The men’s national football team boasts eight appearances in the FIFA World Cup to date, the first of which occurred in 1938. Their best result at the international competition was third place, which Poland achieved in 1974 and 1982.
Poland’s cuisine is rich in meat—especially pork—and winter vegetables and spices. It shares many similarities with German and Austrian cooking, as well as cuisine from French and Italian traditions. Its national dish, bigos—also known as hunter’s stew—consists of finely chopped meat of various kinds stewed with sauerkraut and shredded cabbage.
Bigos
Serves 4
Ingredients
50g butter
2 onions, peeled and sliced
500g sauerkraut
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 white cabbage
300ml beef stock
300g pork belly
250g smoked sausage
Salt and pepper, to taste
Preparation
1. Melt butter in a large pan and fry onions until golden.
2. Rinse sauerkraut in water, drain and mix with onions. Add tomatoes.
3. Shred cabbage, combine with tomato and sauerkraut mix. Add stock, stirring well.
4. In another pan, brown pork belly and add it to the cabbage mix. Slice the smoked sausage, brown in the same pan and add to the cabbage mix.
5. Simmer on a low heat for 1 hour, season to taste. Remove from heat and let sit—covered—overnight. Reheat before serving.
