Herring forshmak

A very ancient Jewish dish, herring forshmak, translates to "anticipation", meaning this cold appetizer is served before the main course. The consistency of forshmak resembles a somewhat heterogeneous pâté with small inclusions of its components. Herring, eggs, onion, and sour apple form the basis of the traditional recipe.

Yield: 10 servings.

Cooking time: 30 minutes.

Caloric value: 206 kcal per 100 grams of the dish.

Cuisine: Jewish.

Ingredients

• lightly salted herring - 1 pc. (500 g);
• small white onion - 1 pc.;
• chicken eggs - 3 pcs.;
• butter - 100 g;
• green apple - 1 pc.;
• wine vinegar (or apple vinegar) - 1.5 tbsp.;
• mustard - 2 tsp.;
• ground black pepper - 0.25 tsp.

Preparation

1. Prepare the ingredients. Take the butter out in advance so that it becomes soft. Only sour varieties of apples are suitable, while wine vinegar can be substituted with apple vinegar.

2. Fillet the whole herring, removing the skin. If there is roe, it can also be added to the filling, but the milt of male fish can be bitter and spoil the taste. Therefore, it's better to remove it from the mix.

3. Cut the fillet into large pieces first.

4. Then, chop them either in a meat grinder or a food processor, but try to leave some small whole pieces in the filling for a more pronounced flavor in the final dish.

5. Finely grate the onion.

6. Add the onion puree to the herring filling.

7. Boil the eggs "soft-boiled", which means the yolk should be slightly runny - this will give the fish filling a more pleasant tint. After the water reaches a boil, this will take 3 minutes.

8. Peel the apples, grate the flesh on a vegetable grater with small holes, and discard the core with seeds.

9. Add the resulting puree to the filling.

10. Add the semi-liquid yolks, which are then mashed with a fork, as well as the whites, grated finely.

11. Mix the mass until all ingredients are evenly distributed.

12. Season the mixture with butter. Mash it.

13. To give a special sharpness and piquant taste, add mustard, wine vinegar, and ground pepper. Mix everything again.

14. The final taste of herring forshmak will be achieved after a short resting period in the refrigerator (about 15 minutes). This appetizer is served on rye bread or croutons, but it can also be served in a common salad bowl. In a tightly closed glass container, forshmak can be stored for up to two days, but usually, it is eaten very quickly.

Cooking video