FOOD SHOW: Sillglass is Swedish for herring ice cream

Sillglass is Swedish for herring ice cream: "

Herring ice cream with new potatoes, red caviar and crisp bread. Makes me long for Swedish summer nights. ;)
Originally uploaded by Manne.

Recently a most revolting question caught my eye on Twitter: 'I wonder if the Swedes do herring ice cream', @HERMANOPRIMERO asked.

If I had known that he was visiting the glorious Swedish capital it might have made more sense, but at the time all I could think was 'YEEEECH! Of course not, what a vile idea!'

Before I replied I figured I should google it though. 'Sillglass', in Swedish. To my surprise, and horror (initially), turns out we do. Instantly fascinated by the juxtaposition of herring and ice cream, creating an image of pure disgust in my mind, I of course had to try this.

Recipe is simple enough, and studying it more closely it is more like a frozen herring and creme fraiche paté... Ingredients call for soused herring (Swedish: matjé-sill), creme fraiche, bacon, chives and dill.

If you've ever celebrated midsummer's eve, Swedish style (it typically goes like this), you will know that the traditional lunch dish is exactly that. Herring of various flavourings, sour cream, chopped chives, boiled new potatoes with dill. On a hot summer's day it makes the perfect light meal.

Although, with Swedish schnaps perhaps neither light nor eventually very perfect on a hot day, but hey. Schnaps is optional. Unless you are Swedish.

Swedish midsummer on a plate, delicious
Originally uploaded by Magnus D and kindly published under Creative Commons.

With this in mind I was quite starting to look forward to creating my very own herring ice cream. Especially since I missed out on midsummer this year, not going back to Sweden to celebrate.

Incidentally Ing also found a whole package of 'Svenska nubbar', small bottles of regional Swedish Schnaps, at the back of our alcohol cupboard. The table was set for a proper Swedish feast.

Being the slightly distracted person I am I went all the way to Borough Market only to buy the wrong type of herring. Came home with two fresh herring fillets, and immediately realised my mistake. Soused herring, dammit, not fresh. Good thing I am Swedish and have long since found reliable suppliers of these types of rare and exotic delicacies.

So I headed out again, this time for Scandinavian Kitchen on Great Titchfield Street where you can find a treasure trove of Swedish treats, and delicious open faced Danish sandwiches to boot.

(The fresh herring fillets were later put to good use cooking pan-fried herring szechuan style. No herring was wasted making this recipe.)

A few minutes of intense blending and some chilled over night freezing later, we sat down to taste the strange concoction that is herring ice cream (with our selection of traditional schnaps) and lo, it was beautiful. From here on I vow to make herring ice cream for every midsummer's eve.

Check out the whole herring ice cream photo set at Flickr. Recipe and cooking instructions below.

My favourite of the traditional and regional Swedish schnapses to the far right: Skåne
Originally uploaded by Manne.

Ingredients (makes two small bowls, for 4)

2 soused herring fillets (matjésill in Swedish, see Scandi Kitchen)

1/2 red onion, roughly chopped
handful of chives, roughly chopped
lots of fresh dill, roughly chopped
4-6 rashers of bacon, pan fried
2 x 200 gram tubs of creme fraiche

I might add that the amount of herring here is for newbies. If you are a big herring fan you could double the 2 fillets to 4 for a more rich experience...

For serving:

Boiled new potatoes

some extra soused herring cut in pieces
chopped chives for garnish
red caviar for garnish (see Scandi Kitchen)
Swedish schnaps

Ingredients for herring ice cream
Originally uploaded by Manne.

Method

Start with frying the bacon as you would for a fry up, chop it up roughly.
Put herring, herbs, onion and bacon in a food blender and blitz.

Ready to be mashed into a not great looking pulp
Originally uploaded by Manne.

Add in the creme fraiche and mix it all up thoroughly to a smooth mousse. Taste it if you like to get an idea of things to come.

Herring, bacon and herb mash
Originally uploaded by Manne.

Transfer the mousse to two bowls, cover with plastic and freeze over night.

An hour or two before serving, transfer bowls to the fridge to make it easier to tip out the herring ice cream and cut up in nice serving pieces. If it is problematic getting the ice cream out of the bowl, try running the bottom under hot water for a while.

I made one without onion for Wendy, preferred the one with
Originally uploaded by Manne.

Serve with boiled new potatoes, some extra soused herring (or indeed one of the many other herring varieties like the classic favourite pickled in mustard), and chopped chives. Crispbread and a nice Swedish cheese like Prästost is a nice addition.

You are now enjoying a very traditional Swedish summer meal. For an added flair, get some red caviar to top off the herring ice cream with a quenelle.

Utterly delicious, and so Swedish
Originally uploaded by Manne.