Fermented Herring

I promise. I would never force you to eat fermented herring (sw. surströmming). It is a northern Swedish delicacy food. However, many people never get used to neither the smell nor the taste. They are avoiding this fermented food dish forever. Those who are familiar with the durian fruit say that fermented herring stinks worse.

The Baltic herring is caught in spring, when it is just about to spawn, then fermented in barrels with a minimum of salt for one to two months, and finally tinned where the fermentation continues.

The third Thursday in August is traditionally the right time to eat fermented herring (surströmming). It smells so bad you have to open the can outdoors. It is best eaten indoors because the smell attracts the flies. Then “the gas” will fill the whole house for at least a couple of days. Despite the disgusting smell, this is how we like to eat fermented herring.

INGREDIENTS:
serves 2 – 4

* 1 tin fermented herring (10 – 12 herrings )
* new potatoes, boiled with dill

* red onion, finely chopped
* tomatoes, finely chopped
* dill, finely chopped

* crème fraiche

* soft thin bread
* butter

* beer
* a mix of Swedish spiced vodka (Reimersholm Swedish Schnapps)

METHOD:
1. Fork a whole fish from the tin, and slice it down the middle.
2. Remove its soft insides, and open the herring.
3. Stamp it with the fork, the bone loosens and it can be filleted.
4. Cut it into small pieces.
5. Take a piece of soft “tunnbröd” (thin bread), plaster the bread with butter.
6. Slice boiled potatoes, place the slices evenly on the bread.
7. Sprinkle with herring pieces and the tomato-onion mixture.
8. Finally put a big dollop of crème fraiche on top.
9. Roll it up, make a wrap, take a bite and wash it down with beer.

A Herring Wrap

Schnapps
A spiced schnapps is often a must. There should be a great variety to choose from. A warning though: Eating fermented herring and drinking too much alcohol will get you hangover. “You open your eyes the next morning, wishing you had not”.

Singing schnapps songs when lifting the glass is an old tradition. The most well-known Swedish schnapps song is “Helan gÃ¥r”.

Hell and gore
Chank happ fallerallan-lay
Hell and gore
Chank happ fallerallan-lay
Oh handsome in the hell and tar
and hell are in the half and four
Hell and gore
Chank happ fallerallan-lay
(An English version)