📝 About This Recipe
This dish is a sophisticated homage to the Baltic Sea, capturing the essence of New Nordic minimalism through clean, bracing flavors and contrasting textures. Silky, vinegar-cured herring is elevated by a neon-green, cold-pressed dill oil and the earthy, malty crunch of artisanal rye bread crumbs. It is a masterclass in balancing acidity, fat, and salt, designed to evoke the crisp air of a Scandinavian shoreline.
🥗 Ingredients
The Herring
- 400 grams Fresh Herring Fillets (cleaned, skinned, and pin-bones removed)
- 200 ml White Wine Vinegar (high quality)
- 100 grams Granulated Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Pickling Spice (mustard seeds, black peppercorns, and allspice berries)
Dill Oil
- 100 grams Fresh Dill (stems removed, blanched and shocked in ice water)
- 200 ml Neutral Oil (grape seed or canola oil)
Rye Crumb
- 150 grams Dark Rye Bread (crusts removed, torn into small pieces)
- 30 grams Unsalted Butter (melted)
- 1 pinch Sea Salt (Maldon preferred)
Accompaniments & Garnish
- 100 grams Crème Fraîche (whisked until smooth)
- 1 piece Small Red Onion (shaved into paper-thin rings)
- 3 pieces Fresh Radishes (sliced into thin rounds)
- 1 handful Fresh Dill Sprigs (for final plating)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Begin by preparing the pickling liquid: In a small saucepan, combine the white wine vinegar, sugar, 100ml water, and pickling spices. Bring to a simmer until sugar dissolves, then remove from heat and let cool completely.
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2
Place the herring fillets in a shallow glass dish. Once the pickling liquid is cold, pour it over the fish, ensuring they are fully submerged. Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours (ideally 24 hours) for the best texture.
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3
For the dill oil, blanch the dill in boiling water for 15 seconds, then immediately plunge into an ice bath to lock in the chlorophyll. Squeeze the dill extremely dry using a clean kitchen towel.
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4
Place the dried dill and neutral oil in a high-speed blender. Blitz on high for 2-3 minutes until the oil is warm to the touch; this friction helps extract the deep green color.
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5
Strain the oil through a coffee filter or a fine-mesh sieve lined with muslin cloth into a bowl set over ice. Do not press the solids, or the oil will become cloudy. Store in a squeeze bottle.
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6
Preheat your oven to 160°C (320°F). Pulse the rye bread in a food processor until you have coarse, pebble-sized crumbs.
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7
Toss the crumbs with melted butter and a pinch of salt. Spread on a baking sheet and toast for 12-15 minutes, stirring halfway, until crunchy and fragrant. Let cool.
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8
To assemble, remove the herring from the brine and pat dry with paper towels. Slice the fillets into 2-inch thick bias-cut pieces.
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9
Place a small dollop of crème fraîche on the center of a chilled plate and use the back of a spoon to create a clean swipe.
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10
Arrange 3-4 pieces of herring atop the crème fraîche. Intersperse with shaved red onion rings and radish slices for height and crunch.
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11
Generously scatter the toasted rye crumbs around the fish to provide an earthy base.
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12
Finish by dotting the plate with the vibrant dill oil and garnishing with fresh dill sprigs. Serve immediately while the crumbs are perfectly crisp.
💡 Chef's Tips
Always use the freshest herring possible; if unavailable, high-quality 'matjes' herring can be used as a shortcut. When making the dill oil, ensure the dill is bone-dry after blanching, as water will cause the oil to separate and spoil quickly. For the sharpest presentation, use a mandoline for the radishes and onions to achieve translucent slices. Don't discard the pickling spices; keep a few mustard seeds from the brine to garnish the plate for an extra pop of acidity. If the rye crumbs feel too oily, drain them on a paper towel immediately after toasting to maintain maximum crunch.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Pair with a chilled glass of dry Aquavit or a crisp, citrusy Sauvignon Blanc. Serve alongside warm, buttered fingerling potatoes for a more substantial appetizer. An ice-cold craft pilsner with floral hop notes complements the herbal dill and oily fish beautifully. Present on dark ceramic or slate plates to make the bright green dill oil visually 'pop'.