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April 10, 2020

5 Polish Recipes from Wild Honey and Rye

5 Polish Recipes from Wild Honey and Rye

Lots of you have been very busy making recipes from my book, Wild Honey and Rye: Modern Polish Recipes. Here are a few of my favourite ones:

From the ‘Seasonal and Raw Salads’ Chapter:

Buckwheat and Beetroot Salad with Feta, Walnuts and Honey: made by Coffee and Vanilla {Click here for recipe} 

(This salad also goes very well with the Polish meatballs below)

Margot is a Polish blogger based in Brighton and so I was super-keen to receive her feedback on my Polish recipes. How would they compare to her own family recipes or to the recipes she has tried in Poland? Luckily, Margot was excited to find lots of recipes that she wanted to try out and was pleased to find a buckwheat recipe that immediately appealed to her. Margot’s husband, who does not usually enjoy buckwheat or beetroot, also enjoyed it.

Margot says: “Being Polish, the recipes all seem quite familiar to me but at the same time so different from what I’m used to. Ren has taken traditional Polish dishes to a completely new level, adding international ingredients and modern methods of preparation. It would unquestionably make a great gift to anyone interested in Polish cuisine.”

beetroot-buckwheat-salad-with-feta
Beetroot and Buckwheat Salad with Feta. Image Credit: Margot at Coffee and Vanilla
From the ‘Seasonal Soups and Market-Inspired Sides’ Chapter:

Polish Forest Mushroom Soup: made by FoodieQuine {Click here for recipe} 

Claire at FoodieQuine in Scotland shares her impressions on Wild Honey and Rye. The Forest Mushroom Soup immediately caught her eye, so she set about making a batch, served with some delicious pearl barley.

Claire says: “It seems that the contemporary Polish food scene is striving at both street food, home cooking and Michelin star level. In addition to inspiring me to recreate her recipes at home, I’ve also been inspired by Ren to add a visit to Poland to my ever increasing travel bucket list.” 

polish-mushroom-soup
Polish Mushroom Soup. Image Credit: Claire at FoodieQuine
From the ‘Food for Family and Friends’ Chapter:

Potato Pancakes in Mushroom Sauce: made by Ceri at Natural Kitchen Adventures {Click here for recipe}

Ceri had taken a trip to Poland in 1998 and whilst the trip itself was full of fun for Ceri as she travelled with her youth orchestra, the food didn’t leave much of a lasting impression. Prompted by the book, Ceri had a longer than usual peruse of the Polish food aisle at her local supermarket and was happy to find roasted buckwheat under its Polish name of Kasha or Kasza. In the end, Ceri chose to make the Potato Pancakes in Mushroom Sauce (definitely a staple in our house) and served them with her own carrot and cucumber salad with caraway seeds.

Ceri says: “The book is such a wonderful memoir of a cuisine that I think perhaps could do with a bit of redefining on the world stage.  Ren explains in the book that the Poland of today is probably a bit different to the Poland we think of. I’d love to go back and find out.”

Polish-Potato-Pancakes
Polish Potato Pancakes with Mushroom Sauce: Image Credit Ceri at Natural Kitchen Adventures

Millet Kaszotto with Wild Mushrooms: made by Kellie at Food to Glow {Click here for recipe}

Kellie has been reading my blog, and I hers, since the very beginning of my journey into food writing and I was thrilled that as a cancer health educator, Kellie found a recipe that she was very happy to make and blog about from Wild Honey and Rye. Kellie’s blog is mainly vegan and plant-based and the earthy image of a Millet ‘Kaszotto’ with Wild Mushrooms immediately took her fancy. Although Kellie often cooks risotto-type dishes with buckwheat, barley or rice, she had never cooked with millet, which in Poland is known as kasza jaglana, hance the name ‘kaszotto’ given to the dish. Kellie also shares her two favourite restaurants in London – Baltic Restaurant and Bar and Ognisko Restaurant at The Polish Hearth Club (which, incidentally, are mine too) and selects some of her favourite recipes and chapter highlights from the book.

Kellie’s recipe verdict: “This cosy, satisfying dish is staying in our repertoire of easy weekday suppers, occasionally adding our own touches – flecks of goat’s cheese one time; sauteed tempeh another.”

millet-risotto
Millet Risotto (Kaszotto) Image credit: Kellie at Food to Glow

Bigos (Hunter’s Stew): made by Nicola at Kitchen Sanctuary {Click here for recipe}

I couldn’t write a Polish cookery book without including a recipe for my Mama’s Bigos recipe, which makes an appearance during every buffet and celebration in our house and is devoured every time. I was thrilled that Nicky over at Kitchen Sanctuary chose to make this dish, not least because it is known as Poland’s national dish, but also because it encouraged her to cook with ingredients, key to the Polish kitchen, which she hadn’t brought together before – sauerkraut and Polish sausage. Nicky’s dish looks absolutely delicious and it’s great to hear that the whole family enjoyed it.

