Hot pollock salad with vegetables and sour cream
4 servings
40 minutes
Hot pollock salad with vegetables and sour cream is a simple yet surprisingly delicious dish from Russian cuisine. Pollock, a tender and soft white fish, is fried with aromatic spices and then layered with onions and carrots. These vegetables add sweetness and richness to the dish, while a generous portion of sour cream makes it extraordinarily juicy and soft. Baked in the oven, the salad acquires a pleasant texture and delicate flavor where salty, creamy, and sweet notes harmoniously intertwine. This dish is perfect as a hot appetizer or as a hearty standalone dinner. It pairs especially well with fresh herbs and crispy bread, creating a cozy home atmosphere. Historically, such fish casseroles were popular in Russian homes as they are easy to prepare and very nutritious.
1
Cut the pollock fillet into small pieces and fry in vegetable oil. Add salt and spices to taste (I add black pepper and a fish spice mix). Note that the pollock will shrink significantly, so the ingredients will end up in equal proportions (about 300 g each). Place the fried fish in a baking dish (a diameter of about 25 cm is suitable for this amount of ingredients).
- Pollock fillet: 800 g
- Onion: 300 g
2
Slice the onion into quarter rings and fry. Layer it on top of the fish.
- Onion: 300 g
3
Cut the carrot into strips or grate it on a coarse grater and fry it as well. This will be the third layer.
- Carrot: 300 g
4
Pour sour cream on top — the more sour cream, the juicier it is (I use about 350–400 g of low-fat sour cream).
- Sour cream 10%: 250 g
- Sour cream 10%: 250 g
5
Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake until the sour cream curdles and the dish looks done.