Ryba po grecku or ´Greek-style fish´ is one of the most traditional and popular Polish fish dishes. The recipe features pan-fried white fish fillets topped with sauteed root vegetables. Although it doesn´t sound like much, it is really really delicious!
Ryba po grecku
Ryba po grecku or ´Greek-style fish´ is one of the most traditional and popular Polish fish dishes.
It´s not very well known abroad, because, well for starters, how to call this dish? Polish fish? Greek-style fish? so Polish or Greek you may ask? Well, this dish is definitely a Polish dish and most Polish people have no idea why it´s called Greek-style fish! (including me, I had to google it!).
It´s not really known how this dish got its name. It´s definitely Polish in origin and has nothing to do with Greek cuisine! I think it´s just what Polish people thought of Greek food in the 1950s. Fish with vegetables – it probably sounded like something a Greek would cook.
Ryba po grecku is served on special occasions such as Christmas Eve and all year round. Polish Christmas Eve (Wigilia) is traditionally meatless, only vegetarian dishes and fish are being served. See all our Polish Christmas recipes. Another popular Polish Christmas fish recipe is this pan-fried carp.
This dish features pan-fried fish topped with sauteed vegetables. It can be served hot or cold but it´s most often served at room temperature, the next day (which comes in handy when preparing it for Christmas!).
You may be wondering why cover crispy pan-fried fish with a topping to let it go soggy? Not sure to be honest, but it just works! Coating fish in flour keeps the fish nice and moist and pan-frying adds tons of flavor! Keeping it overnight in the fridge allows flavors to meld and it comes out really flavorful.
Ingredients
Below you will find information about the ingredients and how to prepare the recipe. For the measurements and detailed instructions scroll down to the printable recipe card.
Here´s what you need to make this easy dish:
For the fish you will need:
- White fish fillets such as cod or halibut.
- For cooking the fish – vegetable oil or clarified butter. It will taste better using clarified butter but it can be a little bit pricey. You could also use Indian ghee or make clarified butter at home.
- Flour – for dredging the fish – it keeps it nice and moist.
- Seasoning for fish – I used oregano, thyme, and paprika.
For the vegetable topping:
- Root vegetables: carrots, parsley root, celeriac.
- Onion, leek, garlic, parsley leaves, lemon juice.
- Tomato paste.
- Instead of celeriac, you could try using 1-2 celery ribs or more carrots/parsley root. Instead of parsley root, you could try using parsnip. Carrots, parsley roots, and celeriac and traditionally used in this dish.
- Spices: bay leaves, allspice berries (optional), paprika, thyme, basil. You can use your favorite spices or spice mixes!
How to make this dish step-by-step
Cook the fish:
STEP 1: Pat dry the fish with paper towels. Season with salt, pepper, oregano, thyme, and paprika on all sides.
Dredge in flour on all sides.
STEP 2: Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the fish and cook (in batches if necessary) until golden on both sides and cooked through.
STEP 3: Transfer the fish to a deep plate or baking dish (I used a 9-inch (23cm) round pie dish).
Use the same pan to cook vegetable topping.
Make the vegetable topping:
STEP 4: Peel the carrots, celeriac, and parsley roots. Grate on the large holes of a box grater. Dice the onions and leek. Finely chop garlic.
STEP 5: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the frying pan. Add carrots, celeriac, parsley roots, onions, and leek. Cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes until soft and slightly browned.
Reduce the heat to low and add garlic, cook for 30 seconds.
Add water/broth, bay leaves, and allspice berries. Cover the pan with a lid. Bring to a boil then simmer for about 5-10 minutes or until the vegetables are soft. Take off the lid, almost all water should be evaporated.
STEP 6: Add tomato paste, and cook over medium-high heat for a couple of minutes, until everything is well combined.
STEP 7: Season with lemon juice, chopped parsley, salt and pepper to taste. Discard bay leaves and allspice berries.
STEP 8: Spread the vegetables over the fish.
You can eat this right away or chill for a couple of hours or overnight (it tastes better after some time when the flavors have time to meld together). This dish tastes good hot or cold (you can gently reheat it in the oven at 325°F/160°C).
You can keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Enjoy!
More Polish dinner recipes
- Polish Tomato Soup
- Polish Cucumber Salad
- Polish Hamburgers
- Polish Noodles with Cabbage and Kielbasa
- Polish Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
- Polish Potato Pancakes
Did you make this recipe? RATE THE RECIPE or tell me in the COMMENTS how you liked it! You can also add a photo of your dish. It would make me very happy and will help other readers. Thank you!!
Polish Fish with Vegetable Topping (Ryba Po Grecku)
Ingredients
for the fish:
- 1 1/2 pounds (680g) white fish fillets, such as cod
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 cup (30g) flour
- 1/4 cup (60ml) frying oil
for the vegetable topping:
- 1 tablespoon frying oil
- 3 medium carrots 200g
- 2 parsley roots 100g
- 1/2 leek the white part
- 1 medium onion
- 3 ounces (85g) celeriac or 1 celery rib and more carrots/parsley root
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon basil
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 allspice berries optional
- 1 cup water or vegetable/chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/2 tablespoon chopped parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
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Instructions
Cook the fish:
- Pat dry the fish with paper towels. Season with salt, pepper, oregano, thyme, and paprika on all sides.
- Dredge in flour on all sides.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the fish and cook (in batches if necessary) until golden on both sides and cooked through.
- Transfer the fish to a deep plate or baking dish (I used a 9-inch (23cm) round pie dish).
- Use the same pan to cook vegetable topping.
Make the vegetable topping:
- Peel the carrots, celeriac, and parsley roots. Grate on the large holes of a box grater. Dice the onions and leek. Finely chop garlic.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the frying pan. Add carrots, celeriac, parsley roots, onions, and leek. Cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes until soft and slightly browned.
- Reduce the heat to low and add garlic, cook for 30 seconds.
- Add water/broth, bay leaves, allspice berries. Cover the pan with a lid. Bring to a boil then simmer for about 5-10 minutes or until the vegetables are soft. Take off the lid, almost all water should be evaporated.
- Add tomato paste, cook over medium-high heat for a couple of minutes, until everything is well-combined.
- Season with lemon juice, chopped parsley, salt and pepper to taste. Discard bay leaves and allspice berries.
- Spread the vegetables over the fish.
- You can eat this right away or chill for a couple of hours or overnight (it tastes better after some time, when the flavors have time to meld together). This dish tastes good hot or cold (you can gently reheat it in the oven at 325°F/160°C).
- Enjoy!
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