Wigilia 2023

This year the matriarch (my mom) is hosting since her house is done up so well for the holiday and I haven’t decorated this year. I’ll be bringing dishes and finishing them there and am trying to make minimal mess in her kitchen, so have mixed up the menu a bit:

My menu:

1. Potato mushroom soup with a variety of wild mushrooms (some I harvested myself foraging earlier this year with a friend)
   
2. Smoked salmon dip
   
3. Shrimp cocktail with white horseradish sauce
4. Baked brie
5. Fresh baked bread (rye if I can find the rye flour)
6. Brussels sprouts with balsamic and honey
   
7. Cannellini beans with spinach
   
8. pierogi, various kinds - potato and cheddar cheese, & potato and onion.
9. broiled salmon with miso glaze
   
10. Kutia (barley pudding, or can be made as wheat berry pudding) 
11. Tropical fruit compote
12. Dessert: Kolaczki cookies by my mom, the best cookie maker I know.

More inspiration: Polish Christmas Eve Supper Recipe | The Spruce Eats

Wigilia menu, traditional fusion

Wigilia dinner menu - served at the rise of the first star (actually Venus in our case). Per tradition I put 12 plates of food on the table, and always set an extra place at the table for any stranger who might drop by.

We start the meal with the sharing of oplatek and wine. Oplatek are small, thin wafers of bread - basically unconsecrated communion wafers. Each guest gets a wafer and instructions to share the wafer with the other guests, and to make a wish for them and receive a wish in return.  Wishes range from the wacky "good night, good luck, and may your god go with you" to the traditional "health, wealth and happiness in the new year." Also each guest may reserve pieces of the oplatek to share with loved ones who are not at the wigilia dinner (very common for situations when servicemen and women are overseas).

My menu:

1. potato mushroom soup with imported polish mushrooms
   
2. artichoke bottoms marinated in chili flakes and balsamic vinegar
   
3. watergate salad (recipe easy for kids to make)
   
4. brussel sprouts baked with extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper
   
5. lima beans with garlic and onion tomato sauce
6. pierogi, various kinds - cheese, sauerkraut & mushrooms, fruit.
7. broiled salmon
   
8. mussels
   
9. fruit compote
10. baked brie with salted rye bread
    
11. black olives and pickled cucumbers and beets
    
12. sauteed spinach with sherry, cinnamon, raisins and pine nuts

Cookies a plenty for dessert! And a chocolate fountain! And stuffed dates!

More info on Wigilia for you is available from:

• The Polish American Center in Philadelphia
• Wikipedia on Wigilia
• happy Wigilia Y'all
  

Time to go see if I can roust Santa to deliver gifts. And start up the Holiday Music. Happy Wigilia!