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Herring Tartare

Christmas Eve Dinner Snacks 60 min Medium 18 wyświetleń ~13.48 PLN - (0)
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Description

Herring tartare is a traditional, aromatic fish appetizer perfect for the Christmas Eve table. It is made from finely chopped herring fillets (preferably matjas), combined with onion, pickled cucumber, egg, and a delicate dressing of mustard and cream. It has a distinct salty-sour taste with hints of pepper and dill; the texture is creamy with noticeable pieces of herring and crunchy elements. It is served on small plates as an appetizer, with dark bread, wafers, or small crackers. The dish is visually striking — bright strands of herring intertwine with the green of dill and slices of cucumber, and the whole can be decorated with egg quarters and capers. The tartare is easy to prepare in advance (chilled, it tastes best) and fits perfectly into the tradition of a meatless Christmas Eve, while also offering an intense, satisfying flavor.

Składniki (11)

Servings:
4
  • Matjes herring fillets (drained) 300 g
  • Red onion 150 g
  • Pickled cucumber 1.2 szt.
  • Hard-boiled egg 2 szt.
  • Dijon mustard 15 g
  • 18% cream 50 ml
  • Lemon juice 15 ml
  • Fresh dill (chopped) 10 g
  • 🌿 Przyprawy
  • Freshly ground black pepper 2 szczypty
  • ✨ Opcjonalne
  • Capers (optional) 30 g
  • Freshly grated horseradish (optional) 20 g
💰 Szacowany koszt dania: ~13.48 PLN (3.37 PLN/porcję)

💡 Kliknij na składnik aby oznaczyć jako użyty

Preparation steps

Preparation of ingredients

1

Prepare your workspace: wipe the countertop, get a cutting board ready, a sharp knife, 2 bowls (one larger for mixing, one for draining the herring), a spoon, forks, and a strainer. Remove the herring fillets from the packaging, place them in the strainer, and drain for 10 minutes to get rid of excess brine or oil. If the fillets are very salty, rinse them briefly under cold water and drain again for a few minutes.

Ingredients: Matjes herring fillets (drained)
Use a medium-sized bowl (about 2 l) for mixing. A sieve will speed up the draining. If the fillets have skin, place them skin-side down and slide it off with a knife — the skin should come off easily.
2

Check the fillets for bones: gently run your finger along each fillet. If you feel a bone, remove it with fish tweezers or a thin knife. Then cut the fillets into cubes with a side of about 5 mm. Do not blend with a blender — the tartare should have a texture with discernible pieces.

Ingredients: Matjes herring fillets (drained)
Use a sharp, small knife for precise bone removal and cutting. Check under good light, the bones are thin and shiny; gently pull them out with tweezers.
3

Peel and finely chop the onion: cut the onion in half, trim the ends, peel off the skin, and slice it thinly, then dice it into small cubes. If you want to mellow the sharpness of the onion, pour boiling water over the chopped onion for 30 seconds, drain, rinse with cold water, and then thoroughly dry on a paper towel.

Ingredients: Red onion
For chopping, use a sharp chef's knife and a stable cutting board. A small, fine dice of onion will evenly distribute the flavor without overpowering.
4

Chop the pickled cucumber into small cubes similar in size to the herring (about 5 mm). If the cucumber is very moist, drain the pieces on a paper towel to prevent the tartare from becoming too watery.

Ingredients: Pickled cucumber
Use the same cutting board (after wiping it down) or another clean one to avoid transferring odors. Gently pat the pieces dry, do not press too hard to avoid crushing the cucumber.
5

Peel the hard-boiled eggs, cut one egg in half, and set the quarters aside for decoration. Mash the remaining eggs finely with a fork or knife — you can chop the white and yolk together so that small pieces are visible in the texture.

Ingredients: Hard-boiled egg
Cook the eggs for 9–10 minutes from the moment they start boiling, then cool them in cold water for 5 minutes — they will be easier to peel. Use a fork to break them up to control the size of the pieces.

Mixing

6

In a large bowl, combine the chopped herring fillets, finely chopped onion, pickled cucumber, and chopped eggs. Add 15 g of Dijon mustard, 50 ml of 18% cream, and 15 ml of freshly squeezed lemon juice. Gently mix with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula for about 1–2 minutes, until the ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing. The texture should be compact, but pieces of herring and cucumber should still be visible.

Ingredients: Matjes herring fillets (drained), Red onion, Pickled cucumber, Hard-boiled egg, Dijon mustard, 18% cream, Lemon juice
Use a large bowl (at least 2 l), a wooden spoon or spatula. Stir gently — overmixing will break the structure and the tartare will become mushy.

Seasoning and testing

7

Season the tartare with freshly ground pepper (about 2 g) and taste a small amount on a teaspoon. Assess the intensity of the flavor: if the dish is too salty (often with herring), add another 10–15 ml of cream and/or a teaspoon of finely grated horseradish (optional). If the flavor is too bland, add more lemon juice in increments of 5 ml and taste again. If using capers, add them now (30 g) and gently mix in.

Ingredients: Freshly ground black pepper, Lemon juice, Capers (optional), Freshly grated horseradish (optional)
Always try small portions to avoid oversalting. Remember that capers and herring are very salty — it's better to add liquids (cream, juice) than salt.

Cooling

8

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place the tartare in the refrigerator for 30 minutes — chilling allows the ingredients to 'meld' and the flavors to develop evenly. If you plan to prepare it in advance, the tartare can be chilled for up to 24 hours (see storage tips).

Use an airtight container or foil so that the tartare doesn't absorb the smells of the fridge. 30 minutes is the minimum — longer storage enhances the flavor.

Serving

9

Remove the tartare from the fridge. On a plate, arrange portions of 80–100 g per person (for 4 people, the total weight should yield four aesthetically pleasing portions). Shape nice mounds using a spoon or a metal ring for molding. Decorate with quartered eggs, freshly chopped dill, and optionally a few capers on top. Serve with dark rye bread, dry crackers, or wafers.

Ingredients: Hard-boiled egg, Fresh dill (chopped), Capers (optional)
To form the portions, use a spoon and scoop from the bottom, or prepare metal rings (diameter 6–8 cm) — it looks nice aesthetically on the Christmas table. Serve chilled.

Fun Fact

💡

Herring tartare is a variation of the classic meat tartare — the technique of finely chopping and seasoning comes from peasant and fishing cuisine, where herring was one of the staple products. In many regions of Poland, herring tartare was a festive dish as early as the 19th century.

Best for

Wigilia Świąteczne przyjęcia Przystawka na przyjęciach rybnych

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve the tartare chilled, with dark bread (rye) or crackers; it pairs well with cold water or light cider. It can be served in small portions on cocktail spoons as finger food. If you are preparing more, keep the garnishes (dill, eggs) until the last moment to ensure they look fresh.

🥡 Storage

Store the tartare in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. After 24 hours, the texture may deteriorate and the flavor will become more intense. Freezing tartare is not recommended (thawing traces will ruin the delicate texture). If the tartare seems too salty after chilling, serve it with more bread.

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