Plum Coffeecake ((Placek z Sliwkami)

Plum Coffeecake dusted with confectioners' sugar ready for company!

This recipe is a variation on one that has regularly appeared in the New York Times, usually in September, and reminds me of coffeecakes my Polish grandmother and aunt would make when I was a child. In Polish, it is called Placek z Sliwkami. It is based on the use of prune or Italian plums, which are difficult to find, so when I spot them in the supermarket, I have to make this torte. Please know that you can use other stone fruit, such as peaches, nectarines, or regular plums, you just have to cut them into smaller pieces. This recipe calls for prune plums that are halved.

I've also changed the recipe, using regular AP flour, and combining the cinnamon with the sugar rather than putting them on separately, as well as a couple of other changes that suit my taste.

This torte, or coffeecake, won't last long--it is that delicious!

Plum Coffeecake (Placek z Sliwkami)

INGREDIENTS

24 purple plums, pitted and halved (these are the small prune plums. If using regular plums, use about 9 plums, halved and placed on the batter halved side down.

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1/4 cup sugar combined with 1 teaspoon cinnamon, divided

2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, sifted (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Line a spring form pan, preferably 10 inches, with parchment paper. Spray with baking spray.

Sprinkle the plum halves with about 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and combine with about 1 tablespoon of the cinnamon sugar mixture.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.

Cream the sugar, butter, and vanilla in a bowl. Add the flour, baking powder, salt and eggs and beat well.

Spoon the batter into the spring form pan and place on cookie sheet.

Place the plum halves skin side up on top of the batter.

Sprinkle remaining combined cinnamon and sugar over plums and batter.

Bake approximately one hour. Remove and cool. This cake can also be served lukewarm with whipped cream.

When cake is cool, dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving if desired.

(I like it as is, but the confectioners’ sugar makes it pretty for company).

Chicken Thighs in the Marsala Style

As I don't drink alcohol and don't care to cook with it, I am always looking for alternatives. I think this recipe is a winner! If you make it, let me know how it turned out!

Chicken Thighs in the Marsala style. Served with mashed potatoes
and steamed vegetables. 

Chicken Thighs in the Marsala style

Ingredients

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 cup red grape juice

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

2 teaspoons Montreal Steak spice, divided

½ cup flour

8 ounces sliced white button mushrooms

3-4 sprigs fresh thyme

1 shallot

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions

Mix flour and 1 tsp of Montreal Steak seasoning in a large ziplock bag.

Dredge each thigh in the flour and seasoning mixture.

Let thighs to rest on a rack on a sheet pan in the refrigerator for least 20 minutes.

Divide a peeled shallot into halves and then cut the shallot into thin slices.

Add 2 tbsp butter to a pan over medium heat.

As soon as the butter starts to bubble add the chicken, and cook until the coating begins to brown (about three minutes). Turn the chicken and repeat on the other side.

Chicken bubbling on the stove. Smells delicious!

Once the chicken is lightly browned, remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.

Add the shallots and the mushrooms to the pan, season with 1 tsp salt seasoning, and sauté until the shallots are translucent and the mushrooms are lightly browned.

Deglaze the pan with ½ cup of red grape juice, mixed with the red wine vinegar. Add half the thyme.

Stir together the chicken stock mixed with the cornstarch. Stir until smooth. Add to the pan.

Bring to a simmer, and reduce by a third (About 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Return the chicken to the pan and simmer until cooked through (about 10 minutes) turning once.

To serve, spoon the mushrooms and sauce over each piece of chicken, and sprinkle with fresh thyme.

Serve with mashed potatoes and vegetable of your choice.

Polish Vegetable Salad ("Sałatka Jarzynowa" in Polish)

Polish Vegetable Salad ("Sałatka Jarzynowa" in Polish) accented with sliced beets sprinkled with goat cheese and honey roasted pecans.

I had the in-laws over for Easter dinner this year (2024). I wanted to have a touch of Polish flavor so I made ham and kielbasa, along with potato and cheese and sauerkraut and mushroom pierogi. I also made, for the first time, a Polish vegetable salad called Sałatka Jarzynowa in Polish. I don’t remember any of my Polish relatives making this dish, but I reached out to folks on the I Love My Polish Heritage Group on Facebook and so many folks recommended it. It was absolutely delicious and everyone enjoyed it! There are many variations, but I experimented and made my own combination. The only odd items were the apple and the parsnip. I highly recommend including both.

Polish Vegetable Salad ("Sałatka Jarzynowa" in Polish)

INGREDIENTS

5 medium red skin potatoes

3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2” dice

1 medium to large parsnip, peeled and cut into 1/2" dice

2 cups frozen baby green peas

1/2 cup celery, chopped finely

1 medium dill pickle, chopped finely

1 apple, peeled, cored, and cut into1/2"dice (I used Fuji)

3 green onions, white part and a little green, chopped finely (optional)

DRESSING

2/3 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

4 large eggs, hard-boiled, peeled and chopped

2 tablespoons Italian parsley, minced

DIRECTIONS

In a medium pot, boil potatoes in their skins in salted water until fork tender. Drain potatoes. While the potatoes are cooking, in a separate medium pot, gently boil carrots and parsnips in salted water until fork tender. Cook peas in salted water for about 4-5 minutes. Drain vegetables and then put into an ice bath. Drain and let sit for about 1/2 hour or until most of the water has drained away.

When cool enough to handle, peel potatoes and cut into 1/2" cubes.

Transfer chopped cooked vegetables, chopped pickles, chopped apple, and chopped green onion in a large mixing bowl and carefully mix vegetables.

In a small bowl, blend mayonnaise with lemon juice, sugar and vinegar. Pour over mixed vegetables. Add chopped egg and mix dressing and egg into the vegetable/apple mixture. Salt and pepper to taste. Stir in minced parsley. Transfer to a serving bowl.

Cover, chill in refrigerator 2 hours before serving.