tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, water and brown sugar and pour evenly over all the rolls.
15. Season with salt and pepper to taste and bay leaves.
16. Cover roaster and bake 325 degrees for 2- 2&1/2 hours.
17. Half way through baking check to make sure there's enough liquid; additional water can be added.
18. To serve, spoon sauce over rolls.
19. Serve with Mashed potatoes!

Sauerkraut Soup:

2 pounds sauerkraut, drained
1-2 pounds pork ribs
1 quart tomatoes, cut up with juice (a large 28-ounce can is fine)
1 medium onion, sliced
1-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon sugar (optional)
water, to your preferred thick/thin consistency (about 8 cups)
salt and black pepper to taste
paprika to taste

Combine all ingredients in a large pot, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer 2-3 hours, until the meat readily falls off the bones.

Pick out the bones, correct seasoning, and serve.

It is really good with boiled potatoes on the side.

Hi Mike,

Do you happen to be Polish? Just wondering because my dad used to make many of the organ dishes that you posted along with the Pierogi's. He also made his own Polish sausage and Headcheese. Sorry I can't pass along those recipes as my house burned down several years ago and I lost the family cookbook.

Although I do not really care for the organ dishes, I appreciate the fact that you posted them so that I can copy and put in my new family cookbook.

Thanks, Mary

Deviled Eggs

hard boiled egg
1 T miracle whip dressing
1 t hot mustard (grey poupon)
1/2 t yellow mustard

The only real old school receipe I know

1 Slab bacon

Put in pan and fry, place on toasted bread with tomato and lettuce.