Fish with a kick - Polish style

Photo by Matthew Aron Roth

Witamy! The Catholic ritual of fasting on religious feast days, introduced to Poland about 900 a.d., has had a strong influence on Polish food traditions. Christmas Eve and Lent are just two times when no meat is eaten, explaining why fish has such a key role in Polish heritage cooking. This dish works well with any flat, white fish fillets such as sole, flounder, perch, or tilapia. When Laura tested this dish for the first time, she was cautious about the intensity of the horseradish.  However, she quickly discovered that the sauce comes out milder than expected.  It was delicious and, in fact, we both spooned a bit of the sauce over fresh vegetables and loved it.

Fish with Horseradish Sauce
Serves 4

1 1/2 pounds fish fillets
Salt
1 teaspoon vinegar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 1/2 cups horseradish sauce

Season the fish with salt and sprinkle with vinegar.  Place fish fillets in a buttered baking dish.  Drizzle with the melted butter. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes.  Pour the horseradish sauce over the fillets and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Horseradish Sauce
Yield 2 cups

3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup prepared horseradish
2/3 cup sour cream
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Melt butter in a sauce pan over low heat and blend in flour to make a paste. Gradually stir in the broth to the mixture stirring constantly until thickened and smooth.  Stir in the horseradish and the sour cream.  Add the sugar and salt to taste.