Getting Saucy - Polish Style

Witamy!   In the best classic cuisines, sauces are the “icing on the cake” that can make or break a great dish.  Classic Polish sauces are delicious, distinctive and fairly simple to prepare.  The key to success is in the proper proportions of fat, flour, liquid, plus a little patience and a lot of love. 

Here are some tips: 

*  Always cook your hot sauces low and slow and always keep stirring - a good wooden spoon will be your friend.

*  Instantized flour, such as Wondra, can be a big help because it yields a smoother and less lumpy texture with less mixing.  It's not always easy to find, but worth a spot in your pantry.

*  Never add flour to the sauce – rather, add sauce to the flour – a spoonful at a time.  Add sauce to sour cream the same way until it doubles in volume – never sour cream to the sauce.

*  Never boil a sauce containing sour cream because it will separate.  However, a separated sauce can still be rescued by adding a more sour cream – the right way. 

*  Using chicken or beef stock generally gives more flavor to sauces, but vegetable stock is better for a fish dish because it is milder and allows the other flavors to shine.

Here are some of our favorite classic Polish sauces for you to try:

Dill Sauce  (3 cups)

1 cup chicken or beef broth

3 tablespoons flour

2 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh dill

Salt to taste

½ cup sour cream

Gradually stir the cold broth into the flour.  Bring to a low boil stirring constantly.  Stir in the dill.  Remove pan from heat and season with salt.  Stir in the sour cream gradually..   Serve over roast beef, pork roast, even grilled fish. 

Dried Mushroom Sauce  (1 ½ cups)

1 ounce dried mushrooms

1 cup water

3 ½ tablespoons flour

4 tablespoons cold water

Salt & pepper to taste

½ cup sour cream

Clean the mushrooms well with a brush and rinse several times.  Place mushrooms in water and simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes or until somewhat soft.  Remove the rehydrated mushrooms from hot water (now broth) and slice.  But DO NOT THROW AWAY the hot mushroom water.  Combine the four tablespoons water to the flour and mix in the hot mushroom water slowly, while stirring.  Add the mushrooms and bring to ma slow boil while stirring.  Remove from heat.  Season and let cool a bit.  Add in the sour cream slowly.  Perfect with meatloaf, meatballs, Polish hamburgers, pork roast, or any braised meats.

Cold Apple-Horseradish Sauce  (2 cups)

5 ounces prepared horseradish

1 large tart apple, peeled and shredded

1 cup sour cream

Salt to taste

¼ teaspoon sugar

Mix the horseradish with apple.  Add the sour cream.  Season with salt and sugar.  Chill well.  Serve with cold meats, hard boiled eggs, fish.

Cold Mustard Sauce  (1 cup)

2 tablespoons prepared mustard

1 cup sour cream

Salt to taste

¼ teaspoon sugar

Mix all ingredients well. Chill thoroughly.  Serve with cold meats such as pork roast, ham, kielbasa.

Cold Green Onion Sauce  (1 ½ cups)

1 cup sour cream

2 hard boiled eggs, chopped

4 tablespoon chopped green onions

¼ teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Salt to taste

Mix all the ingredients.  Chill well.  Serve with cold meats such as pork roast, ham, kielbasa.

Hot Horseradish Sauce  (2 cups)

1 cup chicken or beef broth

2 ½ tablespoons flour

3 ounces prepared horseradish

½ cup table cream

Salt to taste

¼ teaspoon sugar

Gradually stir the broth into the flour.  Bring to a low boil stirring constantly.  Slowly stir in the horseradish and cream. Keep stirring.  Season to taste with salt and sugar.  Serve on the side with roast beef, pork roast, even grilled fish. 

Smacznego!