Anyone who loves kaszanka (known as kiszka in the Diaspora!) but does not live in Poland or near a Polonian deli or grocery, might try their hand making it at home if they could find the casing and pork blood or would not make it at home because the very thought of pork blood is a turn-off — the following may be the next best thing. Why not give it a go!?
INGREDIENTS
1 pork hock
2 tsp salt
several peppercorns
allspice
marjoram
1 bay leaf
onion
carrot
parsley root
1 slice of celeriac (of 1 stalk celery)
2 cups buckwheat groats
3.5-4 cups strained hock stock
1 cup chicken livers
1 cup fried fatback pork nuggets drained. If salted scrape off salt.
PROCEDURE
Cook 1 pork hock in water to more than cover 1 hr, skimming off scum from top until no more forms. Add vegetables and spices and continue cooking until meat comes away from bone easily. Set aside.
In separate pot combine 2 c buckwheat groats with 3.5 - 4 c strained
hock stock and simmer until water is absorbed. Cover and place in 325
degree oven for 30 min. (If weight-watching and/or cholesterol-minded,
chill stock overnight in fridge and remove congealed fat from top
before cooking groats.)
Remove meat from hock bone. In 2 T butter briefly stir-fry 1 c chicken livers (trimmed of any veins and membranes) until light cooked on the outside but still pink or red inside. Chop fine with knife or run through coarse blade of mincer the cooked pork and par-fried liver. Combine with groats and fatback nuggets, mix well, salt & pepper to taste and season with 1-2 T rubbed marjoram and 1/4-1/2 t ground allspice. Pack mixture into well-greased loaf-tin(s) and bake in 350 degree oven about 1 hr.
Eat straight from the oven or first let it cool, slice when cold and reheat in a little fat in frying pan. Serve plain or with mustard, horseradish or fried onions, rye bread, sliced tomatoes or brined cucumbers and ice-cold vodka or beer.
WOW.. POLONIUS.. COOL AND THANKS BUT IF THERE ARE ANY DEUTCHES AROUND THEN ONE SHOULD BE ABLE TO FIND BLOOD SAUSAGE. THEY MAKE IT TOO ALTHOUGH THEY SEEM TO LIKE TO BOIL THEIRS OR SOMETHING.. SAME WITH SOUTHERN SLAVS.. THEY MAKE IT A BIT DIFFERENT..
OH, ALSO PUERTO RICANS ALSO EAT BLOOD SAUSAGE ALTHOUGH IT IS A BIT DIFFERENT. I'D VENTURE A GUESS THAT OTHER CENTRAL OR SOUTH AMERICANS MAY ALSO CONSUME IT.
Do you know I am originally from Louisiana. Yes, I am a black guy, but I live here in a Polish neighborhood and I have fallen in love with the Polish culture. In Louisiana we have something called blood sausage which is made with pig's blood. You can't buy it in the stores like you used to when I was a young boy because the government said pig's blood had all kinds of parasites, etc so they had to quit making it, but you can still find cajuns who make it home. It was one of my favorite dishes as a child. My grandmother used to make it but unfortunately when she died the recipe went with her. I will check to see if I can find out some version. If I can, I will post it here for you all to see.
Greg
