The plans were laid, the food was made, and now it's time for a rundown. Oh yeah, and pictures, don't forget those.
Shopping and Pricing
On of the most important part of any meal plan is the overall cost. Will it dent my pocket book too badly? Will it be worth it? Just how many limbs will I have to give for this adventure? Well, I'm here to answer these questions for you. No need to thank me, just doing my job. Who am I kidding, its not a job, and I enjoy doing it. So here is the monitory rundown for Polish Kielbasa Stew (please note, these prices are found in the Pacific Northwest region. Cost may vary based on locale):
Kielbasa (3.99lb) - 7.89 (for the cost of 2 packages)
Onion (.67c lb) - .30 (1 onion)
Celery - 1.28 per package
Cabbage (.69c lb) - 1.42 (1 head)
Carrots (.59 lb) - .59 (2 carrots)
Bay leaf - 4.09 per .12oz container
Thyme, Dried - 6.29 per .65oz container
White Vinegar - .75 (16fl oz)
Beef Broth (1.19 per can) - 2.38 (2 cans)
Large Russet Potatoes (.69lb) - 1.27 (2 Potatoes)
Total Cost: 16.25 (minus the cost of the herb containers) 26.63 (with full herb containers)
Hot dang ladies and gentlemen! That is a whole meal capable of serving 4-6 people for the amount it would cost to go to a sit down restaurant. And for a little dose of perspective, your average fast food meal costs roughly 8$. The one thing, however, that may up the cost is if you have to purchase a container of the herbs required. Here is a handy tip, many places offer herbs in bulk, and you can pick up the required amount for less than a dollar.
My personal shopping experience was relatively pain free. The ingredients are fairly straightforward, aside from the Kielbasa. When shopping, you will note that there are many different kinds of Kielbasa (as stated in the previous entry). The three types I ran into were beef, turkey, and a beef/turkey/pork mix. I myself went with the latter because I enjoy the variety of flavors, but it is really all about personal preference. Another thing I ran into was what kind of potato to buy. Most recipes that call for potatoes use standard Russet potatoes, but Red or Yukon Gold work too. If you chose a Red or Yukon though, keep an eye on them as they tend to cook faster than Russets.
Cooking and My Own Side Notes
This is the part of our program that this whole blog has been leading up to. The whole cooking process took me roughly 2 1/2 hours from start to finish, and that is including the hour of simmering. I started out by getting all my ingredients assembled. Fun fact, the cooking term for having all your ingredients arranged and ready is called mis in place (pronouced MEEZ ahn plahs) and is French for "putting in place.
While cutting and preparing my ingredients, I ran into a few situations that required me to think outside of the recipe. The first came while I was tackling the sausage. I found myself wondering "how do I want to cut this?" the fact is there is no right answer, and there are multiple options. You can slice it into round bites, cut it in half and then slice it in half-moons, or you can cube it. I personally went with 1/3 inch round slices because I liked the rustic look it lent to the stew. The next came when I was adding the sausage, onion, and celery to the butter in the skillet. It seemed like a lot of butter, and the liquids that cooked out of the items added a lot of extra water to the pan that was unhelpful when trying to browning sausage. There are two ways to deal with this problem, one would be to brown the sausage separately from the vegetables, and the other would be to pour off the liquid during the browning process (make sure to save it so you can add it back to the soup base later, it contains a lot of flavor).
That was about it for puzzles in the cooking department. A few random tips for the inexperienced chef however:
- When using canned beef broth, one 14.5 oz can = 1 3/4 cup
- When shredding cabbage, the best way is to cut the head in half and lay it cut side down, making thin slices starting with the end furthest from the stem of the head (called the core, dont forget that you do not want to use it in your dish)
- when cubing potatoes, they can be any size you would like, just remember to make the pieces as even as possible to ensure they cook uniformly. Also, the smaller the potato size, the smaller the cooking time (my 1/4in cubes took roughly 15 minutes)
For a kickoff dish, I would have to say that this one was a success. The broth ends up a little thin, more like soup than stew, but that can be easily fixed with about a tablespoon of cornstarch. I loved the hearty chinks, and the flavors blended into a mild and delicious medley that made me think of a well made bratwurst with sauerkraut. I ate mine with a generous dash of pepper (I tend to go overboard with the stuff because I can't get enough of it) and I also paired it with a crusty artisan french bread that I picked up from a local bakery. I skipped the beer because I am not a huge drinker, and I opted for a frosty Mexican Coca-Cola instead. My friends enjoyed it, I enjoyed making it, and there wasn't a single bite left over.
Final Verdict: I would make it again for sure. A fantastic recipe for a cold winter night, or a informal gathering. The only thing I would change would be the thickness of the broth.
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| Step One: Kielbasa, Onion, And Celery |
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| The best way to shred cabbage is thin slices |
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| Step Two: Add all ingredients together EXCEPT potatoes |
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| Add caption |
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| After 1 hour of simmering things are looking pretty good and smelling great! Time to add the potatoes |
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| Just looking at this makes my mouth water |
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| Tasty? She seems to think so! |
Tune in next week when I tackle another culinary concoction. Any questions, comments, or recipe suggestions? Feel free to e-mail me at thecannyculinarian@gmail.com
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