Herring Salad is one of those dishes I never quite like when I think of it. But when it is prepared, refreshing and chilled, a feast for the eye and a variety of textures and flavours, I just cannot get enough of it. Just look at it!
And the best of all: this goes perfectly with Bretzeln. Bretzeln and Herring Salad are made for each other, but you might also enjoy it with steamed or baked potatoes.
It’s pretty simple to make, but takes some time to prepare all the ingredients:
First, the herring. I buy packs of Herring filets, marinaded in oil. Rinse the oil, pat dry, and cut into large yet bite-sized chunks. One 400g pack will give a generous portion of salad for two (two main meal portions, maybe some leftover for lunch on the following day). The following is on the basis of 400g / two to three generous portions:
Peel two sharp apples (Braeburn or Red Kidds Orange). Cut into eights, then cut those into three or four pieces each.
Consider filetting one blood orange and one grapefruit. Add the filets (maybe cut in pieces).
Remove the bitter cores from two Endive salads, cut these into large chunks.
Remove the seeds from a medium-sized salad cucumber. Feed the skin to the Guinea Pigs, and cut the remainder into pretty chunks.
Very thinly slice one large red onion.
Very thinly slice one medium-sized bulb of fennel.
Add whatever else meets your fancy. For example, diced beetroot, rings of romana peppers, salmon roe and hard-boiled quail eggs work well.
Add a generous amount of freshly chipped dill (minus the stalks!).
For the dressing, mix 150ml soured cream with a teaspoon of crushed black pepper, a splash of cider vinegar, a splash of olive oil, half a teaspoon of mustard. Mix everything together, the add some more dill tips.
This needs to rest for one hour. Perfect for making Bretzels!
You might also be interested in our gorgeous Kippers Salad.
