Polish food via Barnsley

By Jacek & Aleksandra Suszka

Serves 2 

Ingredients

· 220g herring fillets

· 3 tablespoons of vinegar

· 2 apples

· 1 onion

· Sugar

· Cinnamon

· 200g thick 18% sour cream

· Salt and pepper

· Butter 

Method

Put herrings in a bowl with cold water. 

Let stand for about 15 min. Dry and cut into strips. 

Place in a plastic or glass bowl, pour vinegar and mix. Let stand for about 15 minutes-stir occasionally. 

Take one apple, peel and grate on a grater with large mesh.

Peel onion and cut into cubes, sprinkle with salt.

Mix the apple with onion, pepper, salt and cream.

Arrange the herring and salad in a bowl.

Before serving, cut the apple into slices. Sprinkle with cinnamon and fry until golden in butter. Cool and place on a plate.

Put the herring and salad on the apples and serve.

By Jacek & Aleksandra Suszka

Serves 2 

Ingredients

· 2 duck breast

· Salt

· Pepper

· 1 can prunes

· 100 ml red wine

· Hoisin sauce

· Potato flour 0,5kg

· Potatoes 1kg

· Green bean to serve

Method

Preheat the oven to 190˚C/gas mark 5.

Start on the dumplings: Cook potatoes until tender, drain them, mash while they’re still hot. 

Let cool off, place in a medium bowl. 

While the potatoes are cooling, place the duck breast on a chopping board, skin side up and using a sharp knife, score the skin in a diagonal direction. Then turn the duck breast around and score in the opposite direction. 

Season the duck breast with a salt and black pepper.

Heat an oven proof frying pan on a high heat. Once the pan is very hot place the duck breast, skin side down, into the dry pan. Reduce the heat so that it gently fries and cook for 5 minutes until golden brown. 

Transfer the frying pan into the oven or put the duck on a baking tray and cook the breast for 3 minutes on one side, then turn the duck breast over and cook for another 3 minutes. Take out the oven and allow to rest.

Then make the sauce by bringing the wine, water, prunes and hoisin to a boil in a saucepan.

Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the prunes are tender, about 5 minutes.Then blend. 

Back to the dumplings. Once the mash is cool, add starch and salt, mix together. 

Form plum size dough balls, make a small cavity in the centre of each ball with your thumb.

Boil water in a pot, add a teaspoon of salt. 

Put dumplings into boiling water, cook them for 2-3 minutes, until they float on the top.

Slice the duck and serve along side the dumplings, steamed or boiled green beans and with the prune sauce.