European Recipes:Polish Recipes:Kutia (christmas Pudding)

Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.04

       Title: KUTIA (CHRISTMAS PUDDING)
Categories: Polish, Desserts
       Yield: 8 servings

     200 g Wheat grain (7 1/4 oz)
     200 g Poppy seeds
     200 ml Honey (7/16 pint)
     100 g Walnuts, chopped (3.5 oz)
     100 g Almonds, chopped
      50 g Currants (1.8 oz)
       4    Figs
       4    Dates
     1/2    Vanilla pod
       1 ts Grated lemon peel
      70 ml Rum (1/8 pint)
       2 tb Cream
      10    Almonds, whole

   (Keep care: preparation 6 hours !!)

   Wash the wheat grain, leave to soak in cold water for
   6 hours. Drain, then pour 2 l of boiling water over
   the wheat, cover and cook over a low heat for 3 hours.
   The grains should be soft but not mushy. Strain the
   cooked wheat and leave to cool.

   Wash the poppy-seeds thoroughly in cold water, scald
   with boiling water and drain. Pour boiling water over
   them, bring to a boil, remove from the heat and leave
   to stand in a warm place for 3 hours. Drain and mince.

   Soak the currants in rum or cognac. Cut the figs and
   dates into thin strips. Crush vanilla pod in a mortar.

   Pour the poppy-seeds into a mixing bowl, add cream,
   honey, vanilla and lemon peel. Grind for 15 minutes,
   then add the wheat, crushed walnuts and almonds,
   currants, figs and dates. Mix well and transfer to a
   glass bowl. Decorate with whole almonds and chill.