Pickled Herring Salad (Sillsallad)
By Middagsarkivet
- Easy
- 4 servings
Sillsallad belongs to the Swedish smorgasbord, which means it turns up twice a year with total reliability: at Midsummer, next to the new potatoes and the schnapps, and again at the julbord in December, where it shares the cold end of the table with gravlax, ham, and three other kinds of herring. The rest of the year it is lunch food, spooned onto crispbread or rye.
There are two camps. The older, redder sillsallad is built on pickled beets and comes out shocking pink. This is the other one: potato, apple, onion, and dill, bound with sour cream and a little mayonnaise, so the herring stays the loudest thing in the bowl. Pickled herring is sold in jars in most American supermarkets, usually near the smoked fish or in the refrigerated deli case. Buy plain herring in vinegar rather than the cream-sauce kind, since you are making the sauce yourself.
How to make it
- 1
Boil the potatoes
Put the potatoes in a saucepan, cover with cold water, add a large pinch of salt, and boil until a knife slides in without resistance, 18 to 20 minutes depending on size.
- 2
Cool and peel
Drain the potatoes and let them cool until you can handle them. Slip off the skins and cut the flesh into 1/2-inch cubes. They must be fully cool before they meet the dressing, or the sour cream will go thin.
- 3
Prep the herring
Drain the pickled herring well, discarding the pickling liquid and any onion or spice from the jar, and cut the fillets into 1/2-inch pieces.
- 4
Mix the dressing
Whisk the sour cream, mayonnaise, mustard, sugar, and lemon juice together in a large bowl. Season with black pepper and a little salt, keeping in mind the herring is already salty.
- 5
Fold it together
Add the potato, herring, apple, red onion, diced dill pickle, and most of the dill to the bowl. Fold gently with a spatula until everything is coated, stopping before the potato starts to break down.
- 6
Chill
Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour so the flavors settle. Taste again once cold and adjust the salt and pepper.
- 7
Serve
Quarter or slice the hard-boiled eggs and lay them over the salad. Scatter the remaining dill on top.
A couple of tips
Drain the herring on paper towels for a couple of minutes. Wet fillets water down the dressing by the second day.
If you want the classic pink version, replace the apple with 1 cup of diced pickled beets and cut the sugar, since the beets bring their own sweetness.
Cut everything to the same size, roughly 1/2 inch. Sillsallad is judged on the spoonful, and an oversized chunk of onion ruins one.
Serving
Serve cold as part of a smorgasbord, with crispbread, rye bread, or boiled new potatoes. A cold beer and a small glass of aquavit are traditional at Midsummer.
Storing it
Keeps 3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Stir before serving, since liquid gathers at the bottom. Do not freeze; the potato turns grainy and the sour cream splits.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 510 kcal |
|---|---|
| Fat | 33 g |
| of which saturated | 7 g |
| Carbohydrates | 33 g |
| of which sugars | 9 g |
| Fiber | 3 g |
| Protein | 18 g |
| Salt | 2 g |
Questions and answers
- Can you freeze pickled herring salad?
- No. The potato goes mealy and the sour cream dressing separates on thawing. Make it the day before at most.
- Can I make sillsallad ahead of time?
- Yes, and it is better for it. Make it up to a day ahead, keep it covered in the refrigerator, and add the hard-boiled egg just before serving.
- What kind of pickled herring should I buy?
- Plain herring fillets in vinegar brine, sold in jars in most supermarkets. Skip the ones already packed in mustard, dill, or cream sauce, since they will fight with the dressing.
- What can I use instead of sour cream?
- Full-fat plain Greek yogurt or skyr works, though the result is tangier. Use all mayonnaise if you want it richer and less sharp.
- Is this the same as the pink beet herring salad?
- It is the same dish in its apple-and-potato form. The pink version swaps in pickled beets, which is the older Christmas-table style.
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