The chips in question aren’t chips so much as mash, which is as much of a staple to Sweden’s fried herring as chips are to British fried cod
Here, the shallots play the role of a crisp, crunchy element instead. These could also be served with lingonberry jam, as they often are in Sweden, lending sweetness to counteract the dish’s saltiness. Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it.
Ingredients
• 1kg floury potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 100ml milk
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 3 tablespoons creme fraiche
• white pepper
• 8 herring fillets, pin-boned, (ask your fishmonger)
• 4 teaspoons dijon mustard
• 1 small bunch curly parsley, finely chopped
• 50g dried breadcrumbs
• 50g rye flour
• olive or vegetable oil, for frying
• 2 shallots, finely sliced
• 3 tablespoons cornflour
• thinly sliced cucumber
For the nobis sauce:
• 1 medium egg
• 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 100ml olive oil
• 1 small bunch chives, finely chopped
Method
1 Place the potatoes in a large pan and cover with water. Bring to a simmer and cook until soft, about 15–20 minutes. Once cooked, drain and return to the pan to steam-dry. Mash well, then mix in the milk, butter and crème fraîche. Season with salt and white pepper.
2 Next, prepare the Nobis sauce. Boil the egg for 3 minutes, then drain and rinse under cold running water to cool down – the egg must be soft-boiled. Peel and place in a blender with the vinegar and Dijon mustard.
3 With the motor running, slowly pour in the olive oil until you end up with a thick sauce. Stir through the chives and season with salt and pepper.
4 Lay half the herring fillets on a board, skin side down. Brush with the mustard, sprinkle over the parsley and season with salt and pepper.
5 Sandwich together with the other fillets.
6 Mix the breadcrumbs and flour together with plenty of seasoning. Dredge the herring in the mixture on both sides then heat the oil in a large frying pan. Fry for about 4–5 minutes on each side until golden and cooked through.
7 Toss the shallots in cornflour, then heat a good glug of oil in a small frying pan. Fry over a medium heat until crispy then leave to drain on kitchen paper.
8 Serve the herring topped with the crispy shallots and a side of mash, Nobis sauce, plus a little thinly sliced cucumber.
Recipe courtesy of Steffi Knowles-Dellner, extracted from Lagom
