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Surströmming
Surströmming: Höga Kusten fermented Baltic herring on thin bread with potatoes and onion
Surströmming is fermented Baltic herring from Höga Kusten, the High Coast of northern Sweden, sold in bulging tins at the end of August, when the 'surströmmingspremiär' begins and families gather outdoors for parties. The smell is famously strong, so tins are opened outside, ideally under a bowl of water, and the fillets are rinsed, then rolled in tunnbröd with boiled almond potatoes, red onion and sour cream. This recipe uses shop-bought surströmming; never try to ferment fish at home. The fish is fermented, not cooked, so it is not for pregnant women, young children or anyone with a weakened immune system. A common mistake is opening the tin indoors. Chef's tip: soak the fillets briefly in cold water to tame the saltiness and smell, and pile on the onion and sour cream.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For serving
- 1 tin of surströmmingabout 300 g drained
- 1 ⅓ lb small waxy potatoes
- 1 red onionfinely chopped
- ¾ cup sour cream or gräddfil
- ⅓ oz fresh chiveschopped
- ⅓ oz fresh dillchopped
- 1 ⅜ oz buttersoft
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Boil 1 ⅓ lb small waxy potatoes for 15–20 minutes, until tender. Peel and slice.
20 minStep 2: Take the tin outdoors and open it under a bowl of water, or wrapped in a cloth, pointing away from you. Common mistake: opening indoors.
Step 3: Lift out the 1 tin of surströmming, rinse briefly in cold water and remove the backbones. Pat dry and cut into pieces.
Step 4: Butter 4 soft tunnbröd or thin flatbread with 1 ⅜ oz butter, lay potato slices on each, then herring, 1 red onion, a spoon of ¾ cup sour cream or gräddfil, ⅓ oz fresh chives and ⅓ oz fresh dill. Roll up and eat.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 16 g
- Carbs
- 40 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does surströmming take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of small waxy potatoes?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
- What can I use instead of red onion?
- White onion or shallots, same amount (soak raw onion in cold water for 10 minutes to soften it).
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