Dried Smoked Herring Filets

[BreezyCooking]

Anyone besides me like them? Once in awhile a local supermarket carries them & I can rarely resist. If you've never seen them, they're approx. 7"-long herring filets that have been salted/smoked/dried. Dark brown in color, they're not dried crisp like jerky, but are quite flexible. VERY salty & smoky.

I usually enjoy them by themselves as snacks or on crackers, but was wondering if anyone has ever cooked them. Since I really like kippers & eggs, I was thinking that perhaps I could saute one of these in butter in the same fashion. Sound possible?

[CharlieD]

I do. I love all smoked, or salted/dried fish. It's a russian thing in me. If you go to russian store you'll know what I mean. There will be tonn of different smoked fish. I just got back form New York and brough about $200 bucks worth of smoked and dried fish.

[BreezyCooking]

You & I are a kindred spirit - lol!!!!

Although I'm 100% Czech, my husband is 100% Ukrainian, & he'd rather eat worms & die than eat the dried/smoked/salted herrings I buy - lol!!!!!! He does like pierogi though.

That said - CharlieD, can I "cook", as in saute/fry these dried herrings? I have a rather large package & would like to find other ways of using them.

[auntdot]

Breezy I envy you, would love to find them in my store.

And adore kippers.

Don't know if you can saute them, can only suggest you take one and try it.

Nothing better than kippers and eggs.

Enjoy.

[CharlieD]

The only way I use them is to eat them with good beer. No cooking.

[JohnL]

Hello Breeze,
I haven't seen them in years, but up here,(B-more) they used to call them "Blind Robins". They were sold in most of the local blue collar bar rooms for 10 or 15 cents each. As they were salty and smokey, they went well with a cold beer. I haven't seen them in years though. As for cooking with them, why not? I would imagine that you could soak them in fresh water first like salt cod to remove some of the excessive salt and use them as you would any dry salted fish. Or, flake and mince into small pieces, add to cream cheese, sour cream, minced onion, parsley ect.... as a dip or spread.
Or you can play a mean trick on someone as one of my employees did years ago. Larry, (the jokester) purchased a dried herring and slipped it into the pillow case of Bobby, (the recipient of the prank) at a hotel that we were staying at. The next morning while we were eating breakfast at the hotel restraunt, Bob complained that he couldn't get a good nights sleep because his room smelled so bad and requested a room change

[BreezyCooking]

Think I'll pass on the pillow idea John - lol!!!

Auntdot - do continue to check out local markets for the smoked herrings. It's Giant that usually carries them. And as far as kippers, the canned ones are carried at every supermarket around here - Giant, Safeway, WalMart, etc.