IN SEASON
How to cook herring
Herrings are plentiful and versatile… but what are the best ways to cook them?
The Dutch eat herrings raw, while in Scotland, they’re often smoked or salted – and here in England, we’ve traditional enjoyed herrings either pickled or brined, or smoked and turned into kippers.
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Here in the South West, herrings are sea fish that have played a big part in our history – the North Devon village of Clovelly used to depend on the harvest of herring, and back in 1749, the port was home to 100 herring boats, landing up to 9,000 fish at any one time.
Herrings have tough, scaly skin and a strong flavour. Packed full of omega-3 fatty acids and protein, they’re good for us. Try them prepared in these five ways.
❤ Rollmops. Thanks to their oiliness, herrings don’t keep well – which is why they’re often turned into rollmops. After brining, de-boned herring fillets are rolled and marinating in a pickling liquor, and best left for five days before eating. Serve with crusty bread, or a potato salad.
❤ Grilled. While kippers are often served for breakfast, grilled fresh herring is a tasty alternative. Gut the whole fish, slash the skin and brush with oil, seasoning both inside and
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out. Grill for five minutes on each side, dot with butter, and serve with scrambled eggs and toast.
❤ Rolled in oats. A traditional Scottish way of serving herring! Brush herring fillets with a little mustard and roll in seasoned oatmeal, frying in a combination of butter and oil for 1-2 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through.
❤ Poached. Scale and gut two herrings, then rinse under cold running water. Add to a large
pan with half a sliced onion, along with a teaspoon each of peppercorns and sea salt. Place the fish on top, and pour over just enough cold water to cover them. Place over a high heat and let the pan come to a rolling boil, then remove from the heat, place a lid on the pan and leave them for a couple of hours. When cool, remove the fish with a slotted spoon, carefully rub away the skin and remove the fins, and you'll be left with perfectly poached herrings
that will flake from the bone and taste fantastic served as part of a salad.
❤ Kippers. Popular in Edwardian times and now coming back into fashion, kippers are simply whole herrings that have been sliced from their head to their tail and gutted, before being pickled or salted, and finally smoked. Commonly served for breakfast, they need very little cooking: try them baked, fried, grilled or poached.
n Jamaica, herrings are eaten with chilli pepper. In Sweden, they’re fermented and eaten when pungent.
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