How to Microwave Soused Herring
Herring is an oily, saltwater fish that is found from the North Atlantic to the North Pacific and is popular in many Mediterranean dishes. Herring pickled in vinegar and spices is traditionally eaten raw in Scandinavia, and sillglass, or herring ice cream, is served in Sweden. More mainstream, perhaps, is soused herring, where fillets of the fish are baked in cider or wine. This dish is simple to prepare and can be cooked in the microwave. It serves 4 to 6 people. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- 8 small, fresh herring
- Salt
- 1/2 pint of cider or white wine
- 1/2 pint white wine vinegar
- 4 bay leaves
- 4 cloves
- 12 black peppercorns
- 4 oz chopped thyme
- Kitchen knife
- Chopping board
- Kitchen paper
- Large shallow dish with cover, microwave-safe
- Oven mitts
- Fork
Instructions
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Preparing
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1
Use a sharp knife to scrape the scales off the herring.
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2
Cut off the heads and tails and slit each fish along the length of its belly.
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3
Run your finger through the inside of each fish to gut it. Wash the insides of the fish thoroughly under running water.
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4
Lay the herring fillets on a sheet of kitchen paper and pat them dry.
Sousing
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5
Pack the herring fillets tightly side-by-side in a single layer in a large, shallow dish. Do not pile the fish on top of one another as this affects the cooking time. Arrange the fish so that they present an even thickness, preferably of around an inch. If your fish are thicker than this, open them out along the cut side for even cooking in the microwave.
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6
Sprinkle the fish with a little salt.
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7
Add the bay leaves, cloves, peppercorns and thyme.
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8
Pour the cider or wine and the vinegar over the fish.
Cooking
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9
Place the covered dish in the microwave. Make sure the cover fits loosely or has a vent so the steam can escape. Cook the fish on full power for three minutes. Microwave specifications vary, so you may have to use your judgment and add a little more cooking time at a later stage, depending on the type of microwave you have and the size and thickness of the fish.
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10
Allow the dish to stand for a further two minutes. The fish will continue to cook during this time, so it is important not to neglect this step. Remove the dish from the microwave, using oven mitts.
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11
Check if the herring are fully cooked by gently inserting a fork into the fish and pulling apart the flesh. It should be soft and opaque all the way through without the slightly transparent look of raw fish. When it is cooked, fish flakes easily. If the fish is not fully cooked, return it to the microwave and cook it for another 10 to 20 seconds, leaving the dish to stand for 20 seconds after.
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12
Continue with short bursts of cooking, if necessary, until the fish is done. This gradual approach avoids overcooking, the main problem of heating a delicate food like fish in a microwave. Stop cooking when the fish are just tender. Overcooked fish will be hard, gray and unappetizing.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Serve with a green salad.
After they have been soused, herring can be kept for two to three days in the refrigerator
A good alternative to herring is mackerel.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit herring image by Anton Gvozdikov from Fotolia.com
