New Year's Eve Carp

Before Christmas, I had bookmarked a page in my Slovakian cookbook for Deep-Fried Carp with Potato Salad to prepare for Christmas Eve supper.  Today, however, that bookmark remains. Due to a major time cramp in the kitchen caused from preparing for our out-of-town holiday getaway, I substituted with a quick clam chowder recipe. Joe and I have now returned from our family tour in the northern Midwest and I'm once again turning to that bookmarked recipe. It is going to be our New Year's Eve supper!

And as it turns out, this fried-fish recipe is very fitting for the occasion... carp on New Year's Eve! I didn't realize that the nights before Christmas and New Years were so similar. As tradition goes, fresh-water fish are traditionally gathered up from cities and towns who have access to nearby lakes or rivers, then sold over the holiday season for feasting on such special occasions. Such carp craze can be witnessed in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. Every New Year's Eve a large, locally caught carp from the Mississippi River is lowered into a throne as the New Year approaches and followed by fireworks (another reason I love Wisconsin).  But why carp? Perhaps its the belief that this strong fish provides strength to those who eat of it, as ancient Chinese stories describe. Whatever the reason, I'm thankful for an excuse to try my first hand at a homemade fish fry. Plus, what an excellent accompaniment to champagne! 

Until next year... !

Slovakian Deep-Fried Carp

From "Slovakian Cuisine" cookbook

Serves 6-8

8 pieces of carp

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1/2 bread crumbs

1/2 cup oil, canola or extra light olive oil

Garnishes: Lemon slices, fresh parsley

Season the carp with salt and sprinkle with lemon juice. Coat the fish with flour, then dip into eggs, and finally dip into bread crumbs. Fry fish slowly in heated oil until they turn pink. Place the fired pieces on a paper towel to soak up the excess oil. Serve with a potato salad garnished with lemon slices and fresh parsley leaves.

Slovakian Potato Salad

From "Slovakian Cuisine" cookbook

Serves 6-8

6 russet potatoes (about 1.5 lbs)

1/2 onion

2 stalks celery

2 whole carrots, peeled, diced

1/4 cup sweet peas

2 eggs, boiled, peeled, diced

1/4 cup relish, or diced gherkins

1 cup mayonnaise (can substitute 1/2 cup for sour cream)

3 teaspoons mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

2 Tbsp. pimento (optional)

Sweet and sour dressing:

1 cup water

1 Tbsp. granulated sugar

1/4 cup white vinegar

Pinch of black pepper

Wash and boil potatoes in salted water until tender (about 30 minutes). Peel and chop the potatoes, placing them into a large mixing bowl. Whisk together ingredients listed under "sweet and sour dressing" in a medium bowl. Steam the onion and celery until slightly soft, then slice into small pieces and place into the dressing until cool. Drain the onions and celery, discarding the dressing. Steam the carrots and sweet peas and allow them to cool. Combine all ingredients with the potatoes and mix well. Add additional sugar, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste.  Note: For a simple variation, simply use potatoes, eggs, relish, and mayo. 

Slovakian Potato Salad served with a side
of American BBQ and beer.
Summer 2011.

Merry Christmas

Happy Holidays from the Rockies.

May your days be merry and bright!

With love,

Emily & Joe

The Everlasting Opekance Tradition

This is the first Christmas that Joe and I will share together!  In the past, we would split ways to travel home to our families, only to phone each other during rare downtime between football and Christmas roast. I always loved discussing the similarities and differences between the traditions our two families honor for this special holiday.  For instance, my family opens gifts on Christmas day, where as his family opens gifts on Christmas Eve; my family decorates and displays an evergreen tree weeks before Christmas, whereas his family enjoys their tree for the first time on Christmas Eve; my family enjoys typical American comfort foods, while his family enjoys wonderful Slovakian dishes and sweets.  As one can imagine, this year marks the first year of a new family tradition.  A Christmas celebration that joins two sets of traditions!  Our plans are this:

Christmas Eve: Have a quiet celebration, just the two of us, in Denver. This includes attending Christmas Mass at 6:00 PM, followed by a simple seafood chowder (my family's tradition) and gift unwrapping (his family's tradition). 

Christmas Day: Navigate the holiday crowds at the airport to fly into Minneapolis to meet my family around 10:00 AM, where more gift exchanging and feasting will occur.  Our time in the Upper Midwest will conclude after we drive to Necedah, Wisconsin to have second celebration with Joe's family!

I left out one very special tradition, however.  This tradition has been passed down from Joe's father's family for generations:  Opekance, otherwise known as Slovakian Poppy Seed Dumplings.  Joe's mother, Zela, adopted this tradition as a means of joining her new husband's Christmas traditions with her own.  Now I am doing the same! These special dumplings are prepared to accompany Christmas Eve dinner, which is typically fried fish and potato salad.  Joe has always spoken of these dumplings with great enthusiasm. Now, I am so grateful to be able to keep such a special tradition alive for years to come. 

Serve with a glass of milk or plum brandy!

