German Sour Cream and Dill Sauce

This sour cream and dill sauce, known as dillsosse in Germany, is served with a variety of recipes such as hard-boiled eggs and meat fondue, but thanks to its delicious vibrant flavor it can be used on many other dishes from seafood to vegetables. Easily made in five minutes and then chilled for at least one hour to allow the flavors to set and meld, the sauce can be used at breakfast with scrambled eggs or mixed with canned tuna for a delicious spreadable salad. Dill is commonly used when making sauces for seafood and this sauce is no exception. Pour it over baked salmon or poached halibut, serve it as a dip for crab legs or crabcakes, or make it a dipping sauce for peel-and-eat shrimp or fried fish fillets. This sauce can be kept in the refrigerator for up to three days, but it's so easy to make that making a fresh batch often isn't too much work.

Dill, a green herb in the same family as caraway, anise, and parsley, comes in two forms: the leaves, called dillweed or fresh dill, and the seeds. Fairly commonly found, dill leaves have a sweet and vibrant flavor, a little peppery with notes of anise, but less strong than its seed counterpart. Widely used in European and Asian cuisines, dill is a key ingredient in soups, sauces, and pickled vegetables. Scandinavian cuisines, as well Eastern European and Balkan traditions, rely on dill to flavor cured fishes, sauces, vegetables, soups, and dressings. Because dill has a delicate but vibrant flavor, sauces for seafood with dill are very common in many cuisines. Its herby and earthy profile helps to enhance the flavor of fishes and mollusks, without overpowering seafood offerings such as scallops, shrimps, or lobster.

Use this dill sauce with any fried seafood, egg dishes, or fresh vegetables. Mix it with boiled potatoes or cooked pasta to make cold salads for BBQs or picnics. Spread it on your favorite bread and make sandwiches with bold cheeses and cold cuts, or use it as a dipping sauce for other finger foods like small tuna empanadas, salmon cakes, or fried calamari. This dill sauce is great when added to a charcuterie and cheese spread, and makes a tasty and nutritious snack if served with cucumbers and carrots.