Mizeria () is a salad which originated in
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...
and consists of thinly sliced or grated cucumbers, often with sweet
sour cream
Sour cream (sometimes known as soured cream in British English) is a dairy product obtained by fermenting regular cream with certain kinds of lactic acid bacteria. The bacterial culture, which is introduced either deliberately or naturall ...
or
kefir
Kefir ( ; alternative spellings: kephir or kefier; ; ; ) is a Fermented milk products, fermented milk drink similar to a thin yogurt or ayran that is made from kefir grains, a specific type of mesophilic SCOBY, symbiotic culture. It is prep ...
and vinegar, although in some cases oil. Other possible ingredients include onions, pepper or lemon juice, sugar,
dill
Dill (''Anethum graveolens'') is an annual herb in the celery family Apiaceae. It is native to North Africa, Iran, and the Arabian Peninsula; it is grown widely in Eurasia, where its leaves and seeds are used as a herb or spice for flavouring ...
, chives, mint or
parsley
Parsley, or garden parsley (''Petroselinum crispum''), is a species of flowering plant in the family Apiaceae that is native to Greece, Morocco and the former Yugoslavia. It has been introduced and naturalisation (biology), naturalized in Eur ...
. The dish is usually served alongside a
main course
A main course is the featured or primary dish in a meal consisting of several courses. It usually follows the entrée () course.
Usage
In the United States and Canada (except Quebec), the main course is traditionally called an "entrée". En ...
and is one of the most popular salads in Poland.
The name of the salad comes from the French word ''misère'' (poverty, squalor) and most likely expresses the disdainful attitude of the Polish aristocracy towards this traditional peasant dish.
Mizeria is also customarily made in the
Hungarian-American
Hungarian Americans (, ) are Americans of Hungarian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau has estimated that there are approximately 1.396 million Americans of Hungarian descent as of 2018. The total number of people with ethnic Hungarian backgroun ...
community in Toledo, Ohio.
See also
*
List of salads
Salad is any of a wide variety of dishes including green salads; vegetable salads; long beans; salads of pasta, legumes, or grains; mixed salads incorporating meat, poultry, or seafood; and fruit salads. They often include vegetables and fruits.
...
*
Polish cuisine
Polish cuisine ( ) is a style of food preparation originating in and widely popular in Poland. Due to History of Poland, Poland's history, Polish cuisine has evolved over the centuries to be very eclectic, and shares many similarities with other ...
*
Tzatziki
References
Polish cuisine
Salads
{{Poland-cuisine-stub