| Prep: 30 mins | Cook: 25 mins | Difficulty: Medium | Serves: 6 |
| kcal | fat | saturates | carbs |
| 350 | 12g | 2g | 18g |
| sugars | fibre | protein | salt |
| 16g | 2g | 35g | 1.8g |
Why I Love Polish Pickled Fish with Pickles
I grew up with a blend of flavors on my plate, and I continue to seek out the same multicultural experiences in my cooking. With Indian roots in Gujarat and a childhood soaking up the sun on the west coast of California, it was inevitable that my dishes would echo these influences. However, my fascination with international cuisine doesn’t end there. Whether it’s cuisine from Europe, Asia, or Africa, I’m always excited to dish up something new and flavorful.
Which brings me to this delightful Pickled Fish with Pickles. It’s a vibrant and appetizing Polish dish rich with a diverse medley of flavors and textures. This recipe has quickly become one of my favorite kitchen experiments, and I’m thrilled to share it with all of you.
A Culinary Journey
Navigating through different geographical tastes and traditions, one often comes across a culinary treasure that takes them by surprise, just as I was when I stumbled upon the Polish Pickled Fish with Pickles. This isn’t a typical dish you’d find in Indian or Californian cuisine, but I fell in love with it nonetheless.
Imagine my surprise when I discovered that this dish reminded me of a Gujarati favorite, ‘Pickle Tikka Masala’, and yet had an unmistaken European charm that I couldn’t quite pin down. It was as if Pierre Koffmann, a renowned French-born chef, and my own Gujarati grandmother decided to have a culinary playdate and came up with this delicious dish.
A Fusion of Flavors
The joy of creating fusion dishes is the chemistry between flavors and textures. The ‘Pickled Fish with Pickles’ is not much different in this aspect. The freshness of white fish, harmonized with the tang of vinegar, sweetness of sugar, crunch of dill pickles, earthiness of carrots, and boldness of garlic and spices – it’s a melody of flavors playing a beautiful symphony in your mouth.
This recipe is versatile as the star of the meal or as a flavorful companion, think Traditional Polish Potato Dumplings or a fresh Cucumber Salad.
In the end, the beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity and the unexpected journey of flavors it takes you on. Cooking, after all, is an adventure and every recipe is a new story. So why not add the ‘Pickled Fish with Pickles’ to your culinary storybook? I guarantee it will be a page-turner!
What You’ll Need
- 2 lb of fresh, skinless white fish fillets
- 3 cups of distilled white vinegar
- 1.5 cups of water
- 1 cup of granulated sugar
- 2 large onions, thinly sliced
- 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
- 8 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 whole allspice berries
- 6 whole cloves
- 1 teaspoon of black pepper
- 2 teaspoons of salt
- 1 large jar of dill pickles, sliced
- 1 bunch of fresh dill, chopped
- 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil for frying
Method
Step One
Start off by cleaning the fish fillets and pat them dry. Cut them into smaller portions if necessary and set them aside.
Step Two
In a large pot, mix together distilled white vinegar, water, granulated sugar, sliced onions, sliced carrots, crushed garlic, bay leaves, allspice berries, whole cloves, black pepper, and salt. Turn your stove to medium heat and stir until the sugar has fully dissolved.
Step Three
Add the fish fillets into the pot and let them boil in the mixture. Make sure all pieces are submerged. Allow them to cook for about 10 minutes or until the fish meat appears opaque and can easily be flaked with a fork.
Step Four
While your fish is cooking, slice your dill pickles and chop a bunch of fresh dill. Set them aside as they will be used later.
Step Five
Using a slotted spoon, carefully remove the cooked fish from the pot and transfer them to clean jars or containers. Distribute the pickles and the chopped dill evenly among each container.
Step Six
Pour the hot pickle liquid into the jars, making sure to include the onions, carrots and spices, and ensuring that the fish and pickles are completely covered by the liquid.
Step Seven
Cover the containers with their respective lids and let it cool. Once cooled, you can store them in the refrigerator for 2 days before consuming to allow the flavors to fully develop.
