This recipe for Polish herrings in oil, sledz w oleju (pronounced SHLEDGE vef oh-LAY-yoo), is from chef Marek (Mark) Widomski, founder, and director of the Culinary Institute in Cracow, Poland. Herring is one of Poland's favorite appetizers. Salt herring, required for this recipe, are generally available from the barrel at Polish, Jewish, and other international delis. Raw herring is heavily salted to prevent spoilage, so you will need to soak them to get rid of the saltiness.
Plan your time accordingly because the herring is placed in a jar along with the oil and seasonings and marinated for two to three days before it can be eaten. You can make it up ahead of time before an event or holiday as it keeps in the fridge for up to two weeks. Serve it with a topping of sliced onions and lemons and sprinkle on either chopped parsley or dill for a finishing touch.
Poles love herring in myriad forms—pickled, creamed, fried, whole, fillets—and in another appetizer recipe known as rollmops or rolmopsy in Polish. Herring is featured throughout the year in Poland but especially at holiday times like Christmas Eve, known as wigilia, New Year's Eve celebrations, and on Shrove Tuesday before Lent.
Serve it with other appetizers such as Polish prunes wrapped in bacon (śliwki w boczku) and Polish stuffed peppers (papryka nadziewana).
Ingredients
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
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Soak herring in cold water for at least 1 hour. If very salty, repeat, changing the water each time.
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Drain thoroughly and slice herring into bite-sized pieces.
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Place in a jar large enough to accommodate the pieces and cover with oil, allspice, peppercorns, and bay leaf. Close the jar. Refrigerate for two to three days before eating. This will keep refrigerated up to two weeks.
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Serve with finely chopped onion or onion slices, lemon, and parsley or dill.
Tips
To keep the dish from being very salty, make sure to soak the herring long enough to draw some of the salt out. Soak for an hour and if still salty, repeat, changing the water each time.
How to Store
These herrings will keep in a glass jar with tight lid in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Herring vs. Sardines
Herrings and sardines come from the Clupeidae family. They do get confused with each other sometimes and both will get called sardines. They look similar and have silver fins that have blue and black to them.
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
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612 | Calories |
41g | Fat |
18g | Carbs |
46g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 6 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 612 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 41g | 52% |
Saturated Fat 8g | 38% |
Cholesterol 147mg | 49% |
Sodium 224mg | 10% |
Total Carbohydrate 18g | 7% |
Dietary Fiber 4g | 15% |
Total Sugars 7g | |
Protein 46g | |
Vitamin C 76mg | 378% |
Calcium 185mg | 14% |
Iron 4mg | 21% |
Potassium 1081mg | 23% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
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