Russian Fish-Herring
Herring is an oily fish of the genus Clupea, found in the shallow, temperate waters of the North Pacific and the North Atlantic oceans, including the Baltic Sea. Two species of Clupea are recognized, the Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) and the Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii), each which may be divided into subspecies. Herrings are forage fish moving in vast schools, coming in spring to the shores of Europe and America, where they are caught, salted and smoked.
Herring has been a staple food source since 3000 B.C. There are numerous ways the fish is served and many regional recipes: eaten raw, fermented, pickled, or cured by other techniques. The fish was sometimes known as “two-eyed steak”.
Herring are very high in the long-chain Omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. They are a source of vitamin D. Large Baltic herring slightly exceeds recommended limits with respect to PCB and dioxin. Nevertheless, the health benefits from the fatty acids are possibly more important than the risk from dioxins. However, this has not been proved and is based solely on theory – one needs to be aware that dioxins are carcinogenic agents. Some sources point out that cancer-reducing effect of omega-3 fatty acids is statistically stronger than the cancer-causing effect of PCBs and dioxins, but there is lack of scientific evidence to back this up.
Pickled herring is common in Russian cuisine, where it can be served as simple as just cut into pieces seasoned with sunflower oil and onions, or can be part of herring salads, which are usually prepared with vegetables and seasoned with mayonnaise dressing.
A typical Dutch delicacy is Hollandse Nieuwe (Dutch New), which is raw herring from the catches around the end of spring and the beginning of summer. This is typically eaten with raw onion.
You can find authentic Russian Fish-Herring on many Russian Restaurants in Los Angeles.
