Once you sit at a Finnish summer table and have a chance to taste the food, you shall understand that food is not only the passport to nutrition, it is tradition and family and enjoyment of the mere things of the season. Silli ja Uudet Perunat, also known as herring and new potatoes, is one simple dish that can really bring out this concept. Throw in a heaping spoon of butter and a dusting of fresh dill, and you have one of the most famous summer dishes, also known as Finland
It is not fancy fare. It is rustic, homey and collectively follows the seasons. Finns eagerly await the harvests in the early summer time when New potatoes appear in the kitchens in their small and tender form. Companied by pickled herring, a cornerstone of Nordic food, the result is refreshing, reassuring and steeped in history
Some background information: A Little Background
Nordic diets long relied on herring. Before modern-day refrigeration, food preservation through salting, smoking, and pickling fish was a method of preserving food and, over centuries, became an art form. Herring (silli) in Finland is much enjoyed in many ways, but perhaps one of the most natural marriages made in heaven is fresh-dug new potatoes and herring, which is commonly to be had almost any time of year, but most of this marrying occurs in the early summer, particularly when the potatoes are sweetest and most tender
It is not a complicated dish; it has nothing to do with being complicated; it is just a respect for a seasonal vegetable and for allowing natural flavours to be appreciated. In most Finnish families, it is consumed during midsummer festivals, on summery nights or as a laid-on outdoor event
Ingredients
- 500g new potatoes – preferably Finnish or small waxy potatoes
Substitute: Pickled mackerel or anchovies, or, failing to secure herring, smoked salmon
- Melted butter (unsalted, of good quality) or in pieces
Substitute: Use olive oil instead, a lighter type
- Fresh dill is a Finnish culinary staple
Substitute: parsley or chives, but dill is not authorizably replaceable
- Salt (optional) is usually not necessary when salted herring is used.
- Boiled eggs (optional, for serving) – a common addition in Finnish households
Instructions
Step 1: Clean but do not peel the fresh potatoes; they have thin skins which contain a lot of flavour. Put into a pot of cold water, a small dose of salt, and boil gently
Cook, fork-tender (15-20 minutes depending on size). Drain well
Step 2: In a very small pan, melt the butter on low heat until it comes into a smooth golden form.
Or use soft butter out of its dish on the plate, and then the butter melts atop the hot potatoes
Step 3: Boil out the pickled herring fillet and chop it into little pieces
Put them on a plate or a small serving dish
Step 4 : On each plate, place a generous serving of boiled new potatoes
Step 5 : Add a few herring fillets with it
Sprinkle with finely chopped fresh dill
Step 6 : Add in some boiled egg slices, side of rye bread or even some sour cream to make it creamy as a finishing
Best enjoyed fresh and hot – serve potatoes straight after boiling so the butter melts beautifully.
- Serve with rye bread :When Finns eat a bowl they will normally add a slice of dense rye bread to soak up.
- Make it a festive occasion : Serve in a big platter in the middle of the table to be shared with your guests during your midsummer party.
- Drink pairing : This dish is often enjoyed with cold beer or a small glass of schnapps in Finland.
Precautions
- Balance the salt : Since herring is already salty, don’t oversalt the potatoes
- Use fresh dill : Dried dill won’t give the same aroma or authenticity
- Check for bones : Some herring fillets may have tiny bones, so check before serving
- Don’t overcook potatoes : Mushy potatoes will ruin the texture
More About Silli Ja Uudet Perunat
Silli ja Uudet Perunat is evidence to the fact that simple does not always produce the frilliest. Only a few ingredients (potatoes, fish, butter, and herbs) come to play in that picture where the summer in Finland can be traced. It is those types of food that force you to pace yourself, enjoy the season and enjoy the people around the table
Thus, next time you are in need of a slight glimpse of Nordic tradition, give this simple but comforting dish a go it may very well take you off to a sunlit Finnish night at the lake.
