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Pickled herring (inlagd
sill) |
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Pickled herring is a delicacy in Europe, and has become a
part of Baltic, Scandinavian, German, Eastern Slavic and Jewish cuisine. Most
cured herring uses a two-step curing process. Initially, herring is cured with
salt to extract water. |
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Left: Swedish
inlagd sill (pickled
herring) with sour cream and chopped Chives, potatoes and an egg half, served
at midsummer. |
The second stage involves removing the salt and adding
flavorings, typically a vinegar, salt, sugar solution to which ingredients like
peppercorn, bay leaves and raw onions are added.
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In recent years also other flavors have been added due to the
travel of people from countries like Sweden going to eastern countries like
Thailand giving us Thai basilica flavored pickled herrings. |
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Left: Try our own
Herring
Recipe. |
In Scandinavia, once the pickling process is finished and depending on which of
the dozens of classic herring flavourings (mustard, onion, garlic, lingonberries
etc.) are selected, it is eaten with dark rye bread, crisp bread, sour cream, or
potatoes. This dish is common at Christmas, Easter and Midsummer, where it is
eaten with
akvavit.
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Pickled herring is common in Russian cuisine, where it can be served as simple
as just cut into pieces seasoned with sunflower oil and onions, or can be part
of
herring salads, which are usually prepared with vegetables and seasoned with
mayonnaise dressing. |
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Left: Russian "Herring Under Fur Coat". |
The word rollmops, borrowed from German, refers to a pickled herring fillet rolled (hence the name)
into a cylindrical shape around a piece of pickled gherkin, green olive with
pimento or an onion. The rollmops is held together with one or two small wooden
skewers.
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Rollmops are usually bought ready-to-eat, in jars or
tubs. The marinade additionally contains water, white vinegar, salt, a
bit of sugar or other sweetening agent, onion rings, peppercorns and
mustard seeds. Rollmops can be eaten cold, without unrolling, or on
bread. |
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Left: Rollmops. |
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