How to Make Poppy Seed Filling

Many eastern European pastries are based on a variety of fillings which include fruits, cheeses and nuts. One of the fillings that truly stand out with Czech and Polish baked goods are poppy seeds. As a young child I did not immediately succumb to the taste of poppy seeds when I had the pick of kolacky filled with tasty fruits such as apricot, plum and raspberry. My young taste buds at the time had no desire for any cookie or slice of coffee cake containing this thin black paste containing seeds. Our poppy seed consumers in the home were mainly mom and dad.


My spat with poppy seeds did not stop there. While attending college I worked part time in a hospital kitchen. Our particular kitchen (or hospitality) unit prepared the meals for the patients temporarily residing in the substance abuse wing. Working in an institutional kitchen, I actually learned a great deal of cooking and quickly realized hospital foods could actually be quite tasty given the right menus, management and a respectable budget. My only main mistake during my cooking tenure at the rehab clinic was preparing a batch of poppy seed muffins for the drug abuse patients. What did not occur to me is the general nature of poppy seeds coming from the opiate poppy flower. You know……..the same chemical or ingredient found in heroin and morphine. Needless to say one breakfast of poppy seed muffins set off several “false positive” drug tests as reported by the nurses later that day. Poppy seeds were no longer on the menu board in that unit.

As time goes on, my tastes evidently changed for the better as I learned to really enjoy the taste of poppy seeds aside from the use as a hot dog or hamburger bun coating. My grandmother’s recipe index contains a wide assortment of poppy seed recipes which I have had the pleasure of enjoying. I have previously posted a poppy seed cake recipe on this site that is worthy of trying for a get together of friends. I will also gladly share a simple poppy seed filling recipe that will go great as a filling for kolacky or even a roll filling. It is fairly simple.

Poppy Seed Filling Recipe

1 1/2 cup poppy seeds
1 cup cream
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon flour (to make roux)
1 teaspoon butter (to make roux)



Method

1. In a saucepan bring poppy seeds, cream, sugar, honey, vanilla and cinnamon to a boil
2. Reduce heat to simmer and continue cooking for five minutes stirring occasionally.
3. Add combination of flour and butter and continue simmer for two minutes.
4. Remove from heat and cool down for use.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Liver Dumpling Soup - Bohemian Style

As a kid I always despised liver. I even recall an old “Far Side” comic that displayed a “Liver N Onions” truck driving down a quaint neighborhood road and children are running in the opposite direction with terror on their faces. Not exactly the ice cream man. I do have a soft spot for two liver” bi-products”. One of them is the commercially made liverwurst or Braunschweiger. The other is the super delicious Bohemian liver dumpling soup. This soup is typical of most Czech restaurants and is usually served in a very clear consommé or beef soup. My recipe captures the flavor but does not match the clarity one would find in a Czech restaurant. The difference being that I like to add back the remaining ingredients (in tiny bite size) pieces as it seems a waste to throw them away. My recipe also cheats with using a prepared stock aside from making the stock a la natural with oxtails or soup bones. If you want to go that route, by all means do so. Otherwise, stick to this recipe to save som
Read more

London Broil With Bordelaise Sauce

One underappreciated cut of meat that tastes exceptionally well is the flank cut of beef. When it comes to flank steak, I usually think of two meals off the top of my head: Steak Fajitas and London Broil. These two meals can be made with other cuts of steak such as sirloin, but flank steak tastes extremely good when marinated and sliced the right way. The basic London broil technique involves a good soy sauce marinade setting along with scoring the meat and cooking just to the right temperature. London broil can be either “broiled” as the name suggests or grilled. The key is to cook it no further than medium or pink (between 120 and 130 degrees Fahrenheit). The flank steak will become tough like a round steak if you let the grilling or broiling time get away. Also make sure to cut the meat cross grain into strips to ensure a soft tender bite. Serve this meal with a side of garlic mashed potatoes,   grilled asparagus, and a hearty red wine and you have a meal fit for a King and Queen. B
Read more

Smažené žampióny: Czech Fried Mushrooms

Image
A great savory Czech appetizer or even main course are mushrooms. A commonly served mushroom dish is Smazene zampiony or fried mushrooms. These tasty little  nuggets pair nicely with a cold pilsner or even a glass of wine. As much as I enjoy tasting deep fried foods, I am not a big fan of the deep frying process in the kitchen given the potential mess involved. Also, if I am going to break out the deep fryer or iron skillet for frying, I will usually have several deep fried items in mind to make the effort worth the clean up. For example, if I deep fry mushrooms, I will also consider coating and frying up some zucchini, cauliflower, and even cheese. (Please check out my other post on Czech fried cheese). When deep frying appetizers or even chicken, I prefer to cook with my fry daddy kept in the garage. I will set up a portable table and fry away in my garage which keeps the odor of the oil out of the home. Fried mushrooms are a hit in my home and these go nicely with a sauce accompanim
Read more