Are We Having Fun Yet? (Or: Mr. Pete's Polish Peasant Food, Adapted)

Everyone who was ever anyone in my hometown's retro-hippie and/or punk scene knew Peter Kudron; the man was a legend. An actual hippie, as opposed to wannabes like yours truly, he had a pyramid in his living room, every conceivable herb stockpiled in ancient Bugler tobacco tins, and a heart of pure gold. (I swear he cured my mononucleosis with Golden Seal powder; let's just say that the taste "builds character.") Sadly, Pete was too good for this world, but I can safely assert that anyone who knew him while he was here recalls his light, his humor, his energy, and his irrepressible personality with as much affection as I do.

Peter grew up and lived most of his life in the once-largely-Polish Vernon Hill neighborhood of Wormtown, USA., and there is one thing that I distinctly recall him cooking in his (epically untidy) apartment. He referred to it as "Polish peasant food," and it involved egg noodles, onions, and shredded cabbage, sauteed to a fare-thee-well in about a ton of butter. (The kielbasa that his mother would have included was omitted in deference to my vegetarianism, about which he was unfailingly kind and respectful, being himself an omnivorous martyr to chronic ulcers.) Anyway, these many years later I still think fondly of Pete and all the road trips, parties, random shenanigans, government conspiracy theories, and long, goofy evenings spent deconstructing Zippy the Pinhead.

So. Being all about the cooking these days when I'm not all about early modern proto-nationalist medievalism(s), I'd been contemplating a veganized version of Pete's signature dish for awhile, and this week I did it! Eggless "egg" noodles - which exist - can be like hen's teeth to find, but the noodles I subbed were actually perfect. Nowadays, we can also get soy-based kielbasa, which I include here as an optional ingredient. I didn't have cabbage and substituted mushrooms because they harmonize nicely with the whole Eastern European vibe; if you have it, add it to the pan about five minutes after the onions.

In addition to its sentimental qualities, this dish has the virtue of being seriously kid-friendly; each of mine ate a huge plate, and we had hardly any leftovers. And while I don't pretend to any sort of culinary "authenticity," eating this made me feel close to an extraordinary person who paid me the compliment of his friendship when I was barely more than a child, and to whom I raise a glass as I finish this post. Wherever you are, Mr. Pete, I'm eating noodles and thinking of you. YOW!

Mr. Pete's Polish Peasant Food, Adapted
Ingredients:
~ 4 tbsp. Earth Balance (or other vegan margarine), divided
~ 3 cups yellow onions, chopped
~ 1 tsp. each: smoked paprika, dill
~ 1 tsp. kosher salt
~ Lots of fresh black pepper
~ 4 oz. beech mushrooms, separated from their stems and washed (or 8 oz. other 'shrooms, sliced)
~ 1 14 oz. pkg. vegan "kielbasa" such as Tofurky, sliced (optional)
~ 1 12 oz. pkg. noodles (eggless "egg" noodles if you can find them; I used Francis Coppola ricciolini), cooked according to package directions

Directions:
~ Cook the pasta, drain, and set aside.
~ In a large, deep skillet or wok, melt 2 tbsp. the margarine over medium heat.
~ Add the onions and dried seasonings; stir to combine, cover, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden but not browned.
~ Add the sliced veggie kielbasa, if using, and cook another 5 minutes.
~ Add the mushrooms, raise heat to high and cook another 10 minutes.
~ Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl.
~ In the same pan, melt the remaining EB over medium-high heat and add the cooked pasta.
~ Cook, stirring constantly, for about 10 minutes, until the pasta starts to get ever so slightly brown around the edges.
~ Add the onion/mushroom mixture, combine thoroughly and cook another 5 minutes or so, until everything is all happy with itself.
~ Serve with cheap jug wine and (if you're ambitious) a green salad and maybe some crusty bread; we just heaped it onto plates and dug in.