|
SPECIES |
Herring |
|
BINOMIAL NAME |
Clupea harengus |
|
FISHING METHODS |
Pelagic trawl and purse seine |
|
MSC CERTIFIED |
Almost all herring from Denmark, The Netherlands and Scotland is certified (for more information on the MSC see here) |
|
TINNED OPTIONS |
Herring in water, herring with tomato and basil, smoked herring in oil, smoked herring with pepper |
HOW ABOUT A TIN OF HERRING WITH TOMATO AND BASIL? THAT’S HOW GOOD TINNED HERRING CAN BE.
HERRING is available both plain and smoked, but it is probably smoked herring that is better known, and to many people in the UK, that means kippers, which are available both freshly smoked and in a tin. A Victorian favourite for breakfast and an ingredient in the rice-based, Anglo-Indian dish kedgeree, some people may think of kippers as something quintessentially British. In fact, their popularity has waned considerably over the last century. When it comes to who actually originated kippers, opinions are divided. Conserving food by wood-smoking it is a technique a few thousand years old (if not more). The independent Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations is confident in naming the Dutch as the originators. The old-Dutch word küppen was initially used for lean salmon caught outside the season. An interesting kipper is the red herring, a red-brown smoked herring a couple sizes larger than our kipper.
A real kipper is a split, cold smoked herring. Split lengthways, the filleted fish is connected from head to tail. The Dutch also have the brado, a halved kipper. The origin of brado is undisputed, and the locally famous Ouwehand family takes the credit. In The Netherlands steamed buckling – a hot smoked, steamed herring – is more popular than the kipper. Cold-smoked herring is called a bloater. The buckling and bloater don’t end up in a tin, whereas the kipper often does. Tinned kipper is smoked in the same way as ‘fresh’ kipper. For the tinned variety, the manufacturers can use lean herring, which is also used for pickled herring, rollmops. This herring from the winter months is not fatty enough to be used as soused herring.
MANY manufacturers offer MSC-certified herring, mostly derived from sustainable fisheries in Norway, Denmark or Scotland. These fisheries also fish for soused herring, as does the Dutch vessel, Hollandse Nieuwe. They cast out ring nets and close them around a school of herring. The nets don’t touch the bottom of the sea, which limits unwanted bycatch. Using this method the fishermen take their responsibility for maintaining healthy fish stocks.
THE major herring processors are found in Denmark and North Germany. Many herring fisheries nowadays meet the requirements set by the MSC. But that’s not all. The factories, themselves also MSC-certified, produce delicious tinned fish filled with Scandinavian chefs’ cleverly balanced sauces. How about a tin of herring with tomato and basil or a piri-piri-mango sauce? These fish don’t need much to go with them – a fresh slice of chunky bread at most. That’s how good tinned herring can be.
FRANK Desler produces good herring in his cannery in the North-German Flensburg with tasty sauces – like tomato and basil – from Scandinavian chefs. He knows everything there is to know about herring and fully supports processing only sustainably caught fish. Preparing his fish, Frank pays close attention to the details. Too much heat can soften the herring too much and Frank does not want herring paste. By parboiling the herring, the fillets soften without losing texture and flavour.
MAIN COURSE
SERVES 4
1 small cauliflower
olive oil
1 leek, white part only, finely chopped
dry white wine
150ml/¼ pint/scant ⅔ cup vegetable stock
350ml/12fl oz/1½ cups whipping cream
4 leaves of gelatine
1 tin of kippers in oil (190g/6¾oz), drained
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
10 capers, finely chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp hazelnut oil
1 tsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
salt and freshly ground white pepper
• Cut the cauliflower into large florets, then a quarter into smaller florets.
• Heat a dash of oil in a frying pan and braise the leek on a low heat.
• Add the large cauliflower pieces and cook gently for 10 minutes or so.
• Deglaze with a splash of white wine and leave it to evaporate.
• Add the vegetable stock and season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, then leave to simmer gently for about 10 minutes.
• Stir in the cream and leave the broth to settle for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, soak the gelatine leaves in a generous amount of cold water and grease four individual 5cm/2½in ramekins with olive oil.
• When the cauliflower is cooked, purée the mixture, then rub through a sieve. Squeeze the moisture from the gelatine and stir into the mixture until blended. Spoon into the ramekins and chill for about 4 hours.
• Take the panna cottas out of fridge and turn out onto four plates. Arrange the kipper pieces around the panna cotta.
• Beat together the vinegar, capers, shallot and olive oil.
• Heat the hazelnut oil in a frying pan. Fry the smaller cauliflower pieces quickly until lightly browned. Stir through the dressing.
• Pour the dressing over the kippers and garnish with parsley.
MAIN COURSE
SERVES 4
4 poppadoms
300g/10½oz/1⅔ cups basmati rice
100g/3½oz butter
4 tsp curry powder
2cm/¾in piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
2 onions, finely chopped
3 tbsp chicken stock
3 eggs, hard-boiled and chopped
5 sprigs of coriander, finely chopped
5 sprigs of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 lemon
2 tins of kippers in oil (190g/6¾oz each), drained
1 bunch of spring onions, cut in rings
salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Prepare the poppadoms according to the instructions on the packet.
• Cook the rice according to the instructions on the packet. The rice should be al dente, as it will be reheated later. Leave to cool.
• Melt the butter in a frying pan. Add the curry powder and grated ginger and fry for a minute.
• Add the onion and fry until translucent.
• Deglaze with a splash of chicken stock and let the stock evaporate, stirring to mix in all the juices from the pan.
• Add the chopped egg.
• Stir in the rice and heat through over a low heat. Season the kedgeree with the coriander, parsley, a squeeze of lemon juice, salt and pepper.
• Carefully stir the kipper pieces through the kedgeree.
• Serve the kedgeree with broken poppadoms pieces and spring onions.
