Dill is not a common ingredient in an American kitchen. Yet the Czechs love to cook with it. And it smells sooo good!!! Dill Gravy is probably the most famous dill recipe from the “Czech pot”. So enjoy!!!
PS: the recipe comes from an old Czech cookbook so bear with my awkward translation at times…
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup fresh chopped dill
- 2 Tbs. of butter
- 1/2 onion, finely chopped
- 2 cups of cold chicken stock
- 1/2 cup of sour cream
- 2 Tbs. of flour
- 2 Tbs. of vinegar (or lemon juice)
- salt, pepper, sugar to taste
Method:
-
Make “jiska”:
-
melt butter on a pan and add chopped onion; cook until bubbly and onion has a translucent look to it.
-
while stirring, gradually add flour and stir for about 30 sec. more, until butter stops bubbling
-
-
Remove from heat
-
While stirring, gradually add chicken stock
-
simmer for about 10 minutes
-
Add in fresh dill and vinegar
-
Add sugar and salt to taste
- Add sour-cream
-
Simmer for 5 more minutes
Serve over hard-boiled eggs and slow-cooked beef with dumplings or potatoes. Hmmm……….!!!!:)
By the way if you are looking for a good Czech cookbook yourself, this is a great one:
Loading ...
Thanks for this great recipe in your archives…. I’m married to a Czech and he was wanting some dill gravy so badly – just like his mom made!
Hi Karmyn,
I just posted a comment on your blog. I hope your recipe turned out tasty! Where are you guys located?
Hi! I’ve been searching for a certain Czech soup ever since I had a roommate from the Czech republic. She would make this amazing soup that was creamy with lemon, dill, poached eggs, white vinegar and potatoes in it. I’ve done a lot of internet searching and have found some similar recipes (I think koprováá poléévka or koprovka might be it?) but I haven’t found anything with those exact ingredients. Does that sound like a traditional soup, or maybe something she put together herself? Thanks, you have a very nice website!
Hi Julia, yes it is a traditional Czech soup sometimes also called KULAJDA (or Koprova polevka). But the recipes vary quite often as some people like to add their favorite things. I am planning on posting about the soup pretty soon!
I had a bunch of fresh dill and was searching for a recipe for a “sauce” for new potatoes when I found this recipe. I made this tonight and it was delicious! Not only did it go well with the potatoes, but we drowned our steaks in it!
Hi Monica!
I am glad it worked out for you – try the same sauce on any fish – you will love it as well 😉
Also, if you like dill you will fall in love with “Kulajda” (Dill soup) which is also listed in my ‘recipes’ category.
What happened to the sour cream you have in the list of ingredients?
Ups, sorry! I added that sour cream step in.
Do you use apple cider vinegar or white vinegar and in what step do you add the sour cream. I am Czech/Bohemian and my mother would make dill gravy and I really loved it but never paid attention on how to make it. Thank you for your answer and the recipe, can’t wait to try it.
Hi Jackie, I am sorry! I added the missing sour-cream step. Thanks for pointing that out to me 🙂
I use whatever vinegar I have on hand, but I think someone in here commented (don’t remember what post) that apple cider vinegar is the most similar to the Czech one. But really, either type will do. Good luck!
HI< I would just like to comment on how my mom used to make pickled beef in dill gravy. she would take the rump roast or other less expensive roast and marinate it for 2 or 3 days in pickel juice . she would save dill pickel juice from a couple of jars and when she had enouch to submerge the meat she would start. 50 years ago she could get fresh dill and she also got the pickles and they had actual pieces of dill in the brine. I am sure if a person has the time …they can make pickel brine and let it cool and then put beef in it and refridgerate for the 2. or 3 days. She would take bacon fat and brown the dried off meat in the drippings. When she was happy with browing ..she would take half
Hi Barbara! That’s a great idea with the pickle juice. Did she use the sweet pickle juice or just salty one?
I will drive 1000 miles for ‘grass gravy’.
Still my favorite, and I love the fact that my kids enjoy Omachka as much as I did as a child.
If your wondering I reside in Grand Rapids, MI – hint, hint, nod, nod, wink, wink.
I’m 100% Czech on both sides of the family (Bohemian), & just happen to be making “Dill Gravy” today. However, in our family (going back to my great grandparents) it was always served over poached chicken (I have a luscious 6-pounder simmering in a pot as I type) & bread dumplings, which I’ll be making in a minute.
As I don’t speak Czech, would love to know the correct name for this dish. Is it “Omachka” as Joe Siska posts above? I know the way my dad says it it sounds phonetically like “Vohmachka” with a “V”.
Hi Bonnie!
The there are many traditional ways :). But you would definitely not serve it with rice or noodles. Or pork!
In a correct Czech language you would say “Koprova omacka” (pronounced ‘Ohmachka’). Your dad uses the spoken Czech which adds on the additional ‘v’ at the beginning of the word.
Hope that helps 🙂
Thanks Tanja!
Oh goodness – it would be utter sacrilege in our family to serve this over/with anything but Czech bread dumplings (Knedliky). Perish the thought – lol!
Haha! Your family taught you well :))
My family always had it with potatoes. That is also acceptable in the eyes of the Czechs :)).
I have frozen dill. How much should I use.
Nadia – with frozen fresh herbs, use the same amount as you would fresh. It’s only when subbing dry for fresh that the quantities change. But in this case, you’re better off with the frozen, as dried dill tends to have very little flavor. Your frozen should work just fine.
Wow! I have a garden with dill that went crazy this year… it is 6 feet high with beautiful heads, leaves and stems. I hate to see it go to waste, so, I was wondering if I could froze it. From reading the earlier post apparently you can freeze it. Is there anything special I need to do to it before I freeze it?
I am not sure about freezing it but you can sure make enough of Koprova omacka for the whole neighborhood!
You can DEFINITELY freeze dill!! I do it all the time.
No real prep required – just gently wash & dry the sprigs/fronds & roll up snugly in either plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Slip into a plastic Ziploc bag, gently press out the excess air, & freeze. When you need fresh dill for a recipe, just unwrap & snip off the amount you need with scissors.
Another method that some folks use is to snip & pack fresh dill into ice-cube trays, top up with water, & freeze. When frozen, pop the resulting cubes into a Ziploc bag. Depending on the size of your ice-cube trays, each cube should hold between 2-3 tablespoons of dill.
Do NOT try to freeze Czech Dill Gravy. Upon thawing the sour cream will curdle, & while it won’t affect the flavor, the appearance & texture will be unpleasant.
I am in heaven! I finally found the recipe for Korpova! Us kids remember it being pronounced KO-por-a-VAH. Bubbie would make this mostly like a soup, with small red potatoes and boiled eggs. My dad’s 75th birthday was last month, and now, with Father’s Day, I know just what to make him to bring a smile to his face. Thanks for the recipe!
How did your dad like it? Don’t forget those mushrooms :))
Truthfully, made him kolaches and zelnicky for his Father’s Day gift. He was in HEAVEN! I couldn’t find fresh dill until just this past Monday, so Korpova will have to wait until this next week. I am salivating just thinking about it.
Yummy!!!! WhAt a sweet daughter you are
Just found your website. I’m really excited. My mom’s dill gravy was made with thinly sliced veal (it was cheap then) and poached eggs. Every serving was over a bread dumpling (hand made) and got an egg with gravy over it.
Sounds sooooo goooooooooood!!!!