Pickled Herring with Potatoes, Jammy Eggs, Brown Butter & Horseradish Crème Fraîche

Happy Misdummer to everyone! While Midsummer is technically today in Sweden (always a Friday), lots of people–including me–will celebrate tomorrow, on Saturday. And if you don’t plan on celebrating at all, you could make this regardless as a side for another summer dinner party.

As some of you probably already know, boiled potatoes and pickled herring are two very classic Swedish things–potatoes on the daily, pickled herring more so on holidays. This dish is a version of something I’ve had many times before, pairing jammy eggs with boiled potatoes, pickled herring, a generous drizzle of brown butter, horseradish crème fraîche, red onion, and dill. If you’re scared of pickled herring, don’t be! It’s salty, tangy, and a little sweet, all of which go really well with the richness of the egg yolk and the starchy potatoes.

Tips

• Because this recipe is more about assembly than anything else, you can easily make more or less depending on how many people you’re serving.

• For pickled herring, my favorite is from Blue Hill Bay. Acme or any other brand also works–just make sure it comes in a white wine sauce, not a creamy sauce.

Downloadable recipe card

• ½ lb baby potatoes (or fingerlings)

• Kosher salt

• 4 large eggs

• ¼ cup crème fraîche

• ½ teaspoon prepared horseradish

• 3 tablespoons salted butter

• ½ jar pickled herring (see Tips)

• 2 tablespoons chopped red onion

• Freshly cracked black pepper

• Fresh dill, for garnish

1. Place the potatoes in a medium pot and cover with salted water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to a simmer, and cook until fork-tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain and let cool.

2. Using the same pot, bring water to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer and carefully add the eggs. Cook for 7½ minutes, then immediately transfer to an ice bath and let cool for 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, thin the crème fraîche with the horseradish and season to taste with salt. Set aside until ready to serve.

4. Add the butter to a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the foam subsides and the milk solids turn golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes– watch closely as it can burn easily. Remove from the heat and let cool.

5. When ready to assemble, cut the potatoes in half and the eggs into quarters lengthwise. Cut any large pieces of herring into 1-inch pieces.

6. Arrange the potatoes, eggs, and herring on a serving platter, then spoon the brown butter all over. Dollop the horseradish crème fraîche on top, then garnish with the chopped red onion, black pepper, and dill.

If you have any questions or want to share a photo, I’d love to hear from you in the chat!!