Sour cream sauce is standard throughout Eastern Europe, and it’s not as bland as you might think or as you might have experienced. The dish should be quite sour, for one thing, and a bit hot—if your paprika has little flavor, either buy a new supply or spike it with cayenne—and it should be finished with fresh herbs. Serve this over rice or buttered noodles or with crusty bread.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Toss the fish in a bowl with the lemon juice and some salt and pepper.
Step 2
Put the oil in a large skillet with a lid, preferably nonstick, and place over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the sour cream and stock and lower the heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer. Add the fish with its marinade, cover, and cook until a thin-bladed knife passes through the fish with just a little resistance, about 5 minutes.
Step 3
Stir in the paprika and dill and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly. Taste and adjust the seasoning, garnish with the parsley, and serve hot.
Baked Fish in Paprika Sour Cream
Step 4
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Use the oil (or, better still, softened butter) to grease a baking dish or casserole. Toss the fish with the salt, pepper, lemon juice, onion, paprika, and dill. Stir in the sour cream and just 1/4 cup fish stock. Place in the baking dish and bake, uncovered, until the fish flakes when probed with a fork, about 10 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve.
