Home recipe kuchnia polska

Kalafior po polsku

Name: Kalafior po polsku
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: kuchnia polska
Ingredients: 1 pc kalafior (medium, about 1 kg before cleaning; white, firm, and hard); sól (for the water); 1 pinch cukier (for the water, not necessary); ocet (a bit for cold water for rinsing, not necessary); 60 g masło; 40 g bułka tarta (without spices); 2 pcs jajka (hard-boiled); natka pietruszki albo koperek (chopped, for sprinkling)

Whole boiled cauliflower drizzled with butter and golden-browned breadcrumbs, traditionally topped with chopped hard-boiled eggs and parsley. This includes tips on how to choose and clean the head, how to cook it so it isn't watery, and how to make a topping that won't turn greasy.

Servings: 4 servings
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Difficulty: Easy

Cały gotowany kalafior polany bułką tartą zrumienioną na maśle i posypany posiekaną zieleniną

The story behind the recipe

“Po polsku,” in French “à la polonaise,” is the name for a way of serving dishes, primarily cauliflower and asparagus. According to Polish Wikipedia, it refers to vegetables drizzled with browned butter and breadcrumbs, often also sprinkled with chopped hard-boiled eggs or just yolks and chopped parsley. The French culinary encyclopedia Larousse Gastronomique describes “chou-fleur à la polonaise” as boiled cauliflower sprinkled with yolks and parsley and drizzled with butter and browned breadcrumbs. The dish should be served quickly while the butter is still foaming. German Wikipedia calls this topping Polonaise and states that it comes from Polish cuisine. A simpler version, just the breadcrumbs browned in butter, is called Beurre polonaise.

The origin of the French name is not definitively known. French Wikipedia states that the sauce came from Poland and became popular in France in the 18th century. It was likely brought to France by Maria Leszczyńska, wife of Louis XV. Tasting Table also considers this very likely but admits that the history of this term is unclear. A linguist points out that some sources consider polonaise to be a French technique, loosely inspired by Poland.

In Polish cookbooks, this cauliflower has appeared for a long time. Jan Szyttler in “Kuchmistrz nowym” (Vilnius 1837) advises to “drizzle boiled cauliflower with butter browned with breadcrumbs” on the plate. Lucyna Ćwierczakiewiczowa in “365 obiadach” (1871) serves cauliflower “with butter and browned breadcrumbs, or with yellow hollandaise sauce.” Similar instructions are found in Franciszek Chocieszyński's “Praktycznej Kucharce” (Poznań 1884) and Marta Norkowska's “Najnowszej kuchni” (Warsaw 1903). According to linguist Maria Ochorowicz-Monatowa (1926), and according to Polish Wikipedia, Maria Disslowa (1931) recommended browned breadcrumbs for cauliflower, asparagus, tripe, pierogi, dumplings, and knedli. We did not find Kalafior po polsku on the List of Traditional Products.

Ingredients

Kalafior

1 pc kalafior (medium, about 1 kg before cleaning; white, firm, and hard)
Abroad: USA, Canada, UK: cauliflower; Germany: Blumenkohl; Austria: Karfiol
sól (for the water)
1 pinch cukier (for the water, not necessary)
ocet (a bit for cold water for rinsing, not necessary)

Polewa

60 g masło
40 g bułka tarta (without spices)
Abroad: USA: plain bread crumbs; UK: dried breadcrumbs; Germany: Semmelbrösel or Paniermehl

Do wersji z jajkiem (niekoniecznie)

2 pcs jajka (hard-boiled)
natka pietruszki albo koperek (chopped, for sprinkling)

