Perhaps, any national cuisine boasts an unusual, even somewhat specific treat. And even the most sophisticated gourmets can not always decide to try this delicacy. In some countries, these are larvae and caterpillars, in others, unusual fruits, offal or dishes. There is such a "local" delicacy in Sweden, it is called surströmming or pickled herring "with a sweet".
Famine during the war
The world-famous delicacy of canned fish could not have been in the world if it had not been for the war that the Swedes started in the sixteenth century. Swedish ships fought for supremacy over the sea with a German settlement called Lübeck. It should be noted that the Lubeck fleet was much larger than the number of Swedish ships. Food necessary for maintaining the army during the war was delivered with great risk and in a situation of increased danger. The path was very difficult, the reserves of the soldiers remained less and less.
Even the basis of the table of the Swedish army - herring was at that time in great shortage, not to mention salt, which was valued above gold. In order to cash in or save money (the story is silent about this), Swedish food speculators began not to report salt in barrels of fish. Canned herring arrived at the destination already sour or even slightly rotten.
Legend has it that Swedish soldiers, exhausted by hunger and war, were at that time ready to eat any, even that nasty, smelling dish. However, the sour taste and unpleasant smell even liked the soldiers.
The war ended, the herring remained
After the war, the dish did not get lost and did not disappear. The recipes for the preparation of canned food surstremming, began to use the poor population. Salt, as during the war, was in great shortage, but there were plenty of fish. Fermented herring became the head of the poor table. Over time, the richer strata of the population, as they say, got into a great deal of surrealization. The dish has become a national delicacy. Nowadays, all famous Swedish culinary specialists use “with a sweet spot” in their recipes and are very proud of the national culinary heritage of their country.
It should be noted that in modern Sweden the attitude to canned food is rather ambiguous. Some people are madly fond of feasting on a “perfumed” herring, they prepare various snacks and even holiday salads from it. But there are those who can not stand the terrible smell of hydrogen sulfide, which exudes this fish. Despite this confrontation, any restaurant in Sweden, and even a small cafe on the outskirts, has on its menu a herring surremming.
The taste is amazing, but the smell ...
Perhaps it can even be called disgusting. According to reviews of those who nevertheless managed to overpower themselves and try the Swedish delicacy, it turns out that the "darling" of herring surremming is very similar to the smell that comes from very, very badly rotten chicken eggs. However, despite the repulsive aroma, many tourists dream of arriving in Sweden to try surstremming. What it is: a love of extreme culinary delights or a tribute to fashion is not known, but the fact remains.
The fish tastes very tasty. Judging by the reviews, it is very similar to ordinary canned herring, only quite salty and richly flavored with various spices. If you ever decide to try it, we advise you to do it exclusively in a restaurant. It is not allowed to buy herring “with a sweetheart” and bring it to the hotel room. Also at Swedish airports there is a ban on the transport of this delicacy. Practically "chem. weapons ”or“ smelly ”smuggling is obtained.
Herring is not a herring
Swedish Surprising What is it really? It turns out that the name of the type "perfumed herring", "herring with rotten rot" and others are fundamentally wrong. This delicacy is not prepared from herring, from herring. They catch fish for this delicacy exclusively in the spring. Then subjected to special fermentation in a salt-sweet brine.
The second assumption that the fish is "not the first freshness" is also incorrect. For cooking, exclusively fresh, almost freshly caught fish is used. Experts say that only the highest quality herring goes to cook surstremming. The price of this delicacy, it should be noted, is quite high, even by the standards of small Sweden.
If you buy a jar at a local store, then it will cost you about 50-70 dollars. When ordering “fragrant” herring through online suppliers, the price of surstremming will be much higher, in terms of our money. One can of canned food can cost about 3300-3500 rubles.
Production process
How is Surprising made? What is it from the point of view of the technological process? First, as we said above, fish are caught in a certain period and it must certainly be the first freshness. Secondly, a special “secret” pickle is used for production, which consists of sugar, spices and salt. The amount of ingredients used for fermenting herring is kept in the strictest confidence.
