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Forshmak
Chopped herring pâté
Forshmak (форшмак): Odesa chopped herring pâté with apple, egg and butter, on toast
UkrainianForshmak came to Odesa with its Jewish community and became a citywide favourite, spread on toast at family celebrations, in Moldavanka courtyards and on restaurant zakuska boards. Salted herring is chopped with tart apple, hard-boiled egg, onion and bread soaked in milk, then whipped with soft butter into a pale, creamy pâté that is salty, sweet and gently sharp all at once. Serve it on toasted rye or white bread with spring onion. Herring for forshmak is cured but not cooked, so buy ready-salted fillets from a good fishmonger, commercially prepared or previously frozen, keep everything cold and eat within 2 days; it is not for pregnant women, young children or anyone with a weakened immune system. Blitzing it to a smooth paste is the usual error; Odesa cooks like a little texture. Chef's tip: grate the apple at the last moment and add a squeeze of lemon, so it stays white and fresh.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the forshmak
- 2 eggs
- 9 oz ready-salted herring fillets (commercially prepared or previously frozen)skin and bones removed
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 small onionroughly chopped
- 1 tart green applepeeled and cored
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 2 ⅛ oz buttersoftened
- ¼ tsp black pepperfreshly ground
To serve
- 6 toasted rye or white bread (optional)slices
- 2 spring onion (optional)thinly sliced
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Put the 2 eggs in a small pan of cold water, bring to the boil and cook for 10 minutes, until the yolks are completely firm. Cool in cold water and peel.
10 minStep 2: Soak the 1 slice of white bread, crusts removed in the ¼ cup milk for 5 minutes, then squeeze it lightly.
5 minStep 3: Check the 9 oz ready-salted herring fillets (commercially prepared or previously frozen) for any small bones and cut it into pieces. Taste it: if very salty, soak in cold water in the fridge for 30 minutes and pat dry.
4 minStep 4: Pass the herring, eggs, bread and 1 small onion through a mincer, or chop together with a big knife until fine but not pasty.
6 minStep 5: Grate the 1 tart green apple, toss it with the 1 tsp lemon juice and fold it in with the soft 2 ⅛ oz butter and ¼ tsp black pepper until creamy and evenly mixed.
3 minStep 6: Pack into a bowl, cover and chill for at least 1 hour to firm. Keep in the fridge and eat within 2 days.
2 minStep 7: Spread on 6 toasted rye or white bread and scatter with 2 spring onion.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 240 kcal
- Protein
- 11 g
- Carbs
- 9 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does forshmak take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
- What can I use instead of milk?
- Oat, soy or almond milk, same amount (use unsweetened for savoury dishes).
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