Nicky says: “Slow cooked pork with mushrooms and stock is exactly the kind of comfort food I love. The stew starts off on the hob and is finished in the oven. A little under 3 hours from start to finish, it’s the perfect meal to cook in the oven on a drizzly Saturday afternoon. I loved the tender, fall-apart pork, the tangy bite of the cabbage, and the sausages added lots of meaty flavour (the kids’ loved the sausages the most).” 

Bigos-Polish-Hunters-Stew-Recipe
Bigos Polish Hunters Stew Recipes. Image Credit: Nicola Corbishley

I hope you enjoy checking out some of the recipes above. Let me know if you’ve cooked from the book by tagging me @foodren on social media or by using the hashtag #wildhoneyandrye

You may also like:

Polish Meatballs with a Mushroom Sauce

Polish Easter Babka 

Polish Wild Mushroom Soup

December 27, 2016

Five Ways with Christmas Leftovers

Five Ways with Christmas Leftovers

Here we are in that no-man’s land between Christmas and New Year when our fridges tend to be stuffed with a hotchpotch of leftovers in pots and bowls. From shredded turkey to the remnants of the cheese board, there’s always something that gets lost at the back!

I’m keen not to waste any of these morsels as they can so easily be transformed into another tasty meal. I don’t know about you but there’s something very satisfying about creating something from nothing. Plus when it seems like there’s always a family member or neighbour popping by, it’s handy to have something to rustle up at the last minute. I actually love leftover meals, as when I was growing up my mum would use every last thing up in her kitchen, usually in a soup or a stew.

So, if you can’t quite face another turkey sandwich or cheese and crackers buffet tea, here are five simple ideas to create a bit of magic with all those random leftovers:

1. Turkey Stronganoff With Soured Cream

Turkey Stroganoff - Turkey leftovers recipe on Renbehan.com

This Eastern European-inspired recipe for a turkey stroganoff uses up leftover turkey (or any poultry, really) along with some red onions, mushrooms, mustard, soured cream and a few sprigs of dill.

It’s perfect for a buffet or for a quick family supper, and is in fact a firm family favourite for us all year round.

Grab the recipe

2. Polish-Style Open Turkey Sandwiches

Open Turkey Sandwiches - Turkey leftovers recipe on Renbehan.com

Far more elegant than a bog-standard butty, these open sandwiches common to both Scandinavian and Eastern European cuisine, are the perfect vehicles for turkey (or other meat) leftovers.

Simply have a good loaf of rye or sourdough to hand and plenty of garnishes, such as radishes, pickles, tomatoes, cress, dill, sliced boiled eggs and kabanos (a type of smoked Polish sausage) and bingo, you’ve got a platter of loveliness to serve up to family or friends popping in for festive drinks.

Watch the video & grab the recipe

3. Wholewheat Fettuccine with Kale

Wholewheat Fettuccine recipe by Amy Chaplin on renbehan.com

This comforting supper is taken from New York-based chef Amy Chaplin’s book At Home in the Whole Food Kitchen. It’s perfect for any veggie guests you might be entertaining or if you’re just feeling like you’ve had enough meat!

Amy uses marinated goat’s cheese in her version, but I think any leftover creamy (or even crumbly) cheese can work well here. The recipe also calls for kale (cavolo nero) but you can happily use spinach in its place in this beautifully simple pasta dish.

Grab the recipe

4. French-Style Irish Beef Salad

Bord Bia French Beef Salad

Did you have roast beef over Christmas? Well here’s a wonderful protein-packed salad to make with the leftovers.

The tender slices of meat look stunning nestled amongst wedges of vibrant red tomatoes and yellow yolks of the boiled egg. I love the addition of lip-smacking capers, gherkins and French-style Dijon mustard dressing. All you need is a fresh baguette to serve on the side and a glass of chilled rosé.

Grab the recipe

5. Quick Risotto-Stuffed Vegetables

Risotto Stuffed Veg

This recipe was born out of a virtually empty fridge and a visit from the cleverest cook in the work – aka my mum! It really does prove that you can make something out of virtually nothing.

We simply made a quick risotto using one of those two-minute pouches of rice, some vegetable stock and a tin of tomatoes. You could add some shredded turkey in with the rice before stuffing it into some pre-baked peppers. To pretty up the plates we served ours with some tiny cubed courgettes and a really good sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.
Grab the recipe

What do you do with YOUR leftovers? I’d love to hear about the creations you’ve been rustling up, so share your ideas below!

