Latvia · Herring

Latvian Salted Herring with Onions

Siļķe ar Sīpoliem

Herring has been the fish of the Baltic coast for centuries. In Latvia salted herring is cut into pieces, layered with onion rings and a little oil, and served cold with hot boiled potatoes, dill and a spoon of sour cream.

Prep 20 min
Cook 0 min
Serves 4
Level Easy

Photo: Alesia Berlezova / Adobe Stock

Served with: Boiled New Potatoes with Dill ↓En Español

Ingredients

Tap each item as you gather it.

For the herring

4 salted herring fillets (or 2 whole salted herrings, filleted)
Milk or cold water, for soaking (if very salty)
1 medium onion (white or red), sliced in thin rings
3 tbsp sunflower or rapeseed oil
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (optional)
½ tsp black peppercorns, lightly crushed

To serve

½ cup sour cream
2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
2 scallions, sliced (optional)

Method

Step by step, the way it is done there.

Check the salt. Taste a small piece of herring. If it is very salty, soak the fillets in milk or cold water 1–2 hours, then pat them dry.
Cut. Remove any small bones you can feel and cut the fillets across into 1-inch (2–3 cm) pieces.
Layer. Lay the herring pieces in a shallow dish and cover them with the onion rings.
Dress. Mix the oil with the vinegar and peppercorns and pour it over. Cover and chill at least 1 hour so the onion softens.
Serve. Serve cold with hot boiled potatoes with dill, sour cream and dark rye bread.

On the side

The side dish that belongs with it, full recipe included.

Latvia

Boiled New Potatoes with Dill

Vārīti Kartupeļi ar Dillēm

Small potatoes boiled in their skins, tossed with butter and a big handful of dill. In Latvia they go next to herring almost every time.

Prep 5 min
Cook 20 min
Serves 4
Level Easy

You need

2 lb (900 g) small new potatoes
1 tsp salt, for the water
2 tbsp butter
3 tbsp chopped fresh dill
Salt and pepper

How to make it

Boil. Cover the potatoes with cold salted water, bring to a boil and simmer 15–20 minutes until a knife slides in easily.
Drain. Drain well and let them steam dry for a minute in the hot pot.
Toss. Add the butter and dill and shake the pot to coat. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve. Serve hot next to the cold herring.

More from this part of the world

Other fish from the same waters.

Curonian Spit, LithuaniaLithuanian Hot-Smoked Eel

UkraineUkrainian Fried Carp