Fermentation takes about a month. After the fish has been cooked, it is packed in jars. Canned goods already in closed form continue to “reach”. Fermentation and the fermentation process cause banks to inflate. On the shelves of stores it is very easy to identify surstremming. These will be round-shaped jars with a slightly raised lid.
How to open a jar?
We hope that now you understand that this is surrealization. A swollen jar of foul-smelling fish poses a threat to those who are about to set the table. How to open a jar in order not to stain the rest of the dishes or your own kitchen with “aroma” and oil inside?
There are several secrets. Some recommend opening canned food exclusively in the fresh air. But at the same time, they are not advised to serve the fish on a table in the garden or a gazebo, since you run the risk of quickly attracting flies to your table. After opening the container in the air, hold the jar for a while so that the herring is “aired”, and then take it into the house and prepare for serving.
Others advise to open banks with surstremming under water. At the same time, you will not only equalize the pressure that is created in the bank during the fermentation of the fish, but also avoid getting oil on your clothes or table. Everything will remain in the water.
We note right away that neither one nor the other way removes the completely specific smell of pickled herring. Your receptors will still be attacked by a rotten aroma. You will have to come to terms with this if you decide to try an unusual Swedish fish delicacy.
How to eat?
Before you start tasting or making any appetizers from the Swedish “rotten” herring, it is recommended to thoroughly rinse it under running water and remove the skin. How to eat surstremming?
The classic option is a sandwich with brown bread, butter and potatoes. Smear a piece of bread with butter, put a couple of pieces of fish on top, cover it all with a circle of boiled potatoes. You can also add a few feathers of onions. At some points in the food service, herring surremming is set off by lingonberries or other berries with a sour taste.
What to drink?
It turns out that the Swedes also have a certain tradition that tells how to drink a “fragrant” sandwich with surstremming. Real gourmets drink milk with a national delicacy. But most often appetizers with “rotten” herring are served in Swedish in bars and restaurants with cold, even ice beer or local schnapps.
Cooking Surprising at Home
If you don’t have the opportunity to try the delicacy in Sweden itself, you can always cook it at home. But, we note immediately, a decent amount will have to be spent - about two months. There are some recipes, for example, Buryat, according to which the cooking time is reduced to two days.
To cook fish in a traditional pickle, you will need:
- Herring or Baltic herring.
- Two liters of water.
- Salt - 200 g.
A “caustic" pickle called brine is prepared from table salt. Fill them with fish. We remove it in a cool dark place and forget it for two months. After the fish becomes sour and salted, it can be preserved.
It is possible to make surstremming in a weak salt solution. To do this, take:
- 1 kilogram of fish.
- 2 liters of water.
- 250 g of salt.
The fish is placed in cooked brine for two weeks. At the same time, she stands in a warm room. How to check if the dish is ready or not? We take the fish by the tail and see if the meat is separated from the bone. If the answer is yes, then the Swedish surstremming is ready for conservation, if not, leave the fish for a few more days.
Sauce fish with vegetables
If you are looking for a faster recipe, then we offer you to cook surstremming with vegetables. Cooking time is only three days.
The following ingredients will be required:
- A kilogram of any river fish.
- 50 ml of water.
- 100-150 g of salt.
- Carrot - 2 kg.
- Onions - 2 kg.
- A little vegetable oil.
- Vinegar 9% - about a hundred grams.
The fish is cleaned, the entrails are removed and the fins are removed. The head remains. Rub the fish with salt and put in a deep container. Leave for one or two days in a warm place. Then the herring is washed, dried and cut into pieces. We put it again in a container and sprinkle with slices of vegetables. Add the amount of oil and vinegar indicated in the recipe. Mix, slightly sprinkled with water. After a couple of hours, the surplus will acquire the necessary taste and specific aroma.