Herring in cream with apple and onion Recipe
Herring in cream is a classic Polish appetizer, often served on Christmas Eve, but also at parties and family gatherings. The sweet-and-sour sauce made from cream, apple and onion goes perfectly with the salty fish. It’s a bit like Scandinavian marinated herring, but in a creamier, distinctly Polish version.
This is one of the most common “cold fish” dishes on Polish tables – from Christmas Eve to office parties, often served alongside versions in oil or Kashubian-style.
This dish combines salty herring with a creamy, sweet-and-sour sauce, creating a perfectly balanced, traditional Polish appetizer that works both for festive tables and casual gatherings.
Why this version works
- The combination of sour cream and yogurt makes the sauce creamy but not heavy, with a clear, refreshing tang.
- Blanching the onion in boiling water softens its sharpness while keeping a slight crunch, so it doesn’t overpower the herring.
- Controlled soaking of the herring with tasting along the way lets you adjust the saltiness to your own preference.
- Grated, lightly squeezed apple thickens the sauce and adds a fresh, fruity note without watering it down.
Chef's tips
Choose good-quality herring fillets and don’t rush the soaking step if they are very salty – it’s key to a balanced flavor. Letting the dish rest in the fridge overnight makes a big difference, as the onion softens and the sauce becomes more aromatic.
How to serve
Serve well chilled, in a shallow dish, sprinkled with fresh dill. Offer alongside rye bread or pumpernickel, boiled potatoes in their skins, and other cold appetizers such as pickles or cold cuts.
Watch out for
- Don’t shorten the soaking time for very salty fillets – overly salty herring will overpower the sauce and seasonings.
- Don’t mix the herring with a rough metal spoon, as it’s easy to tear the delicate fillets into an unappetizing mush.
- Don’t season with salt right away – after a few hours the fish will release some of its salt into the sauce and the flavor will intensify.
Substitutions
- Replace part of the sour cream with an extra 2–3 tablespoons of yogurt if you want an even lighter sauce.
- You can swap the tart, firm apple for a firm, low-juiciness pear for a gentler sweetness.
- You can replace the dill, without losing aroma, with finely chopped chives or flat-leaf parsley.
Ingredients
- herring fillets a la matias in oil or salted if using salted herring, they need to be soaked first - 400 g
- onion sliced into thin feathers - 1 piece
- tart apple peeled, coarsely grated - 1 piece
- cream - 200 g
- yogurt for a lighter sauce - 100 g
- lemon juice - 1 tablespoon
- sugar or honey - 1 teaspoon
- pepper to taste
- fresh dill chopped, optional - 1 tablespoon
Preparation
- If using salted herring, rinse them, cover with cold water and soak for 1–2 hours, changing the water from time to time. Taste a piece – if it is still very salty, soak longer.
- Pat the herring dry with paper towels and cut into pieces about 2–3 cm wide.
- Peel the onion and slice into thin feathers. To mellow its flavor, you can pour boiling water over it in a sieve and then immediately rinse with cold water.
- Peel the apple, remove the core and grate it on the coarse side of a grater.
- In a bowl, mix the cream, yogurt, lemon juice, sugar and pepper. Taste the sauce – it should be slightly sour and gently sweet. Adjust the seasoning if needed.
- Add the grated apple and onion to the sauce and mix.
- Add the herring pieces to the sauce and gently stir so as not to break up the fish.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight, so the flavors can meld.
- Before serving, sprinkle the herring with chopped dill.
Storage
No storage information available for this dish.
This creamy herring is one of those recipes that tastes even better the next day. It’s a staple on many Polish Christmas Eve tables, but it’s just as good as a simple, make-ahead snack for guests.