Method, step by step

Choose a very white, firm, and hard cauliflower. Remove the outer green leaves.
From the bottom of the stem, peel off the tough outer skin with a knife and cut off part of the stem so that the cauliflower fits in the pot and stands upright. Rinse it in a bowl of cold water with a bit of vinegar: if there are small leaves or insects between the florets, they will float to the surface.
If you are making the classic version with egg, boil the eggs hard for about 10 minutes. Rinse them in cold water, peel, and chop finely.
In a large pot, bring enough water to cover the entire cauliflower to a boil, and salt it well. You can add a pinch of sugar, as Norkowska advised. Place the cauliflower in the boiling water and cook uncovered.
Cook the whole head for about 15–20 minutes. A few minutes before the end, break off one floret from the side and check: when ready, it bends under your fingers but is still a bit firm. Do not overcook the cauliflower, as it will absorb water.
Gently remove the cauliflower with a slotted spoon or two spoons onto a sieve, wait for the water to drain well, and transfer it to a warm platter with the florets facing up.
In a pan, melt the butter over medium heat. If foam collects on the surface, you can scoop it off with a spoon, as Kwestia Smaku does.
Add the breadcrumbs to the butter and fry, stirring constantly, for a few minutes until the breadcrumbs are evenly golden and start to smell nice. Watch the heat, as the breadcrumbs can burn quickly.
Immediately drizzle the hot cauliflower with the butter and breadcrumbs. In the classic version, sprinkle it with chopped egg and parsley or dill. Serve immediately while the butter is still hot.

Tips

Overcooked and watery cauliflower. The cauliflower cooked too long. Ćwierczakiewiczowa advises cooking it until a piece bends under your fingers but still retains some firmness. An old "Kuchnia polska" from 1912 warns that overcooked vegetables absorb water "like a sponge." Check the cauliflower a few minutes before the end of the cooking time and drain it immediately.

Greasy or soggy breadcrumbs. The linguist notes that if you add the butter too early or too much at once, the breadcrumbs will absorb it and become greasy. It is advised to brown the breadcrumbs in a small amount of butter, and add the rest of the melted butter only when serving. Make the topping at the very end and immediately drizzle it over the hot cauliflower, as recommended by Larousse.

What kind of cauliflower. Ćwierczakiewiczowa and Norkowska recommend choosing heads that are very white, firm, and hard. According to Ćwierczakiewiczowa, cauliflowers are tastiest in July, August, and September, while Norkowska states that the youngest and most delicate ones are in spring and early summer.

Without a lid. Winiary advises cooking cauliflower uncovered, as sulfur compounds are released during cooking, and to cook it for the shortest time possible.

Florets instead of a whole head. If you prefer, divide the cauliflower into florets. Kwestia Smaku and Kuchnia Lidla cook them in salted water for about 10 minutes, while polki.pl suggests 8–10 minutes, depending on size. Ćwierczakiewiczowa cut large cauliflowers into four parts and small ones into two.

Polish style or just with breadcrumbs. The version with egg and parsley is the classic “à la polonaise” from Larousse and German Wikipedia. Kwestia Smaku and Kuchnia Lidla sprinkle cauliflower with dill, while French Wikipedia adds lemon juice.

What to serve with. Kalafior po polsku is eaten as a side dish for dinner. Kwestia Smaku serves it with grilled chicken or other meat and garlic sauce. Ćwierczakiewiczowa and Norkowska also served cauliflower with hollandaise sauce. Norkowska writes that in summer, cauliflowers are “delicious” cold, with vinegar and oil.

Storage. We did not find verified tips on storing, freezing, and reheating. Kalafior po polsku tastes best right after preparation.

Abroad. You can buy cauliflower everywhere: in the USA, Canada, and the UK as cauliflower; in Germany as Blumenkohl; in Austria as Karfiol. Breadcrumbs in the USA are plain bread crumbs, in the UK dried breadcrumbs, and in Germany Semmelbrösel or Paniermehl. Choose breadcrumbs without spices. In Germany, this topping is called Polonaise, and in English-speaking cuisine, the dish appears as cauliflower polonaise.

Photos

Domowy obiad: gotowany kalafior, ziemniaki z koperkiem i jajko sadzone na talerzu

Polish cuisine Vegetarian Substitutes abroad

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