Gaby
The basic technique for pickling herring is incredibly simple: salt, sugar, a bowl, and a fridge.
How to Pickle Fish
Ingredients (the ratio is based on one kilogram of herring): cleaned fish – 1 kg; salt – 2 tablespoons for pickling + 1 teaspoon for the marinade; sugar – 1 tablespoon for pickling + 1 teaspoon for the marinade; hot mustard – 1 teaspoon for the marinade.
For the thawed fish, cut off the heads and tails, gut it, rinse it, and rub the inside and outside of the fish with a mixture of sugar and salt.
The herring will taste even better if, after pickling, you mix the chopped fillets with the marinade (hot mustard, sugar, and salt) and let it sit in the fridge for 2–3 hours.
You can also finely chop a bunch of parsley and dill, mix it with softened butter, and spread this mixture on the herring fillets. Roll the fish fillets into tight rolls, pack them securely in a plastic bag, and store them in the freezer. Use the prepared products as needed, easily slicing the partially frozen fillets before serving.
How to Make Canapés
Ingredients: herring fillet – 180 g; pickled cucumber – 1; hard-boiled eggs – 2; apple cider vinegar – 1 tablespoon; vegetable oil – 1 tablespoon; Borodinsky bread – 1 loaf; black pepper – to taste; fresh herbs and cherry tomatoes – for garnish.
Crush the hard-boiled eggs with a fork. Mix them with finely chopped herring and cucumber. Dress the mixture with vinegar and oil. Add finely chopped herbs and ground pepper. Stir the mixture and spread it on bread cut into triangles. Garnish the canapés with cherry tomatoes and herbs.
Life Hack
You can blend all the ingredients in a food processor to create a more uniform spread for the bread. If you use pre-marinated herring fillets, there’s no need to add oil and vinegar to the spread mixture.
