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RECIPE:
Julesild
Traditional Norwegian Christmas herring

An explosion of flavours in a jar! In Norway, you'll find pickled herring on almost every table at Christmas.

It can be made in traditional Norwegian Christmas flavours ... or how about a tasty version with tomato sauce?

Julesild (traditional Norwegian pickled herring) is usually served on (rye) bread, and can be made in different varieties.

It's delicious and easy to make. Try these three popular versions:

Kryddersild - Spiced pickled herring

Ingredients

4pickled herring filets

1 red onion, thinly sliced

Brine:

200 mlvinegar

350 ml sugar

400 ml water

Finely grated peel from 1 orange

Finely grated peel from 1 lemon

1cinnamon stick

5 cloves

3 laurel leaves

1 tbsp whole black pepper

Source: Fiskemannen.no

Method

1. Water out the pickled herring following the instructions on the packaging. Slice the filets into 1 cm thick pieces and slice the onion into thin rings.

2. Boil the vinegar, water, sugar, and orange and lemon peel brine. Stir the brine until the sugar has dissolved. Add spices and remove from heat. Allow the brine to cool.

3. Place the herring and onion in alternate layers inside a clean jar (you may need more than one jar). Pour the brine inside the jar and close the lid.

4. Leave the jar in the fridge overnight to allow the flavours to develop.

This pickled herring can be stored in the refrigerator for two weeks.

Tomatsild - Pickled herring in tomato sauce

Ingredients

4 spiced herring filets

1 onion

2tbsp fresh dill, chopped

2 laurel leaves

Tomato sauce:

500 ml sunflower oil

100 gr tomato purée

250 ml sugar

100 ml water

100 ml vinegar

Coarse pepper

Method

1. Rinse and dry the spiced herring filets. Slice the filets into 1 cm pieces and slice the onion into thin slices.

2. Heat the oil in a pot, add tomato purée while stirring and bring the tomato sauce to a boil.  Remove from heat and add sugar. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. 

3. Allow the sauce to cool before stirring in water and vinegar. Add pepper to taste. 

4. Place herring, onion, laurel leaves, and dill in alternating layers inside a clean jar (you may need more than one jar). Pour the tomato sauce into the jar and close the lid.

5. Leave the jar in the fridge overnight to allow the flavours to develop.

This pickled herring can be stored in the refrigerator for two weeks.

Sennepssild - Pickled herring in mustard sauce

Ingredients

4 pickled herring filets


Mustard sauce:

100 gr mayonnaise 

5 tbsp. strong mustard

3 tbsp. fresh dill, finely chopped 

Half a red onion, finely chopped

1 tsp vinegar

1 tsp sugar

Pepper to taste

Method

1. Water out pickled herring filets according to the instructions on the pack. 

2. Slice the filet into 1 cm wide pieces. 

3. Mix mayonnaise, mustard, finely chopped dill, red onion, vinegar, and sugar.  Add pepper to taste. 

4. Mix the herring pieces into the mustard sauce. Place into a clean jar (you may need more than one jar) and close the lid.

5. Leave the jar in the fridge overnight to allow the flavour to develop.

This pickled herring can be stored in the refrigerator for two weeks.

Herring is not only delicious to eat, it has also been essential to the economy of many cities along the coastline.

Rich herring shoals actually laid the foundation for the development of Haugesund in Fjord Norway.

Here, you can even attend a festival named after herring, the Sildajazz festival, one of the biggest jazz festivals in the country. 

Listen to great music, and enjoy the street parade and market!

From the fjords of the west to the north!

Large schools of herring swim all the way from the coast of Haugesund to Northern Norway, where they make a perfect snack for large orcas.

Experience the incredible wildlife in the north on a guided tour.

Seafood recipes

Make bacalao, salmon in lefse, and other tasty seafood dishes from Norway.

The Norwegian Cookbook

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