Equipment
Ingredients
Marinated Herring
- 400 g smoked herring fillets, whole, skinless and boneless
- 100 g carrot, peeled and sliced into paper-thin rounds
- 50 g shallot, peeled and sliced into thin rings
- 250 ml sunflower oil
- 2 g fresh thyme, whole sprigs
- 2 bay leaf
- 3 g black peppercorns, whole
Potatoes
- 600 g fingerling potatoes, scrubbed clean
- 15 g kosher salt
Dijon Vinaigrette & Garnish
- 15 g dijon mustard
- 30 ml white wine vinegar
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 5 g fresh chives, finely minced
- 5 g fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 g black pepper, freshly ground
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 1018 kcal
- Protein
- 31 g
- Carbohydrates
- 148 g
- Fat
- 35 g
- Fiber
- 16 g
- Sugar
- 16 g
- Sodium
- 329 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 5 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 14 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Cholesterol
- 60 mg
- Potassium
- 2538 mg
- Calcium
- 224 mg
- Iron
- 4.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 166 mg
- Phosphorus
- 584 mg
- Zinc
- 2.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 894 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 14 mg
- Vitamin D
- 4.2 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 4.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 59 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 1.8 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 13.7 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.57 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.42 mg
- Niacin
- 10.2 mg
- Folate
- 69 mcg
- Water
- 95 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Arrange the smoked herring fillets in a single layer in a shallow glass dish. Scatter the thinly sliced carrots, shallot rings, fresh thyme, bay leaves, and whole black peppercorns evenly over and around the fish.
Pour the sunflower oil over the herring and aromatics until the fish is completely submerged. Cover the dish tightly and refrigerate for 24 hours to allow the aromatics to permeate the oil and mellow the harsh saltiness of the fish. Keep strictly refrigerated at or below 4C/40F for food safety.
Place the fingerling potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water by an inch. Add the kosher salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reaching 100C/212F, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes until the potatoes are completely tender when pierced with a paring knife.
Drain the potatoes well and allow them to cool just until they can be handled safely. Slice them in half lengthwise while they are still warm.
In a mixing bowl, vigorously combine the Dijon mustard and white wine vinegar using a whisk. Slowly stream in the extra virgin olive oil while whisking constantly until the dressing is thick and emulsified. Stir in the minced chives, chopped parsley, and freshly ground black pepper.
Toss the warm sliced potatoes gently in the Dijon vinaigrette. Remove the marinated herring fillets from the glass dish, letting the excess oil drip away. Plate the dressed warm potatoes alongside the herring, and garnish with a few of the oil-steeped carrots and shallots from the marinade.
Chef's Notes
- Always dress potatoes while they are warm. Cold potatoes have closed cell structures and will merely be coated in dressing rather than absorbing it.
- Do not discard the aromatic oil left over after the herring is finished. It holds a beautiful, smoky, herbaceous flavor that is exceptional when whisked into a potato salad dressing or drizzled over roasted root vegetables.
- Using a neutral oil like sunflower or grapeseed for the marinade is crucial. Extra virgin olive oil will solidify in the refrigerator and its robust flavor can easily overpower the nuanced smoke of the herring.
- Select mildly smoked, soft herring fillets for this preparation. Heavy, hard-cured kippers will be too aggressive and dry for this elegant presentation.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Keep leftover herring completely submerged in the marinating oil to maintain freshness and texture.
Troubleshooting
Vinaigrette breaks and looks greasy or separated
Cause: The olive oil was poured in too rapidly, overwhelming the mustard emulsion base
Fix: Place a teaspoon of warm water or a small dab of fresh mustard in a clean bowl. Slowly whisk the broken vinaigrette into the new bowl until it re-emulsifies
Prevention: Stream the oil in drop by drop initially, whisking continuously before increasing to a slow, steady drizzle
Herring is unpleasantly salty
Cause: The brand or cure of the smoked herring was intensely salted, which varies widely by producer
Fix: Cannot be fixed once fully marinated and plated, but serving with extra unsalted potatoes helps balance the bite
Prevention: If you know your herring is very salty, soak the fillets in milk for two hours in the refrigerator before draining, patting dry, and beginning the oil marination
Cultural Context
Known in traditional French bistros as Harengs Pommes à l'Huile, this dish is a cornerstone of classic Parisian working-class fare. Historically, it provided a robust, inexpensive, and protein-rich meal by utilizing affordable preserved fish and hearty root vegetables. Today, it stands as a celebrated appetizer or light main course that perfectly balances the rich, oily profile of the fish with sharp, acidic, herbaceous notes.
