In search of European recipe for (sek-in-yit-za)

[hungry_hippie]

My Grandpa made something called sekinyitza every year for Easter. I'm pretty sure that is NOT the correct spelling, but I can't find a recipe anywhere.

I know you are supposed to boil veal and another meat (I'm not sure what) then grind together after cooling. It also has chives, garlic and salt. It was always served chilled and was about 8" in diameter and about 1" tall. It has a slightly creamier texture than a cooked, chilled meatball.

Any help would be eternally appreciated. Thanks in advance!

[duonyte]

This was maybe like a meat pate? You made it in a loaf pan and pressed it a bit, and then turned it out?

What ethnic background was your grandad?

I can tell you that it's not Lithuanian, but it does sound vaguely familiar and some recipes are found in a number of countries, just under different names and with some slight regional variations.

[hungry_hippie]

His family was Hungarian and Bohemian. I'm not sure what side he got that recipe from. He was a professional baker, so it really could've been from anywhere. It had a more coarse texture than pate. I'm pretty sure it was baked but I'm not positive.

Thank you for responding!

[duonyte]

Found it! Or at least the spelling of it!
http://www.meatloafrecipes.org/bohemiansekanice.html

After reading it, I still think of it more like a pate - mother made something similar but with cooked liver. It's a coarse country pate, not an upscale type of pate. I think it's a better description than meatloaf.

[hungry_hippie]

That sounds like it could be it. I'm so excited I could squeal!!! I'm *hopefully* going to try to make this sometime in the next month or so. It was one of my fondest memories of my Grandpa. He was a tremendous baker and never wrote any of his recipes down. I have his decorating tip set and a cooking handbook he was given while he was a cook in the Merchant Marines. I'd LOVE to share this with my family next Easter! (Sorry about the mile long back story)

[duonyte]

It is a great story! If the recipe works out with whatever changes you make to it to make it more your family recipe, why not post it here in our database, with your story? I love it when people post family recipes with such stories -so much more interesting than recipes from cookbooks or other sites.