What to do with smoked herring?

[hlbones]

My neighborhood Gristedes (!) has packages of "smoked herring", in with the meats and fish. These don't look like anything I'm used to -- not like chubs, or kippered herring. They look like big, dry anchovy filets, 4 or 5 inches long, dark brown and flat, and packed a bunch (?) to a container. I asked the fish guy what to do with them, but he just rolled his eyes and said, "Cook 'em". Thanks a bunch.

So my question: what are they, and what do I do with them? Thanks

[todao]

Bake them in a sauce (any good tomato based sauce works just fine), grill them on the BBQ, chop them up in salads, use them in sandwiches (either as fillets or chopped and mixed with a cream cheese, sour cream or mayonnaise sauce) include them as an ingredient in pasta dishes. or just serve them as a main protein with a perhaps a lemon/butter sauce.

[lexpatti]

I grew up eating smoked herring that my great grandfather smoked himself in Nova Scotia in a smoke shake - we only eat them on crackers as a snack. Slice the filet into maybe 1 inch squares and put on a cracker with maybe cream cheese. They are very salty, I've never cooked with them.

[bushwickgirl]

Smoked herring, crackers and beer on a Saturday afternoon makes you happy you're alive. Throw in some sharp cheddar and hot cherry peppers and call it supper.
I've never cooked them. They are quite salty. Your fish guy doesn't know about smoked herring if all he said was cook 'em.

[hlbones]

The consensus seems to be -- just eat 'em (more or less). So I'll give it a try - depending on how tough or salty they are. Anyway, at $2.50 or so a package, no great loss if it doesn't work. Thanx all.

[todao]

Hey, bushwickgirl, I'm comin' to your place on Saturday. I'll bring my own glass (gotta contribute something to that feast) ;>}

[bushwickgirl]

Todao-You have a standing invite...

hlbones, a word of caution, smoked herring have an, um, aroma, in case you hadn't noticed. Keep them well wrapped in the frig or you'll have smoky fish or fishy smoke-scented everything.
Eat smaller pieces, rather than larger. Savor the smoky, salty chewiness. Yum.

[mixamillion]

You may have never cooked it but a stew of browned onions,the smoked herring pieced up and deboned(as much as you can, the thinner bones become softned and edible enough that they wont cause a problem) and a can of tomatoes,creating a west indian salt fish style is yummy for daysl.Served on top of a bed of polenta\coucou (west indian name for polenta) You got a dish thats a classic.

[Joebob]

Debone, put resulting flakes in an oven-proof dish, cover with whipping cream, bake until cream sets, eat.

[TexasSage]

Like Todao suggested, cook it in a tomato based sauce. And like you noticed, they look like big anchovies. How about using the final product as a pizza topping with some onions and capers. I remember eating something like that in Italy. It was really delicious!

[miss_habibi]

I make a reaaalllly good sandwich with kippered herring. Looks kind of like tuna salad:

- 1 can herring, chopped up
- 1 or 2 hard boiled eggs (depending on how you like the fishy taste)
- 2 or 3 baby dill pickles (with garlic, my preference)
- about a tbsp finely chopped red onion, or scallions, or any mild, sweet onion
- about 2 tbsp fat free plain yogurt
- about 1 tbsp miracle whip

Chop, mix, mash, and wrap in a tortilla, spread on crackers, or eat straight out of the bowl. Om nom nom.

EDIT: I just realized what you have is NOT like kippered herring. My bad :(

[bushwickgirl]

Maybe not smoked herring, but your recipe sounds great anyway!

[smartie]

you could make a smoked fish pate. I like smoked fish straight out the packet or on a salad. How about warmed (steamed maybe) with fried eggs and toast.