Crisp Herring Milt with Shiso Furikake, Plus Brined and Pickled Herring

Crisp Herring Milt with Shiso Furikake

A light flour coating protects the delicate milt while developing crisp edges. Adding the furikake after frying preserves its aroma and keeps the seaweed from scorching.

Ingredients

• 1 lb very fresh herring milt sacs, cleaned by the fishmonger if possible
• 1/3 cup cassava flour
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt, plus more only if needed
• 1/2 cup avocado oil, or enough for a 1/4-inch depth in the skillet
• 1 tbsp Shared Cultures shiso furikake, verified gluten-free, or a gluten-free shiso furikake with nori and sesame

Instructions

1. Keep the milt refrigerated until ready to prepare. Gently remove any attached blood vessels or loose tissue without tearing the sacs. If rinsing is needed, use a brief rinse in cold water, then pat thoroughly dry.
2. Leave small sacs whole; cut unusually large ones into roughly 2-inch pieces. Handle gently so the creamy interiors remain contained.
3. Mix the cassava flour and salt in a shallow dish. Heat the avocado oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat to 350°F.
4. Dredge only the first batch of milt in a very thin coating of flour, shaking off excess. Lower carefully into the oil, leaving space between pieces.
5. Fry for approximately 2–3 minutes per side, turning gently with a thin spatula, until lightly golden and crisp. Adjust the heat to maintain 335–350°F. The thickest piece should reach 145°F in the center; check through the side with a thin-tip thermometer rather than judging by color alone.
6. Transfer to a rack or briefly to paper towel to drain. Dredge and fry the remaining milt, allowing the oil to return to temperature between batches.
7. Scatter the shiso furikake over the hot milt. Taste before adding any additional salt and serve immediately.

Notes

• Ask a fishmonger for milt intended for cooking and use it the day of purchase when possible.
• The coating should look delicate and patchy rather than like a thick batter. Drying the milt well is essential for both crispness and reduced splattering.
• Check the furikake label for gluten-containing seasonings; its salt level will determine how much additional seasoning is needed.

Brined Herring Fillets in a Mild Vinegar Pickle

A short cold brine seasons the fillets before gentle poaching. Chilling them in a lightly sweetened vinegar liquor gives a bright pickle without relying on acid alone to make raw fish safe.

Ingredients

• 1 lb fresh herring fillets, scaled, deboned, and checked for pin bones
• 2 cups cold water, for the brine
• 20 g fine sea salt, for the brine
• 1 cup white wine vinegar labeled 5% acidity
• 1 cup water, for the pickling liquor
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1/2 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp black peppercorns

Instructions

1. Dissolve the salt in the cold brine water. Add the fillets and refrigerate for 30 minutes, then drain and pat dry. Discard the brine.
2. Combine the vinegar, pickling water, honey, onion, bay leaf, and peppercorns in a wide nonreactive saucepan. Simmer for 3–4 minutes to soften the onion slightly.
3. Reduce the heat so the liquor barely simmers. Add the herring in a single layer, working in batches if necessary, and gently poach until the thickest part reaches 145°F, approximately 3–6 minutes depending on thickness.
4. Transfer the fish and liquor to a shallow, heatproof nonreactive container. Set the container in an ice bath to cool promptly, then cover and refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking.
5. Chill for at least 12 hours before serving cold with some of the onion and pickling liquor.

Notes

• This is a cooked refrigerator pickle, not a shelf-stable preserve or a raw cured-herring formula. Keep at 40°F or below and eat within 3–4 days of cooking.
• Brining and vinegar pickling alone do not reliably eliminate parasites in raw herring.

Overall Timing / Workflow

The fillets are a make-ahead project, while the milt needs to go directly from skillet to table.

Instructions

1. 0:00 — Prepare the cold brine and refrigerate the herring fillets in it. Keep the milt separately refrigerated.
2. 0:20 — Prepare the pickling liquor and ready a shallow container and ice bath.
3. 0:30 — Drain the fillets, poach them in the liquor, and begin cooling them for refrigeration.
4. Once the fillets are safely cooling, dry the milt, set out the flour and furikake, and heat the frying oil.
5. Fry the milt in small batches and serve immediately. Leave the pickled fillets refrigerated until the following day.

Plating

A loose, shallow arrangement lets steam escape and keeps the delicate crust from softening.

Instructions

1. Drain the fried milt briefly, then transfer to warm small plates or a shared platter in a loose single layer.
2. Distribute the furikake over the milt rather than leaving it all on the plate. Serve while the edges are still crisp.
3. Serve the pickled fillets separately the next day, chilled, with their pickled onions and a little liquor.

Leftover Path

The pickle is designed for cold eating, whereas fried milt benefits from dry heat if it must be reheated.

Instructions

1. Refrigerate any fried milt within 2 hours in a shallow covered container and use within 1–2 days for best quality.
2. Reheat milt on a rack in a 375°F oven until hot throughout, reaching 165°F, approximately 5–8 minutes depending on size. Add a little fresh furikake after reheating.
3. Keep the pickled herring refrigerated in its liquor and use within 3–4 days of cooking. Lift portions out with a clean utensil.

Notes

• The milt is best freshly fried; reheating firms its delicate center.