Herring with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Onion Recipe
Herring with sun-dried tomatoes and onion is a more modern take on traditional Polish herring. It combines the salty flavor of the fish with slightly sweet, intense tomatoes – a bit like a meeting of a Polish Christmas Eve table with an Italian antipasto.
This recipe refreshes the classic Polish herring by pairing it with sun-dried tomatoes and aromatic oil, creating a bridge between traditional flavors and Mediterranean accents.
Chef's tips
Taste the herrings before marinating to check their saltiness and adjust soaking time accordingly. Don’t skimp on the tomato oil – it carries a lot of flavor and makes the marinade rich and fragrant.
How to serve
Serve in a shallow dish, sprinkled with extra parsley, alongside slices of rye or wholemeal bread. A wedge of lemon and a few olives on the side make it look and taste even more like an elegant antipasto.
Ingredients
- herring fillets a'la matjes in oil or salted (if using salted herrings, they need to be soaked) - 400 g
- sun-dried tomatoes in oil (about 80 g) - 8 piece
- onion (medium) - 1 piece
- oil from the sun-dried tomatoes (from the tomato jar) - 3 tablespoons
- oil (to top up the marinade) - 2 tablespoons
- vinegar (optional, if you like a more pronounced flavor) - 1 tablespoon
- fresh parsley (chopped) - 2 tablespoons
- garlic (finely chopped) - 1 clove
- pepper (to taste)
Preparation
- If you are using salted herrings, rinse them under running water, then cover with cold water and soak for 1–2 hours, changing the water from time to time, until they are as salty as you like. Then pat dry with paper towels.
- Cut the herrings (both those in oil and the soaked salted ones) into strips about 2 cm wide.
- Remove the sun-dried tomatoes from the oil and cut them into thin strips. Reserve the oil from the jar – you will need it for the dressing.
- Peel the onion and slice it into thin feathers. If you want to mellow its flavor, pour boiling water over it for 5 minutes, then drain and cool.
- In a small bowl, mix the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes, rapeseed oil, chopped garlic, vinegar (if using), and freshly ground pepper. Taste the dressing – it should be aromatic and slightly sharp.
- In a larger bowl or jar, layer the herrings, onion, and sun-dried tomatoes, sprinkling everything lightly with chopped parsley.
- Pour the prepared oil dressing over everything so that the ingredients are well covered. If necessary, add a bit more oil.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or close the jar and place in the fridge for at least 12 hours, preferably for a full day, so the flavors can meld.
- Serve the chilled herrings with bread, for example rye or wholemeal.
Storage
Śledzie przechowuj w lodówce w słoiku lub zamkniętym pojemniku, całkowicie przykryte olejem, do 5 dni. Z czasem smak będzie coraz intensywniejszy.
