Meet Fried Herring with Potato Blini & Pickled Radish from Ray’s Boathouse, on beautiful Shilshole Bay in Ballard, for Alaska Herring Week 2017!
Wanna make this at home? You can purchase the same Alaska Herring fillets being used by Seattle’s top chefs for Alaska Herring Week from Central Coop on Capitol Hill, Freshy’s Seafood Market on Mercer Island, Old Ballard Liquor Co. in Ballard, and Wild Salmon Seafood Market at Fisherman’s Terminal! Once you’ve done that, here’s the recipe:
Fried Herring with Potato Blini & Pickled Radish
By Executive Chef Paul Duncan
Makes 2 servings
For the herring:
- 4 Herring fillets
- 1 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- Teaspoon yellow mustard seed
- Teaspoon fennel seed
Bring to simmer until sugar and salt dissolve. Cool completely. When cool, place herring fillets in flesh side down to completely submerged. Place in refrigerator and let sit for 5 hours, this will soften the small bones and render them edible.
Remove herring fillets from brine and pat dry. Season lightly with kosher salt. Dredge in equal parts cornstarch and all-purpose flour. Fry in neutral oil at medium high heat, or deep fry if possible. When skin has crisped remove from heat and allow excess oil to drain of fillets.
For the blini:
- 2 pounds russet potato
- 2 whole eggs
- 3 scallions chopped
- Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup sifted all-purpose flour
- Clarified butter for cooking
Peel potatoes and cook until fork tender in salted water. Place in a food mill and rice them. Let cool. Add all other ingredients to potatoes and fold the ingredients together lightly making sure not to overwork. Make 1/4 cup sized portion of batter and brown on medium heat in non-stick pan using clarified butter.
For the pickled radish (black and red varieties):
- 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup champagne vinegar
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons pickling spice mix including (coriander, mustard seed, fennel, cumin, clove, juniper, thai chili, bay leaf)
Bring ingredients to a simmer in saucepan until sugar and salt dissolve. Cool completely. Slice radish thin on mandolin slicer and submerge completely for 6 hours. Remove slices when ready to complete your dish.
Alaska Herring Week 