Whoever was in the army understands the soldier’s small joys - letters from home, dismissal letters and meals. The truth is that not everyone can say that they fed them well and tasty in the army. In modern times, the military is doing everything to ensure that the soldier is satisfied with his diet. But more recently, on a soldier’s table, you could see pearl barley porridge and army bicus (what it is, we will consider below). Of course, today they disappeared from the army menu, but left behind negative memories.
Dish description
Bicus is a second course of meat and cabbage. It is considered to be a Polish dish, but it is widely used in Lithuanian, Belarusian and Ukrainian cuisines. There are many cooking options for this dish. Usually a combination of fresh and sauerkraut, pork or chicken meat, tomatoes, spices, prunes or mushrooms is used here. All components were first prepared separately, then combined and stewed together. The finished dish is a thick consistency, it has a slightly sour taste and aroma of smoked meats, served with bread. But in our case, army bicus (what many employees know) is not quite what is customary in Polish cuisine. Usually in the army no meat and spices were added to this dish before, only cabbage and a small percentage of potatoes were present in it, for which soldiers did not like it.
Army Bicus
This dish used to be served in military canteens almost every day. According to the original recipe, it should contain meat and cabbage, but in Soviet times, a certain military chef changed the original recipe, therefore, according to the cooking technique, it became like copalha. So, a huge amount of cabbage was laid in underground storage for pickling. There she turned sour and wandered. When the product was delivered and delivered to the kitchen, the whole part knew that there would be army bicus for lunch (what it is, we are now considering).
What should be army bicus
Ingredients for five kilograms of food:
- 1 kilogram of sauerkraut;
- 1.5 kilograms of potatoes;
- 50 grams of onion;
- salt and spices;
- 100 grams of fresh any greens;
- 2 cans of beef stew;
- 3 liters of water;
- 2 bay leaves.
Cooking
According to this recipe, sauerkraut with stew is used. The potatoes are peeled and cut into large cubes, poured with water, add onions and boil for seven minutes. Then cabbage chopped in a large cube is added here and cooked until tender for about twenty-five minutes. A few minutes before the end of cooking, put the mass of stew, salt and spices, chopped herbs and mix well. Ready bigus (recipe with photo attached.) Served with bread.
Braised Cabbage for a Soldier
In this dish, of course, no one puts smoked meats and meat. Therefore, it is strict and ascetic.
Ingredients:
- half a head of fresh cabbage;
- 1 onion and carrot;
- half a can of stew;
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil;
- allspice and salt.
To cook bigus (fresh cabbage recipe), carrots are grated, and the onions are crushed. These vegetables are put in a pan, pour oil, add half a glass of water, chopped cabbage and cook for about twenty minutes on medium heat. During this time, all vegetables should become soft. Then add the stew, salt and pepper and mix well, stew for another five minutes.
Memoirs of the army
According to many memoirs of former soldiers, Army bicus (what it is, many already know) was a disgusting dish, after which it was possible to get indigestion. In the army, this dish was served every day, so many soldiers did not touch it. Bicus was thrown into the trash, and over time, the landfill grew to enormous proportions. Thus, this army food simply changed its location. From the cellars of the military unit, it moved untouched to the trash, where it decomposed, causing an unpleasant smell that spread over long distances.
Option army bicus number 2
Some soldiers recall that in part they were given stewed cabbage with pearl barley. Such a bigus (there is a recipe with a photo in this article), of course, did not cause enthusiasm.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup pearl barley;
- 800 grams of sauerkraut;
- 4 grams of salt;
- 1 teaspoon of sugar;
- 15 grams of vegetable oil;
- half a liter of water.
Cooking
Sliced cabbage, salt and sugar are put in the oil heated in a pan and stewed for seven minutes. Then put the croup on top and fill everything with water. The pan is closed with a lid and stewed over low heat for about an hour and a half. The finished dish is mixed and served hot. Thus, it became clear to many what they fed in the army.
Classic Bicus Recipe
Ingredients:
- 600 grams of fresh cabbage;
- 1 carrot;
- 450 grams of pork meat;
- 240 grams of smoked meats;
- 420 grams of sauerkraut;
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste;
- half a spoon of tea cumin;
- 3 peas of allspice;
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil;
- 65 grams of prunes;
- 160 grams of dry white wine;
- salt.
Cooking
Such a bigus is traditionally prepared in Poland. As you can see, it differs from the dishes that were previously served on the army table. First, the meat is washed and dried on a paper towel, coarsely chopped. Oil is poured into the stewpan, heated and pork is placed on top. Fry the meat until all the moisture has evaporated, having previously forgotten to sprinkle with salt. Then add carrots and fry for five minutes. Next, put the smoked meat, cut into small pieces, mix and continue to fry for about two minutes. Then add tomato paste mixed with wine, caraway seeds and spices. The cabbage is washed and chopped, added to the meat with sauerkraut, covered with a lid and stewed for thirty minutes, stirring occasionally. There is no need to add water to the dish. Wash and cut prunes, add to cabbage and continue cooking over low heat for another ten minutes. Serve hotus with slices of bread, vegetables and herbs. This dish is hearty, it has a slight acidity in taste and a pleasant aroma.
Polish stew with mushrooms
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons of tomato paste;
- 55 grams of flour;
- 1 onion;
- 260 grams of cabbage;
- 300 grams of fresh champignons;
- 2 tablespoons chopped celery root;
- salt and spices.
Cooking
Here's another recipe for what a real Polish bicus should be. First, the mushrooms are washed and cut into thin strips. Chop the cabbage. Mushrooms stew in water for about five minutes. All of these components are mixed. Separately, fry the tomato paste with flour and send it to the vegetables. Stew the dish for fifteen minutes over low heat. A few minutes before the end of cooking, add salt and spices, mix. Serve the dish hot or warm.
Thus, before, soldiers could not consume bigus for a long time (the recipe for fresh cabbage is given above), since it caused discomfort in the stomach, heartburn, and so on. Cabbage in military units was harvested on a large scale, daily adding it to various army dishes, for which soldiers hated the kitchen and their diet. So, the employee’s diet has recently been revised. On the army table began to spread more "edible" dishes, from which the body does not suffer. There is no bicus on the menu today, and this pleases many military men who remember those times when sauerkraut was present in the diet every day. I would like to believe that in the future feed the defenders of the homeland will be a little better, because the country's combat effectiveness to some extent depends on it.