Opekance (Slovakian Poppy Seed Dumplings)
Compliments of Zela Lazar (Joe's mother)
Serves 8


Leaven:

50 ml water, warm

2 Tbsp. yeast

1 teaspoon powdered sugar

Dough:

4 cups (500 g) flour

2 Tbsp. granulated sugar

Pinch of salt

2 eggs, slightly beaten

150 ml milk

2 Tbsp. butter, melted

Sweet Syrup:
2 cups water
3 Tbsp. honey
1 teaspoon butter
1 can (12.5 ounces) poppy seed pie/pastry filling


First prepare classic yeast bread dough by combining all of the ingredients under "leaven" to make prepare the yeast. Set aside for about 5 minutes to check to make sure that the yeast is alive (foam should form).  In a large mixing bowl, whisk together  the salt, sugar, eggs, lukewarm milk and butter. Then mix in the leaven, and finally begin adding the flour until a soft dough is formed. Knead for 3 minutes and then flip into a slightly greased bowl, cover in a warm place and allow to rise about 1 hour (or until dough has doubled in size).  Divide into 3 in balls, and roll into logs as long as your baking sheet (about 15 inches long and 1 inch wide). Place logs onto greased baking sheet and allow to rise for about 20 minutes. Cut logs with a knife into 1-inch dumplings (without cutting them completely through!) and bake 15-18 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Let cool, then break the logs into individual dumplings. Allow to dry out for a few days (see note below), then place into a large bowl. See pictures below for details.

Prepare the sweet syrup by bringing the water to a boil and then adding the honey and butter. Pour this hot syrup over the dumplings and let stand for 2-3 minutes. Finally, add the canned poppy seed filling and slightly mix everything together. If the dumplings are still too hard, add more water to it. Serve immediately!

Note: Prepare the bread 5-7 days before Christmas Eve. This will allow the bread to dry out a bit so that they won't be too mushy after adding the sweet syrup.  That way, when it comes time to serve, simply prepare the sweet sauce and combine!

Dry dough dumplings soaked with simple syrup and
topped off with the special ingredient...
sweet poppy seeds!

Cheery Cherry Cookies

The whole city of Denver is presently dressed in millions of colorful holiday lights. The sparkling bulbs most definitely add some cheer to downtown's skyline. We recently visited Skyline Park just off of the 16th Street Mall for a fun evening of ice skating! 

Colorful Christmas cookies also lend an abundance of cheer to warm gatherings on cold nights during the holiday season.  This happy holiday spirit prompted me to prepare Cheery Cherry Cookies.  I was so happy with the way these cookies turned out that I made another batch for a cookie exchange party. If you are looking for a new and crowd pleasing celebratory cookie, look no further. Just make these!  

Cheery Cherry Cookies

These cookies are super easy to make. No fuss with rolling out dough or cleaning up run away frosting.  Just prepare a pretty pink batter, add chopped maraschino cherries, bake, and finally top with a Hershey's Kiss hat. Consider mixing yourself a cherry garnished old-fashioned and rockin' out to some Christmas tunes while you bake away!

Butter, sugar, almond extract, milk and flour.
Add a splash of cherry juice and a few drops of red food
coloring to get this cheery cherry pink.

Drain and reserve the juice from your cherries.

Add cheer.

Bake.  

Eat!

The adorable pink complexion of these cookies almost reminds me of rosy cheeks acquired from playing out in the cold winter weather!  Cheers!

Cheery Cherry Cookies

Makes 48 cookies

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened 

2 Tbsp. Maraschino cherry liquid

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

4 drops red food coloring

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup Maraschino cherries, drained, chopped

Hershey's Kisses, milk chocolate

Beat together sugar, butter, cherry liquid, almond extract, and food coloring. Mix in flour in small batches to make a smooth, soft dough. Stir in the chopped cherries, then shape into small, 1-inch balls. Place onto un-greased baking sheets and bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and place a Hershey's Kiss on top of each cookie immediately, while cookies are still soft and warm. 

Snow Birds

Joe and I have somehow turned into ski junkies this month. We have totaled over 100,000 vertical feet, calculated by these fancy pass scanners located at the bottom of each chair lift. Last week we even ended up on the slopes 5 out of the 7 days of the week! Can't say my legs were really functioning that fifth day, but it is always exhilarating be at the top of some of the world's finest mountains. Colorado is still anxiously waiting a decent snow dump. Most resorts are still only operating at around 25-30% of their total capacity. So... Joe and I do a little dance here and there to try an appease the snow Gods.  Despite such a dire need for fresh powder, we are still having the time of our lives. 

This photo is at Keystone, but in the background the slopes
of Breckenridge are visible!

Slovakian Steamed Dumplings with Jam

The holidays are soon approaching! A few weeks ago Joe and I drove south to a dusty, side of the road Christmas tree lot and brought home this dear Fraser Fir. Every time I step threw the front door of the apartment, this tree cheerfully greets me with a pine-scented handshake... 

Trying to squeeze into a self-timed photo equals
awkward posing... !