December 17, 2016

10 Festive Makes and Bakes

10 Festive Makes and Bakes

From Christmas gifts for teachers and local friends, to canapés and cocktails for all those parties, I’ve pulled together a cracker of a round-up of my absolute favourite makes and bakes for the festive season. So grab a glass of mulled wine, blast out those cheesy Christmas tunes and plan your shopping list!

Gifts

1. CHRISTMAS SPICED CRANBERRY & PLUM CHUTNEY

Spiced Cranberry and Plum Chutney

It only takes twenty minutes to make this delicious chutney, and it goes with a whole host of Christmas goodies like your Christmas day roast, cold cuts or how about a baked Camembert? Jar it up, add a pretty label and you’ll have another present ticked off your list. This recipe makes two jars, so one to give and one to keep – perfect!

Grab the recipe

2. CREAMY SEA SALTED FUDGE

Sea Salted Christmas Fudge

Another quick and easy option for gifting is a batch of indulgent creamy fudge, packaged up in smart boxes or popped into cellophane bags tied with pretty ribbon. My version is flavoured with vanilla and sea salt, which always transports me right back to British seaside holidays. Your friends and family will delighted when you hand them a little bag of these sweet treats.

This recipe is featured on JamieOliver.com.

Grab the recipe

Canapes

3. COD, CHORIZO AND PEA PUREE BITES

cod, chorizo and pea puree bites

These elegant canapés should impress your party guests this season. Combining fluffy white chunks of cod with a feisty slice of chorizo on a bed of buttery pea puree, this is a one-bite experience not to be missed!

Grab the recipe

4. MAKE AHEAD LEEK & POPPY SEED SAUSAGE ROLLS

Sausage Rolls

Once you make your own sausage rolls, there really is no going back! Gorgeous flaky pastry and top notch quality sausage meat makes for an exceedingly crowd-pleasing party canapé. Crucially, you can get them ready in advance and just bake as needed, so it’ll save you faffing about in the kitchen when you could be enjoying yourself!

Grab the recipe

Christmas Baking

5. RICE KRISPIE HOUSE

Rice Krispie House

This cute little rice krispie house is a great project for little people (and big people) and it’s a great alternative when you feel like making something, but don’t quite have the energy for full-on baking. Let’s face it, we’re all exhausted at this time of year!

Grab the recipe

6. MINCE PIE CUPCAKES

Mince Pie Cupcakes

If you’re looking for a festive twist on a batch of Christmas cupcakes, then you should check out my Mince Pie Cupcakes – made with a vanilla sponge, mincemeat and a luxurious brandy butter icing. You can decorate them with sprinkles, coloured sugar or some retro-picks.

7. WHITE CHOCOLATE MALTESER CAKE

Malteser-Cake-1-of-1-2

Or how about this simple but spectacular White Chocolate Malteser Cake? It makes a wonderful centrepiece for a party spread, and is a great swap-in for a fruit-cake if your family aren’t fans.

Find both recipes here

Cocktails

8. APEROL SPRITZ

Aperol Spritz

Let’s kick off with a round of Aperol Spritz cocktails – I think the jewel-bright orange colour of these 19050’s inspired drinks are perfect for the holiday season!

Grab the recipe

9. GIN & RHUBARB FIZZ

New Year's Eve Cocktails

What better way to get your New Year’s Eve party started than welcoming your guests with a glass of Gin & Rhubarb Fizz. It’s fruity, classy and fun – just like all the perfect party hosts should be!

Grab the recipe

10. POMEGRANATE & VANILLA VODKA

I love how achievable this recipe is! You could make this and give it as a gift, but you could quite easily keep it to share at parties this Christmas. It’s also brilliant for defrosting the grown ups when they’ve got back in from all those frosty family walks or trips around the park with the kids test-driving their new bikes and scooters!

Pomegranate Vodka

Grab the recipe

Hope some of these recipes appeal to you! Let me know if you make any by tagging them with #renbehanfood

I’ll be back soon to share a couple of festive recipes from my new You Tube channel.

November 14, 2016

7 Soups for Winter

7 Soups for Winter

It’s that time of year when all I want to do is curl up on the sofa in a toasty blanket with a delicious bowl of soup, and forget all about the wind and rain hurling itself around outside (and generally everything else!) So, let’s all get cosy while I bring you a batch of my favourite soups to warm up those winter months.

1. Slow Cooker Chicken Soup

Chicken Soup

Let’s kick off with a restorative bowl of Slow Cooker Chicken Soup, a Polish recipe I got from my mother. It’s a clear broth that uses a whole chicken cooked ultra gently in the slow cooker, so it requires very little fuss. It’s usually served with homemade egg noodles or dumplings and makes for a really decent meal.

