It is Lent and time for meatless meals. Polish cuisine is not just about kielbasa, pierogi, or stuffed cabbage rolls. Polish comfort food is loved around the whole world, but in fact there are a great many traditional dishes in our repertoire that are healthier, lighter, and just as delicious. For this year’s Lenten season, we’re sharing with you a delicious fish preparation from Peter's Mom, first posted a few years ago, that will please the whole family and especially the healthy eaters around the table.
This recipe features filet of sole which is pretty easy to find in better grocery stores. But it can also be substituted with any lighter and thinner white fish such as flounder or tilapia. We like Basa quite a bit, which is actually a Vietnamese cousin to the catfish but often sold in thinner filets.
In Virginia we see Basa, both fresh and frozen, in Asian grocery stores so we like to make a special trip and buy a larger quantity for the freezer. It’s one of our favorite fish and much cheaper than sole or flounder.
Filet of Sole with vegetables - Polish Style
Serves 6
1 ½ tablespoons butter
1 large onion, chopped
¼ small head of savoy cabbage, chopped
1 leek, finely sliced (just the white part)
1 large carrot, finely sliced
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 parsley root, finely sliced
3 tablespoons water
2 pounds filet of sole, or any white fish filets
Salt to taste
Sauce
1 ½ tablespoons butter
1 ½ tablespoons flour
2 bouillon cubes, vegetable or chicken
1 cup hot water
Salt & pepper to taste
3 tablespoons sour cream
In a large skillet, heat the butter, add the vegetables and the 3 tablespoons of water, sauté over medium heat until soft - about 5 minutes.
Sprinkle the fish lightly with salt. Place on top of the vegetables and simmer until the fish is just cooked through – about 5 to 10 minutes depending on thickness. To test for doneness, pierce the filet lightly with a fork, turn it a bit to see if the fish is no longer opaque in color. When done the fish should be somewhat flaky under your fork.
To prepare the sauce, heat the butter, add the flour, sauté while mixing until well blended. Dissolve the bouillon cubes in hot water and add the broth to the pan. Bring to a boil. Stir until slightly thickened.
To serve, transfer the fish filets gently to a warm serving platter. Add the sauce to the vegetables. Remove from heat. Season lightly with salt and pepper to taste. Finish by stirring in the sour cream. Pour over the fish.
Serve with Polish dumplings, rice or egg noodles
image courtesy of w.spodnicy.pl
Smacznego!