A Christmas Favourite – Pickle Your Own Herring

A fun Christmas activity for both young and old is preparing Christmas food. Herring is a dish that you can easily make yourself and add your own touch. It’s quick to prepare, very tasty, and the perfect way to get into the Christmas spirit.

Different strokes for different folks – we all like different things; some people prefer classic flavours, while others are happy to try something new. We have provided 3 recipes below for you to try this Christmas.

Pickled herring with 5-minute herring

Pickled herring is a classic for many and is often part of Christmas lunch. It is based on a 1-2-3 brine solution of allspice, onion, and carrot, and gives you that little extra flavour.

Ingredients (4 servings):

• 1 packet 5-minute herring, fillets
• 5 tsp crushed white pepper
• 5 tsp crushed allspice
• 1 bay leaf
• 5 cloves
• 1 red onion
• 10 cm leek
• 1/2 carrot

Instructions:

1. Bring a brine of spirit vinegar, sugar, crushed white pepper, crushed allspice, bay leaf and cloves to the boil.
2. Let the brine to cool to fridge temperature.
3. Cut the herring into bite-sized pieces.
4. Mix the herring with sliced red onion, sliced leek, and carrot in a jar of your choice and pour in the brine.
5. The herring can be eaten directly but it’s best to leave it in the fridge for 1-2 days for the flavours to settle.

Italian herring with sun-dried tomatoes, parmesan, and basil (with 5-minute herring)

Grazie mille – thank you Italy for this amazing herring! A creamy herring that calls to mind Italian farms in a lovely symphony of flavour.

Ingredients (4 servings):

• 1 packet 5-minute herring, fillets
• Fresh basil (about one bunch)
• 8 sun-dried tomatoes
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp pine nuts
• 50 ml grated Parmesan cheese
• 200 ml crème fraîche
• 50 ml mayonnaise
• Black pepper

Instructions:

1. Pour out the brine from the herring and cut into pieces. Place the herring in a bowl.
2. Then mix in the Parmesan cheese, crème fraiche, mayonnaise with the herring.
3. Finely chop the basil, tomatoes, garlic, and pine nuts and then mix it with the other ingredients in the bowl. Season to taste with black pepper.
4. Place the herring in a lidded jar and leave for a day.
5. Serve directly from the glass jar or place on a platter.

Creamy herring with kitchen herbs

This is a delicious and creamy herring seasoned with chopped fresh herbs. Do you have any frozen or dried herbs that you harvested in the summer? Unleash your creativity when it comes to the choice of herbs and use what your kitchen has to offer.

Ingredients (4 servings):

• 1 packet 5-minute herring, fillets
• 200 ml mayonnaise
• 50 ml sour cream
• 50 ml fresh herbs (e.g. basil, oregano, and chives)
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 1 ml salt
• 5 ml white pepper, ground
• Garnish and season to taste

Instructions:

1. Cut the herring into pieces and place in a bowl.
2. Mix the herbs and garlic.
3. Mix mayonnaise and sour cream and mix in the mixed herbs into a sauce.
4. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Lastly, add herring pieces to the bowl and garnish with herbs of your choice.
6. Can be eaten directly but it’s best to leave it in the fridge for 1-2 days before serving.

Take the chance – let your own imagination run wild! You are guaranteed to impress with homemade herring. Perhaps you will start a future herring tradition at this year’s Christmas lunch?

Good luck and bon appétit!