Its branches are now adorned with strings of white lights that I can't help but turn on every time I'm home. There is something exceedingly calming about the sight of an incandescent evergreen. This glowing symbol of joyful celebrations to come is also a constant reminder to get into the kitchen and bake!  My most recent creation was a special Slovakian treat:  

Steamed Dumplings with Jam!

These sweet yeast dough balls are steamed, not baked, which keeps their exterior pale.  A light brushing with butter plus a sprinkling of ground poppy seeds and powdered sugar allows for a freckled, golden completion. Bite into one and experience a burst of warm jam enveloped in soft bread.  I made these one evening when Joe was working a late shift and stayed up until 1:00 AM to share with him a tall glass of milk and a taste of my first batch of steamed dumplings as a late night snack. He was so happy for a taste of home and I was so happy for his appreciation. 

Here's how it went...

The first step is to make a nice yeasty dough. It is just like any regular yeast dough, except it has a bit more sugar in it to give it a slightly saccharin taste.

My sweet dough has risen!
I was creating a "warm environment" by slightly heating
some water in a cooking pot and placing my dough
bowl on top to receive the warm vapor. 

Before getting your hands dirty, prepare the steaming bed. This process is the same as for the Slovakian Steamed Bread Dumplings, except this time I used kitchen string (leftover from Thanksgiving), to secure the tea towel to the cooking pot. Basically, fill a large cooking pot halfway with water, then cover with the towel, and locate another large pot that will balance upside down onto it as "the lid". 

Tie the towel tightly enough to get a flat, strong surface
for the dough balls to rest for cooking.  The pot seen in back
was the lid that covered this covered pot

Back to the dough. Roll it out into about 1/2 inch thickness. My one mistake was rolling it out too thin (I did about 1/4 inch thickness). Then make as many dough circles that you can, which will require you to take the leftover scraps and roll them out again until there is no dough left.  I used a pint glass to stamp my dough, but a round cookie cutter would also do!

Match your dough circles up with a mate and place a small spoonful of your favorite jam onto one of them.  The Slovakian recipe that I was following asked for thick plum jam, however, I used a homemade grape jam that was gifted to Joe by a friend. Frankly, I think any jam would be delicious! Try to avoid jelly, however, since its a bit runnier (and without remnants of real fruit, which I am partial too). 

Cover each jam piece with an empty one and secure the edges together using your fingers. Try to smooth out the edges more than what my pictures show here so that you don't get a rugged looking finished product! Finally, secure the edges once more by cutting the extra dough off the edges, and then let sit on a floured surface to let the dough rise a bit once again.

Once your dough balls look puffy and smooth, bring the water in your towel-covered pot to a boil. Once boiling, turn heat down to medium and place 3-4 dough balls on the flat towel surface. Cover with the second pot and set your timer to 12 minutes. Whatever you do, do not peek!  The steam must not escape.

Top with melted butter and ground poppy seeds (mixed with a bit of powdered sugar) and serve immediately! I like these dumplings best while warm.  Let extras cool completely before covering with plastic wrap. They keep well, unrefrigerated, for about four days.  

'Tis the season to be baking!  Fa la la la!

Steamed dumplings with grape jam and
poppyseed dusting.

Slovakian Steamed Dumplings with Jam

Adapted from "Slovak Cuisine" cookbook

Makes about 1 dozen large

Leaven:

50 ml milk, warm

2 Tbsp. yeast

1 teaspoon powdered sugar

Dumplings:

4 cups (500 g) flour

1 Tbsp. powdered sugar

Pinch of salt

2 egg yolks

150 ml milk

2 Tbsp. butter, melted

Jam (plum recommended), for filling

Toppings:

Butter, melted

Poppy seeds, ground

Powdered sugar 

-or-

Ground walnuts 

Powdered sugar

Combine all of the ingredients under "leaven" to make prepare the yeast. Set aside for about 5 minutes to check to make sure that the yeast is alive (foam should form).  In a large mixing bowl, whisk together  the salt, sugar, yolks, lukewarm milk and butter. Then mix in the leaven, and finally begin adding the flour until a soft dough is formed. Knead for 3 minutes and then flip into a slightly greased bowl, cover in a warm place and allow to rise about 1 hour (or until dough has doubled in size). Turn dough out onto a floured surface and roll out to about 1/2 inch thickness. Cut out rounds using a cookie cutter or pint glass rim. Place about 1/2 Tbsp. of the firm jam on half of the rounds, cover them with the empty ones. Seal the edges together using finger tips, then cut again with the cutter to remove extra dough. Allow to rise again, about 30-45 minutes. Fill half of a bigger pot with water, tie a tea cloth onto the top to cover securely (see picture above). When water starts to boil, place dumplings on the cotton cloth, cover with a pot that fits the pot filled with water. Steam dumplings for about 12 minutes in small batches as not to overcrowd the dumplings. Transfer the steamed dumplings to a serving dish, brush the tops with melted butter, followed by a sprinkling with the ground poppy seeds mixed with powdered sugar. Best when warm! Enjoy!