The herrings dishes in Poland are very popular appetizers on New Years Eve Party, special occasions events and meatless holidays.
Warsaw Herring- Śledz po Warszawsku
Serve this attractive appetizer in a clear-glass dish.
2 lbs. small salted dressed herring
1/2 cup cold milk
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
1 medium dill pickle, finely shredded
1 medium apple, peeled, finely shredded
2 medium onions, shredded
1/2 pickled sweet red pepper or pimento,
minced
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 cup olive oil
Pimento strips for garnish
In a large bowl, place herring in enough cold water to cover. Soak 6 to 8 hours, changing water 3 times. Bone herring; remove skin. Cut each herring lengthwise into 2 fillets. Place fillets in a narrow baking dish. Pour milk over herring. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour, turning herring several times. Remove from milk; pat dry. Discard milk. On a flat working surface, arrange fillets. Spread mustard evenly over tops of fillets. In a medium bowl, combine dill pickle, apple, shredded onion, red pepper or pimento, and black pepper. Spread equal amounts of dill-pickle mixture on fillets. Roll fillets, lengthwise, jelly-roll style. Secure with wooden picks. Place 1/2 sliced onions on bottom of a medium glass or ceramic jar or crock. Add herring rolls. Top with remaining onions. Drizzle oil over onions and herring. Cover; refrigerate 2 to 3 days. To serve, arrange herring rolls on a plate or in a clear-glass dish. Garnish with pimento strips. Let stand 1 hour at room temperature. Makes 12 to 16 servings.
Variation- If using small herring, layer herring rolls in a serving dish.
Marinated Herring- Marynowane Sledzie
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup water
5 black peppercorns
5 allspice berries
2 bay leaves, crushed
2 large onions, thinly sliced
2 lbs. fresh dressed herring
2 or 3 herring milt sacs
3 tablespoons olive oil
In a medium saucepan, combine vinegar, water, peppercorns, allspice and bay leaves. Bring to a boil. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat 5 minutes. Add onions; reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool. Drain onions, reserving vinegar mixture. Cut herring into l-1/ 2- to 3-inch pieces. In a medium glass or ceramic jar, or crock with a tight-fitting lid, arrange 1 layer of herring. Top with a thin layer of cooked onions. Repeat layering process until all herring and onions are used. In a small bowl, crush milt sacs. Stir into reserved vinegar mixture. Pour vinegar mixture over herring. Drizzle oil over herring. Cover with tight-fitting lid. Gently shake jar or crock to evenly distribute vinegar mixture and oil. Refrigerate 3 to 4 days before serving.
Makes 12 to 16 servings.
Source: POLISH COOKING, Marianna Olszewska Heberle
CHOPPED HERRING- Śledzie Siekane
2 fat salt herrings -or dressed herrings
3 hard cooked eggs
3 small onions
2 T sweet butter
Do not soak herring. Remove head, tail and skin from herring.
Do not remove the bones. Chop herring, eggs and onion very
fine. Add butter and mix well. Serve as spread on canapes or
appetizers.
FRIED HIERRING- Śledzie Smażone
3 salt herrings
1 egg
1 T water
Flour
Butter
Soak herrings for 24 hours. Clean herrings, remove head and tail but do not remove the skin. Cut herring in pieces. Thin egg with water. Dry herring with tissue, dip in flour, egg and in flour again. Fry quickly in butter, turning once.
HERRING PUDDING- Babka ze Śledzi
2 fat salt herrings
Milk
4 baked potatoes
1 egg
2 T sour cream
Dash of pepper
Soak herrings in milk for 18 hours. Remove meat from bones and chop fine. Peel hot baked potatoes and force through ricer.
Mix with herring, add egg, and beat hard. Add sour cream and pepper. Bake in buttered casserole for 20 minutes in hot oven.
HERRING AND POTATO CASSEROLE-Śledzie Zapiekane z Kartoflami
5 medium potatoes
2 herrings
l onion, chopped
2 t butter
1 cup cream
Soak herrings for 24 hours. Clean, remove meat from bones and chop coarsely. Cook potatoes in jackets until tender. While hot, peel and slice thin. Fry chopped onion in butter. In a buttered baking dish, alternate layers of potatoes, chopped herring and onion. Cover with cream. Sprinkle top with bread crumbs and melted butter. Bake, in 325° oven for one hour.
PICKLED HERRING II- Śledzie Marynowane
3 whole salt herrings
2 large onions, sliced
1 cup vinegar
4 peppercorns
4 whole allspice
1 t sugar
Soak herrings in cold water for at least 24 hours. Change water every 8 hours or oftener. Save the milch from herrings.
Skin, remove bones and cut each herring into 4 pieces. Arrange onions in a bed on a deep platter. Arrange herring on top of onions. Boil vinegar and cool. Rub milch through fine sieve, mix with vinegar and sugar and pour over the herring. Serve with whole boiled potatoes.
Łaknącemu wszystko smaczne.
A good appetite needs no sauce.
Source : Trasured Polish Recipes for Americans, Published by Polanie Club Polanie Publishing Company, Minneapolis
