This potato salad recipe with pickled herring is a traditional German-Austrian recipe for the season of Lent, especially on Ash Wednesday.
This Austrian recipe is related to northern German recipes and, even though it's a cold salad, it's eaten chiefly in the cold winter months.
It's unusual that this recipe would have originated in Austria because herring is an Atlantic fish and Austria is not near the sea, landlocked as it is in Central Europe. But because fishermen pickled the herring on board their ships, they were preserved and became an oft-traded item from northern Germany.
Ingredients
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1 1/2 pounds waxy potatoes, such as Yukon Gold or fingerling potatoes, boiled in their skins and cooled
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3 pickles, drained and chopped
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10 capers, drained and minced
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1 (14-ounce) jar pickled herring, rinsed, patted dry and chopped into 1-inch pieces
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1 cup canned white beans, about 1/2 (14-ounce) can, drained and rinsed
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1 cup chopped onion
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1 cup sour cream
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3 to 4 tablespoons white vinegar
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2 tablespoons oil
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1/4 teaspoon salt
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1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
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1/4 teaspoon sugar
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1/2 cup radish slices, for garnish
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1/4 cup chopped fresh dill, for garnish
Steps to Make It
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Peel and slice the cooled potatoes into a large bowl. Add 3 chopped pickles and 10 minced capers, chopped herring, 1 cup rinsed and drained canned beans and 1 cup chopped onion. Mix well and set aside.
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In a small bowl, mix the dressing ingredients by combining 1 cup sour cream, 3 to 4 tablespoons white vinegar and 2 tablespoons oil. Season to taste, mixing thoroughly.
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Pour the dressing over the potato-herring mixture and carefully fold it in so the potatoes stay intact. Refrigerate, covered, at least 2 hours. Decorate with radish slices and/or chopped dill before serving.
Herring in Germany
Herring takes pride of place in German cuisine. It is most often salted and/or pickled and served as Matjes or Bismark herring. Every region of Germany has its recipes that highlight this fish. Herring is divided into several different types, depending on the time of year and the life cycle of the fish.
Along with Matjes and Bismark, there are Fettheringe, Grüner Heringe, Bratheringe, Vollheringe, Hohlheringe, Salzheringe, and we're sure a few more. We're also sure most Germans can tell them apart just by looking at them.
Smoked or pickled herring are common street food. People pick the one they like from a barrel (in the case of pickled herring) or a vendor's table, hold it by the tail above their mouths and devour them in what seems to be one bite.
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
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472 | Calories |
25g | Fat |
47g | Carbs |
17g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 6 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 472 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 25g | 31% |
Saturated Fat 6g | 30% |
Cholesterol 31mg | 10% |
Sodium 1319mg | 57% |
Total Carbohydrate 47g | 17% |
Dietary Fiber 6g | 21% |
Total Sugars 10g | |
Protein 17g | |
Vitamin C 16mg | 80% |
Calcium 167mg | 13% |
Iron 4mg | 21% |
Potassium 1014mg | 22% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
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