Seasonal food | Herring is cheap and delicious when prepared correctly: Here’s how to make the perfect butter-fried herring

Baltic herring is an affordable and ecological superfish that deserves proper recipes: the accompanying dishes are easy to make, and they shake off even the last prejudices against herring with their delicious flavors.

In order to tame even the most stubborn herring haters, the raw material must be absolutely fresh – the color of the herring meat is then reddish. Fresh herrings smell fresh, and the smell does not become disturbingly strong even when cooked.

“

“A cast iron pan is the best for frying, because it gives the herring a beautiful and crispy frying surface.”

From the surface crispy fried whole herrings, juicy inside, is a classic dish. The amount of salt and butter in the recipe is huge, but they are the secret to perfect fried herrings. And in that the herring is rolled in rye flour before frying. Use coarse whole-grain flour, so the surface gets tasty crispy.

A cast iron pan is the best for frying, as it gives the herring a beautiful and crispy frying surface. A splash of oil in the butter ensures a hotter frying temperature. Fry the herrings at a slightly hotter than medium heat and move them carefully with a spatula or gently shake the pan – this way the surface will not burn and the herrings will remain juicy inside.

Murmurs when it comes to herring dishes, the latest is when herring balls bursting with Asian flavors are offered. Chili and ginger give a kick and lime brings an aromatic tanginess to the balls. It is recommended to tear off the skin from the herring fillets before grinding into a shortbread mass.

The surface of the balls becomes deliciously crispy when you roll them in Japanese breadcrumbs, i.e. panko flour, before frying. The texture of panko flour is more airy than traditional breadcrumbs and it does not absorb frying fat in the same way. Panko glaze stays crispy longer even after baking.

Dip the spicy, tasty and crunchy herring balls into the sweet and salty dipping sauce. If preparing soy dip seems like a chore, ready-made hoisin sauce or Ketjap Manis soy sauce also work great as dips.

Herrings are cooked under a blanket made of sour cream and cream. Picture: Tuomas Kolehmainen

If you like canned mustard slaws, you probably also like baked slaws flavored with dijon mustard and tarragon. A soft sauce made of sour cream and whipped cream ensures that the herrings remain juicy when cooked. French sophisticated Dijon mustard gives the taste an aromatic and strong mustardiness that does not fade even when heated. When there are few flavorings, it is worth investing in them.

Baked herrings are delicious warm with boiled potatoes. Jämät can be enjoyed cold, for example, on top of island bread.