Page 40 - Valley Table - Spring 2022

PIEROGI Origin: Poland
Main ingredients: Potato, meat, cheese
Did you know the Hudson Valley is a part of the “Pierogi Pocket?” Mrs. T’s, a famed pierogi manufacturer based in Shenandoah, PA, reports that over 68 percent of pierogis are consumed in this region, which includes New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and the cities of Chicago
and Detroit. Unlike its Asian cousins, this Polish dumpling
is typically filled with potatoes, cheese, sauerkraut, or ground meat. Originally considered peasant food and typically consumed while in mourning or served at wakes, pierogis are an anytime treat. Europeans often top savory pierogis with sour cream and fried onions. Dessert pierogis are more of a delicacy and are hard to find in the Valley; sweet versions have fruit fillings of apple, plum, cherry, strawberry, blueberry, and even jam.
Order here: Gus’s Restaurant and Tavern, New Windsor; Helena’s Specialty Pierogis, Kerhonkson; New York Restaurant, Catskill; Northwood Inn, Carmel Hamlet; Public House at Urban Cowboy,
EMPANADA Origin: Galicia, Spain
Main ingredients: Ground meat (chicken, beef, pork) or cheese
The biggest (and crispiest) dumpling in our glossary, empanadas are adored in Spain and Portugal, as well as in South America, Latin America, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic. There are even varieties of empanadas in Indonesia and the Philippines, following colonization in
the 1500s. This hand pie is derived from the Spanish verb “empanar,” which means “to coat with bread.” Empanadas are made with a thick dough and are filled with meat and/ or cheese, and then baked or fried. In European regions of Catalan, Italy, and France, and even the Arabian Peninsula, seafood is a popular empanada ingredient. Galician and Portuguese empanadas are more interesting—with fillings like tuna, codfish, sardines, chorizo, and pork loin.
Order here: 52 Main, Millerton; Flores Food Truck, Wappingers Falls; Los Hornitos Bakery, Wappingers Falls; Somni, Monroe; The Cube Inn, Tarrytown
KHINKALI Origin: The country of
Georgia
Main ingredients: Spiced meat (beef, pork, lamb) or cheese, potato, mushrooms
Mongolia’s dumpling tour didn’t stop only in Korea—they landed in the eastern European country of Georgia, too. The khinkali is the XLB’s older cousin; warm water or broth
is added to the spiced meat, making it extremely juicy. When eating a khinkali, you’ll need to suck out the juice before taking a bite or it will burst! It’s denser than other dumpling varieties and has a signature top, a twisted knob of pleated dough. In traditional settings, the top is removed and put aside (rather than eaten) and helps people keep track of how many khinkali they’ve eaten. The dumpling is best enjoyed plain or tossed in ground black pepper.
Order here: Badageoni, Mount Kisco
MANTI Origin: Turkey
Main ingredients: Spiced meat (lamb, beef) or pumpkin, chickpeas
The oldest manti recipe dates to a 15th-century cookbook from the Ottoman Empire; it was filled with lamb, crushed chickpeas, cinnamon, and vinegar and then steamed in a basket. Today, manti is cooked in Turkey, Central Asia, and post-Soviet countries using a mantovarka (manti cooker/pot). The mantovarka is a multi-level steamer, making it perfect for restaurants with lines out the door. Manti are almost always topped with sumac and served with a garlic-y yogurt sauce.
Order here: Mazadar Mediterranean Kitchen, Colonie; The Turk, Mount Kisco
Big Indian
KHINKALI 
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