Polish Creamy Dill Salmon Noodles

About This Recipe

Poland's Baltic coastline has its own tradition of dill-and-cream sauced fish, distinct from the meatier, more inland-facing dishes the country is often known for. This recipe leans on that coastal pairing, poaching salmon gently in a sauce built from sour cream, a little flour to thicken it, and a generous amount of fresh dill, then tossing the whole thing with broad egg noodles (kluski), a very typical Polish starch pairing for saucy dishes. The technique that matters most is keeping the sour cream sauce from splitting, which happens if it boils too hard or too fast. Tempering a spoonful of the hot sauce into the sour cream before adding it back to the pan, and keeping the heat gentle throughout, is what keeps the sauce silky rather than curdled. While this exact noodle format isn't a single named heritage dish, dill, sour cream and fish are a deeply rooted combination in Polish home cooking, particularly along the coast and in dishes served for Wigilia, the traditional Christmas Eve meatless supper. Serve it hot, with extra dill scattered over the top.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 350 gbroad egg noodles
• 600 gsalmon fillet(skin removed, cut into chunks)
• 3 tbspbutter
• 1yellow onion(finely diced)
• 1 tbspall-purpose flour
• 1 cupvegetable or fish stock
• 1 cupsour cream
• 1 tspfine sea salt(to taste)
• 0.25 tspwhite pepper
• 0.5 cupfresh dill(chopped, plus extra for garnish)

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the noodles

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the egg noodles according to package directions until al dente, then drain.

2. 2

   Soften the onion

   Melt butter in a wide skillet over medium heat. Cook onion for 5 minutes until soft and translucent.

3. 3

   Build the sauce base

   Sprinkle in flour and stir for 1 minute to cook out the raw taste. Gradually whisk in stock, then simmer 2 minutes until slightly thickened.

4. 4

   Temper the sour cream

   Whisk a spoonful of the hot sauce into the sour cream to warm it gently, then stir the tempered sour cream back into the pan.

   Tempering the sour cream this way, rather than dumping it in cold, is what keeps the sauce smooth instead of curdling.

5. 5

   Poach the salmon

   Season the sauce with salt and white pepper. Add the salmon chunks in a single layer and simmer gently 6 to 8 minutes until just cooked through.

6. 6

   Combine and serve

   Stir in most of the chopped dill and toss the cooked noodles through the sauce, or serve the salmon and sauce over the noodles. Garnish with remaining dill.

Variations

• •

  Herring version: use flaked pickled herring instead of salmon for a more traditional, tangier flavor.

• •

  Mushroom addition: sauté sliced mushrooms with the onion for extra depth, common in many Polish cream sauces.

• •

  Lighter version: use half sour cream, half plain yogurt for a slightly tangier, lighter sauce.

Storage

Refrigerate for up to 2 days. Reheat gently over low heat, stirring often, and avoid boiling to keep the sauce from separating and the salmon from toughening.

Frequently Asked Questions