Polish Fish Recipes

Here are a few of our favourite freshwater fish recipes from Poland, together with some cooking tips. You might also like these Polish Carp Recipes.

Cooking Tips:

When batter frying fish, make sure the batter is cold; it will prevent soaking up too much oil.
Make sure your oil is hot by dropping in a small piece of bread; it should brown within a minute.
Never be afraid to experiment with recipes. Change the seasonings to reflect your personal tastes.
To keep fried fish crispy while cooking, place cooked pieces in warm oven on a wire rack over a paper towel lined plate.
Spend the extra time making sure no bones remain in your fillets. Nothing puts off the appetite more quickly than finding bones in your fish.
Leftover fish? Cut it into bite sized pieces and add it to a salad.
Try the microwave if you're dieting. Fish cooks quickly and tastes great with just lemon juice and seasoning. Watch the fish carefully, the microwave cooks it quick.
Fish are delicate. Do not cook your fillets too long or at too high of a temperature. This will make the fish tough and rubbery. Cook the fish only until it flakes easily at the touch of a fork.

Panfish Chowder

4 slices bacon
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 pound yellow perch (or other fish) cut in 1-inch chunks
1 can cooked potatoes, diced
1 cup water
salt
pepper
1 cup milk
1 can creamed corn
Makes 4 servings

Cook the bacon and reserve two tablespoons of bacon drippings. Place the bacon drippings in a large pan that has a cover. Add onion, carrot and celery to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in the fish, potatoes, water, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered for about 10 minutes. Blend in the milk and the corn. Stir and heat - do not boil - until heated through. Sprinkle each serving with the crumbled bacon.

Baked Silver Carp

1/4 cup butter
Dash of wine or cooking sherry
1 cup grated Swiss cheese
1 pound of silver carp fillets (or any similar fish)
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon chopped parsley
1/4 cup melted butter
Lemon wedges

Put butter and wine in a long, glass baking dish. Place in the oven at 400 degrees F until butter is melted. Lay fillets in the pan in a single layer. Mix cheese, bread crumbs, garlic powder, parsley, and melted butter. Top the fillets with this mixture. Return to the oven and bake until the fish flakes easily with a fork, in about 10 minutes. Squeeze a little lemon juice over the top and serve with lemon wedges on the side.

Fancy Fried Eel

1 1/2 pounds sliced eel
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup flour
butter or margarine
1 cup or more sliced fresh mushrooms
1/4 cup green onions
2 tbls. dry white wine
1 tbls. lemon juice

Place the flour on a plate. Sprinkle eel with salt and pepper, then dredge lightly in flour. Melt about 2 tbls. butter or margarine over medium heat. Fry the eel until golden brown on each side and remove to a plate, keeping them warm. If necessary add more butter or margarine to the skillet and add mushrooms and green onions. Cook them for about 3 minutes then stir in the wine and lemon juice. Pour this mixture over the fish and serve.

Fish in Poland