Name: Ryba po grecku: Polish fish with tomato vegetables
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 550 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Polish
Ingredients: 800 g boneless, skinless cod fillet, thawed in the refrigerator if frozen, patted dry and cut into 8 even pieces about 3 cm thick; 5 g fine salt, for the fish; 1 g ground black pepper, for the fish; 60 g all-purpose wheat flour, for coating; 60 mL neutral canola or rapeseed oil, for frying the fish; 400 g carrots, peeled and coarsely grated; 250 g parsley root, peeled and coarsely grated; 150 g celeriac, peeled and coarsely grated; 250 g yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced; 30 mL neutral canola or rapeseed oil, for the vegetables; 100 g tomato paste, 28–30% solids; 500 mL water; 2 dried bay leaves, about 0.5 g; 4 whole allspice berries, about 1 g; 5 g fine salt, for the vegetables; 2 g ground black pepper, for the vegetables; 5 g granulated sugar

A wide view of „Ryba po grecku: Polish fish with tomato vegetables“ arranged on a table for serving.

Yield 8 servings

Serving size about 310 g assembled

Difficulty easy to moderate

Category Polish fish with tomato vegetables; contains fish and wheat/gluten

Ingredients ↓

At a glance

Ryba po grecku: Polish fish with tomato vegetables

Golden pan-fried cod is layered with a sweet-sour sauce of gently stewed carrot, parsley root, celeriac, onion and tomato.

Ryba po grecku translates as “Greek-style fish,” but the dish is Polish, not Greek. It pairs fried fish with a soft vegetable topping in tomato sauce. Cod is used here as a practical lean white fish; family recipes vary in their fish, vegetables and seasonings.

The name is linked to an older Polish label, sos grecki, for vegetables cooked in oil with a little water. The Polish National Centre for Culture notes that the preparation is not known in Greece and is traditionally served at Wigilia, the Polish Christmas Eve meal. That association is common, but the dish is also served at other times of year.

For this home-style version, cook the grated vegetables until tender but still textured, fry the floured cod until opaque and flaky, then layer the two. Chill the assembled dish so the sauce settles around the fish; it is served cold, with the fish and vegetables both distinct.

Tips for a good result

If using frozen cod, thaw it in the refrigerator before cooking, then pat it very dry so the coating adheres and the fish fries rather than steams.
Grate the carrot, parsley root and celeriac coarsely; the vegetables should soften but retain some texture.
Cook the onion until soft before adding the root vegetables, then simmer until the vegetables are tender before stirring in the tomato paste.
Shake excess flour from the fish and fry in uncrowded batches so the pieces brown evenly.
Check the thickest part of a piece with an instant-read thermometer; cook the fish to 63 °C and confirm the flesh is opaque and flakes easily.
Layer the fish and vegetable sauce gently in a wide, shallow dish, then chill it covered so the fish remains in pieces.

Ingredients

800 g boneless, skinless cod fillet, thawed in the refrigerator if frozen, patted dry and cut into 8 even pieces about 3 cm thick
5 g fine salt, for the fish
1 g ground black pepper, for the fish
60 g all-purpose wheat flour, for coating
60 mL neutral canola or rapeseed oil, for frying the fish
400 g carrots, peeled and coarsely grated
250 g parsley root, peeled and coarsely grated
150 g celeriac, peeled and coarsely grated
250 g yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
30 mL neutral canola or rapeseed oil, for the vegetables
100 g tomato paste, 28–30% solids
500 mL water
2 dried bay leaves, about 0.5 g
4 whole allspice berries, about 1 g
5 g fine salt, for the vegetables
2 g ground black pepper, for the vegetables
5 g granulated sugar

Method

Directions

Prepare the fish and vegetablesIf the cod is frozen, thaw it in the refrigerator. Pat it dry and cut it into 8 even pieces about 3 cm thick. Season with 5 g salt and 1 g black pepper. Peel and coarsely grate the carrots, parsley root and celeriac. Peel and thinly slice the onion.
Start the vegetable sauceWarm 30 mL oil in a large 4 L saucepan or deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring often, until soft and translucent. Add the grated carrot, parsley root and celeriac; cook for 5 minutes, stirring. Pour in 500 mL water and add the bay leaves, allspice, 5 g salt and 2 g black pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover partly and cook for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender but still hold some texture.
Fry the codWhile the vegetables simmer, heat 60 mL oil in a 30 cm skillet over medium heat. Put the flour in a mixing bowl. Coat each piece of cod lightly and shake off the excess. Fry in batches without crowding, about 3–4 minutes per side, until golden. Check the thickest piece in each batch with an instant-read thermometer; cook to 63 °C. The fish should be opaque and flake easily. Transfer to a clean plate or rack to drain briefly.
Finish the vegetable toppingStir the tomato paste and sugar into the vegetables. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes, until the sauce is thick enough to mound softly on a spoon. Remove the bay leaves and allspice berries.
Layer the fish and vegetablesArrange the cod in a wide shallow serving dish or divide it between two shallow covered containers. Spoon the hot vegetable sauce over and between the pieces, keeping the fish intact and finishing with a layer of vegetables.
Chill before servingRefrigerate the assembled dish within 2 hours, at or below 4 °C. Cover and chill for 8–12 hours before serving cold.

Nutrition per serving

Serving sizeabout 310 g assembled
Caloriesabout 245 kcal
Carbohydratesabout 22 g
Proteinabout 20 g
Fatabout 8 g
Fibreabout 4 g
Sodiumabout 550 mg

Estimate for one eighth of the recipe using generic ingredient-composition data for raw cod and vegetables, flour, tomato paste, measured salt and sugar. The calculation assumes about 30 g of the 60 mL frying oil remains with the fish and that the 30 mL vegetable oil is retained. Fish moisture, oil absorption and tomato paste brands vary. Values are rounded and are not a laboratory analysis.

Allergens and food safety

Serving, storage, reheating and make-ahead: Serve chilled as a main course or as one of the dishes for Wigilia. The topping should be soft and thick enough to sit over the fish without pooling as a thin liquid. The dish can be assembled 8–12 hours ahead and chilled covered.

Serving, storage, reheating and make-ahead: Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow covered containers at or below 4 °C. Use within 3–4 days. The dish is usually served cold; if reheating leftovers, warm a portion until its centre reaches 74 °C. Do not leave the fish dish at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Contains fish and wheat/gluten from the flour. Check ingredient labels for other declared allergens. Thaw frozen fish in the refrigerator. Keep raw fish, its packaging and utensils separate from ready-to-eat foods; wash hands and clean surfaces after handling raw fish. Cook the thickest part of each fish batch to 63 °C, or until opaque and easily separated with a fork. Refrigerate the assembled dish within 2 hours at or below 4 °C. Use leftovers within 3–4 days and reheat to 74 °C if serving hot.

Cook the grated vegetables until tender but not completely broken down, so their texture remains distinct from the fish.

Layer the sauce over the fish instead of stirring everything together; this keeps the cod pieces intact for serving.

Ryba po grecku: Polish fish with tomato vegetables

Tips for a good result

Ingredients

Method

Nutrition per serving

Allergens and food safety

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