Get the recipe

2. Chickpea, Chicken and Chorizo Soup

Chicken & Chorizo Soup

For a hearty meal in a bowl, try my Chickpea, Chicken and Chorizo Soup on for size. It’s packed with both texture and flavour, plus it’s a great way to use up any leftovers lurking in your fridge. I can totally recommend serving it up with some chunky slices of garlic bread for dunking. Here, I’ve used giant cous cous, but you could make this with brown rice, or a grain such as kasza, and don’t forget to add plenty of chopped kale or spinach for extra nutrients.

Get the recipe

3. Beetroot and Kale Soup

Beetroot and Kale Soup

If you’re on the hunt for a super healthy and nutritious meal idea, then take a look at this vivid Beetroot and Kale Soup with tasty Almond Crumble topper. As well as being ridiculously good for you, it’s also absolutely gorgeous to look at so makes for a pretty starter if you’ve got guests round for lunch.

Get the recipe

4. Rainy Day Pizza Pasta Soup

Pizza Pasta Soup

My kids made up the name of this soup Rainy Day Pizza Pasta Soup when I served up a quick family meal stretching out some bolognese leftovers, plenty of Parmesan and fresh basil. It makes a change from the usual after-school Spag Bol and is oh-so-warming. If you’re got a gaggle of kids to feed, this is the one to bring to the table.

Get the recipe

5. Polish Wild Mushroom Soup

Mushroom Soup

Another absolute winner. When I’m feeling poorly I crave either Chicken Soup or a bowl of Mushroom Soup which reminds me of home. This simple recipe really makes the most of the strong, earthy flavours of the mushrooms, with fresh cream for extra comfort.

Get the recipe

6. Chicken Soup Two Ways

coconut-courgetti-chicken-soup

A classic chicken soup is a thing of beauty, because once you’ve got it cracked you can customise it to your heart’s content. I love changing it up by adding things like coconut milk and courgetti or giving it a bit more bulk with some basmatic brown rice and spinach.

Get the recipe

7. Roasted Cauliflower and Garlic Soup

Roasted Cauliflower and Garlic Soup on feedingboys.co.uk

And finally, my favourite soup from around the web is this little number from Katie Bryson at Feeding Boys. It’s a thick, creamy and intensely flavoured soup using roasted cauliflower and garlic cloves blitzed up with stock and parmesan cheese. We all love cauliflower soup in our house, and roasting it adds a wonderful depth of flavour to this soup.

Get the recipe

What’s your favourite soup for the winter? Do you have a classic recipe you always turn to when you’re feeling under the weather? I’d love to hear your thoughts below!

Also, I’ll be pulling some more round ups together over the coming week so do let me know if there is anything you’d like to see.

June 10, 2016

3 No-Bake Desserts

3 No-Bake Desserts

Pina Colada Freakshake
Custard Cream Cheesecake
Raw Vegan Carrot Cakes

Summer is here and it’s hotting up so today I’m sharing three really easy recipes that require little effort and no baking! Hope you enjoy them, you can find the recipe links below which will take you straight to them on the Good to Know site. As you can probably imagine from these images, it’s a hard life creating recipes!

PINA COLADA FREAKSHAKES

Pina Colada Freakshake

Have you ever made a Freakshake?! A ‘freakshake’ is an Australian-inspired milkshake designed to wow and this weekend might be the time to have a go. These are adult shakes, made with rum, coconut cream, fresh pineapple, coconut cream and topped with fresh cream, roasted pineapple and coconut macaroons.

Get my Pina Colada Freakshake recipe here ->

NO-BAKE CUSTARD CREAM CHEESECAKE

Custard Cream Cheesecake

I love making no-bake cheesecakes as they are really just a case of combining a few ingredients, assembling them and leaving then leaving your cheesecake to set in the fridge. This cheesecake is perfect for taking along to summer BBQ’s and garden parties. Custard Cream biscuits are whizzed to make the biscuit base as an alternative to digestive biscuits and a creamy custard cheesecake filling finished with real Custard Cream biscuits on top.

Get my No-Bake Custard Cream Cheesecake recipe here ->

RAW CARROT CAKE WITH VEGAN CASHEW FROSTING

Raw Vegan Carrot Cakes

What?! A healthy carrot cake – really? Yes, these little carrot cake bites are raw, vegan and full of good things such as carrots, oats, raisins and pineapple with an alternative frosting made with just cashew nuts (soaked), almond milk, raw honey or maple syrup and a dab of coconut oil. Fear not, I have not turned into a clean-eating convert, BUT, it’s good to balance things out and try something different new every now and again! You’ll need a good food processor or a high powered blender.

Get my Raw Carrot Cake with Vegan Cashew Frosting here -> 

That’s it for now, have an amazing weekend.

With thanks to Good to Know/Time Inc. for the paid recipe commissions. Food, styling and photography my own. 

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