Ah, the ‘Silver Darlings’. For me, the Herring is a remarkable fish, one that is surprisingly overlooked by UK consumers. That’s a shame, as there about six billion Herring recipes out there. And they’re all great.
Herring is an unfashionable fish, which is perfect for those willing to give Herring a try as it keeps the price down. Why this fish is so underrated in the United Kingdom is something of mystery.
Let’s celebrate the Herring!
In many countries Herring is celebrated. One of largest festivals in The Netherlands is Vlaggetjesdag, or Flag Day, which marks the arrival of the first new Herrings of the year.
When Herring arrive into Poole Bay, the event isn’t celebrated or even noticed outside keen anglers and the few remaining inshore fishing vessels. That’s a great shame, because Herring is wonderful fish – even more so for a seafood beginner.
Herring – endless possibilities
Herring is great to experiment with. Just last week I dry-cured some Herring to use in a Viennese Herring Salad using a Rick Stein recipe. It is one of the best things I’ve ever eaten.
Herring also opens up a whole new world of preserving fish. Herring can be cold smoked, hot smoked, salted, canned and dried.
Next on my list is to attempt some Rollmops, pickled Herring – but I’m awaiting the arrival of the local fish for that one.
Of course, like all oily fish, Herring is also great grilled or fried. And keep an eye out for Herring Roe (the roe of male Herrings), which is fantastic when fried in butter.
There are so many possibilities with Herring that experimenting with Herring could easily become a new hobby. Much like Rigby and his self-built Encyclopaedia of the Herring.
Herring recipes
I’m trying to think of my all-time favourite Herring recipe. It’s proving a difficult task. The aforementioned Viennese Herring Salad was out-of-this-world. I followed a Rick Stein recipe from the excellent book, Long Weekend, which you can buy at Amazon.
Another favourite is the simple Herring with Bacon from Floyd on Fish. Beautiful.
Having also spent a bit of time in The Netherlands, I can’t resist buying Herring from the little Herring stalls you’ll find in pretty much any Dutch town.
Seasonality
Herring is available year-round, but the best time of year for Herring all depends on where you live. The forum of your local sea angling club is a good place to check out for information.
Sustainability
Read more on the latest Marine Conservation Society Good Fish Guide ratings.