Good Eats from Kondrajec

Kondrajec is a hamlet in Sochocin municipality. One can easily say that besides its inhabitants and neighbors, few people know of Kondrajec’s existence. Even less of those who are the connoisseurs of traditional Polish cooking, know that Kondrajec is worth a trip in order to taste dishes prepared by the local Circle of Rural Homemakers. These include hunter’s little cucumber stew with mushrooms, potato pie called kartoflak and pate with porcini dust.

Hunter’s Little Cucumber Stew with Mushrooms
The author of this dish is Ms. Joanna Stach from the Circle of Rural Homemakers in Kondrajec. According to her, all ingredients are within reach of every homemaker and these include pickled cucumbers, carrots, onions from one’s cellar, any type of mushrooms and meat. Everything that Ms. Joanna uses for the stew comes from her own field.
“I remember from my childhood years how my grandmother used to prepare a tasty and simple dish. She would rely on the bounty of her garden, where cucumbers reigned and formed the basis for this dish”, Ms. Joanna recalls.
The stew is served at local events and garners high praise.

Preparation Method
Carrots, onions, pickled mushrooms and meat is cut, sauteed in a frying pan and combined with tomato puree of own making. The dish is seasoned, cooked for a short time on low heat and served warm.

Potato Pie (kartoflak)
This dish is a traditional Mazovian staple. Its ingredients are inexpensive and it is easy to make. The main part consists of potatoes from one’s field. Other ingredients include bacon, pork jowl and onions.

Preparation Method
Grated potatoes are combined with sauteed jowl, onions and lean bacon. Milk from your own production is added, as well as spices. The dish is baked and served warm.
Pate with Mushroom Dust
There are many recipes for pates, but this one is passed from one generation to the next with improvements. As a result, it achieved excellence in taste and refinement.

The ingredients for this dish include three types of meat, vegetables, spices and porcini dust from the mushrooms collected in nearby forests. The dish is served at local events and receives high praise.

Preparation Method
The meat and vegetables for the pate are initially baked and then simmered in a small amount of broth. Afterwards the ingredients are minced and spices are added, including the mysterious dust from the dry and ground porcini mushrooms. Porcini mushroom dust is an excellent condiment for many dishes.

Maker: The Circle of Rural Homemakers in Kondrajec
Location: Kondrajec, Sochocin municipality
Contact: Joanna Stach, ph. 519 171 160