flipInlagd sill — pickled herring with onion
Inlagd sill — pickled herring with onion
Why this dish? Fish, and herring in particular, featured in af Klint's simple, low-meat diet, faithful to Nordic sobriety. Preserved in salt then vinegar, it was the democratic fish of all Sweden, present from the cottage on Munsö by Lake Mälaren to the modest tables of Stockholm.
Desalted herring fillets marinated in a bath of mild vinegar, sugar, onion, and allspice berries. Tangy and tender, eaten on crispbread or dark bread.
Herring, my friends, is the silver of the sea — humble and inexhaustible. First we salt it so it lasts, then we make it mild by bathing it in sweetened vinegar, with onion in thin rings and a few fragrant berries. In our home, no cold table is without it; we place it on rye bread and bless this sea that gives so much for so little. Be patient a day or two: the marinade does its work without our meddling.
- •Salted herring — a few fillets (keeping fish)
- •Vinegar — as needed (acid marinade)
- •Sugar — in measured parts (sweetens)
- •Onion — 1 or 2 (aromatic)
- •Allspice berries and bay leaf — a few (spices)
Inlagd sill — pickled herring with onion
Desalted herring fillets marinated in a bath of mild vinegar, sugar, onion, and allspice berries. Tangy and tender, eaten on crispbread or dark bread.
Why this dish? Fish, and herring in particular, featured in af Klint's simple, low-meat diet, faithful to Nordic sobriety. Preserved in salt then vinegar, it was the democratic fish of all Sweden, present from the cottage on Munsö by Lake Mälaren to the modest tables of Stockholm.
Herring, my friends, is the silver of the sea — humble and inexhaustible. First we salt it so it lasts, then we make it mild by bathing it in sweetened vinegar, with onion in thin rings and a few fragrant berries. In our home, no cold table is without it; we place it on rye bread and bless this sea that gives so much for so little. Be patient a day or two: the marinade does its work without our meddling.
Ingredients (period version)
- Salted herring — a few fillets (keeping fish)
- Vinegar — as needed (acid marinade)
- Sugar — in measured parts (sweetens)
- Onion — 1 or 2 (aromatic)
- Allspice berries and bay leaf — a few (spices)
Ingredients
- Salted herring fillets (or matjes) — 300 g (keeping fish)
- White vinegar (diluted ättika) — 100 ml (acid marinade)
- Water — 150 ml (softens marinade)
- Sugar — 100 g (balances)
- Red onion — 1 (aromatic)
- Allspice + bay leaf — 5 berries + 2 leaves (spices)
Method
- Desalt the herring fillets in cold water for 4 to 6 hours, changing the water. Drain and cut into pieces.
- Bring vinegar, water, and sugar to a simmer to dissolve the sugar, then let cool completely.
- In a jar, layer herring, onion rings, allspice berries, and bay leaf.
- Pour the cold marinade over, seal, and marinate in the fridge for at least 24 hours before serving with crispbread.
How it was made : Before domestic refrigeration, herring was salted in barrels right after fishing to last the year. The vinegar pickling came later, just before eating, to soften the overly salty fish and make it tasty — a cuisine born of necessity that became tradition.
The contemporary twist : Serve in verrines with a spoonful of sour cream and chopped dill, on a shard of knäckebröd.
Hilma af Klint · Charactorium
