In the kitchen today working on studio process: Klopsy, the way my father taught me.

I have been craving a childhood favorite for weeks now. For some reason, this simple recipe was never shared with my own children. I am not exactly sure why.

Klopsy, or meatballs cooked in a broth with sour cream, mushrooms, onions, and sauerkraut.

The recipe:

• 1 lb meatloaf mix: 1/3 ground pork, 2/3 beef (I used all beef because of an allergy)

• 1 egg

• 3 onions, (1) finely grated or minced for mixing with the meat (2) sliced thin to caramelize and place in broth.

• 2 Tbsp flour

• 3-4 cremini mushrooms, chopped fine for broth

• 1 kaiser roll or 1 slice of bread, soaked in yogurt or milk and ground

• 1 tsp salt

• ½ tsp black pepper

• 1 tsp poultry seasoning,

• 1 tsp thyme

• 2 tbsp of dill (I do not use because of an allergy)

• 1 bay leaf

• 6 cups beef or vegetable broth, or mix

• 1 bay leaf

• 2 tbsp butter

• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour

• ½ cup sour cream

Make the Meatballs

1. Combine the ground meat, egg, onion, soaked bread, salt, pepper, and seasonings other than the bay leaf in a bowl.

2. Mix until just combined.

3. Shape into small meatballs, about 1½ inches (4 cm) in diameter.

4. Fry until brown on one side, flip and continue to brown on the second side

   
   

Cook the Meatballs

1. Fry onions in fat until caramelized. Mix in the flour and brown. Add in mushrooms and sauté until wilted, deglaze the pan with the broth.

2. Bring the broth to a gentle simmer with the bay leaf, sauerkraut, and sour cream

3. Carefully add the meatballs.

4. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until cooked through. (I cook them for an extended period)

5. remove meatballs and other solids from the broth

6. thicken the broth with some potato starch or a roux.

7. Place meatballs back into the broth. Serve

   
   

I serve these with egg noodles, potato dumplings, boiled potatoes, or rye bread,

Sides tonight will be a salad, pickles, and roasted beets.

Why this recipe?

Over the past few months, I have focused on finding the recipes that I grew up with. I spent a few weeks in southern Poland (Podkarpackie) in July teaching art in English in the small town of Dubiecko (1,150 population). While this experience was rewarding, it was difficult with a pork and dill allergy. I will have this problem again in May when I visit for an exhibition of my work. I see time in the kitchen connecting with my family heritage as a way to process my studio work.

Showing work in Dubiecko

I am excited to have the opportunity to show work in this beautiful town at the Kresowy Dom Sztuki gallery for the month of May 2027. My exhibition, which will be visions of Dubiecko will focus solely on art that was inspired by this experience of witnessing life in a small town. It will be a mixed media exhibition combining clay, book arts, and watercolors. I will share the work here after its gallery debut.

Here is another recipe worth trying while you wait.

In case you cannot read my chicken scratch:

"Pickle soup is one of those recipes that's never exactly the same twice. The pickles decide how sour it will be."

Polish Pickle Soup

(Zupa Ogórkowa)

You need salt-brined pickles for this soup. Full-sour pickles take about 7–10 days, though younger pickles (4–5 days) work too.

Salt-Brined Pickles

You'll Need

• 4 lbs pickling cucumbers, about 4" long

• 4–5 cloves garlic

• Dill heads (if using)

• Horseradish

• Hot pepper (optional)

• Bay leaf

• Mustard seed

• Fruit tree leaves (optional) - I use grape leaves (muscadine to be exact)

Brine

Either

• 6 cups water + 3 Tbsp salt

Or

• 8 cups water + ½ cup salt (this is for a half gallon jar)

Directions

Wash and dry cucumbers.

Sterilize a crock or large jar. I scald mine by pouring boiling water into it, letting it sit 5 minutes, then repeating.

Put garlic, dill, horseradish, bay leaf, mustard seed, and any extras in the bottom. Pack in the cucumbers.

Bring the salt and water to a boil. Pour over cucumbers until covered.

Weight them down if needed (pickels need to be below the brine at all times).

Cover:

• Crock: cheesecloth and a plate or pickle weight

• Jar: coffee filter and ring shotglass or pickle weight

Store someplace warm, about 70°–90°F. The top of the refrigerator works nicely.

Leave for 7–10 days.

I usually start tasting after about 5 days and stop fermenting when they taste right to me.

Pickle Soup

Ingredients

• 2 onions, diced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 stalk celery, diced

• 2 carrots, diced

• 1 potato, diced

• 1 more potato, diced later

• 4–6 skinless chicken thighs

• 1–2 fermented pickles, peeled and shredded

• More pickle if desired

• A few spoonfuls pickle brine

• 2 Tbsp sour cream

• Chicken stock

• Salt

• Pepper

• Poultry seasoning

• Chicken fat for sautéing

• 1 pat butter

Method

Sauté onions, garlic, celery, carrots, and first potato in chicken fat until softened.

In a cup, stir together:

• 2 Tbsp sour cream

• a little chicken stock

• a few tablespoons pickle brine

When vegetables are soft, pour in the sour cream mixture.

Add chicken stock, salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, and chicken thighs.

Add 1–2 peeled and shredded pickles.

Simmer until chicken thighs are cooked through.

Remove chicken, shred it, and return it to the pot.

Add:

• shredded chicken

• second potato

• additional pickle to taste

• a pat of butter

• a bit of sauerkraut is also a possibility

Simmer about 30 minutes more.

Taste.

Add more pickle brine if it needs brightness. More salt and pepper if it needs seasoning.