Baltic Herring Patties

Baltic herring for patties isn't filleted. The carcass, with the head and innards removed, is ground whole through a fine grinder plate — it mills the backbone together with the flesh, and no bones can be felt in the finished patties. That is exactly why small fish is better for mince than large: with bream or pike-perch the bones would have to be picked out by hand.

The flour is divided in two, and these are two different jobs. Half goes into the mince and binds the moisture, the other half stays on a plate for coating. Poured entirely into the mince, it would make the patties dense and dry.

The twenty minutes the mince stands after mixing aren't a pause. In that time the flour takes up the fish juices, the mixture thickens and the patties stop falling apart in the pan. Of mince shaped straight away, half at best holds together.

Grinding is one answer to a bucket of small fish. Fried whole in a thin coating it stays recognizable, in Baltic herring fried in flour, and two hours of simmering softens the same bones instead of milling them: homemade sprats from Baltic herring.

Caloric content: 186kcal

Notes

• A plate with fine holes. On a coarse one the bones stay as fragments — this is the case where the plate decides everything.
• The onion is ground together with the fish. Finely chopped, it gives wet pieces in the mince; ground, it gives even juice.
• Wet your hands with water. Fish mince is sticky, and a patty won't shape on dry palms.
• Lay them out with space between them. Patties laid tightly together release their juices and start braising.
• 3–4 minutes on the first side. They must not be turned sooner: the crust doesn't hold the patty together yet.
• They have to cook through inside. Fish patties cook faster than meat ones, but raw mince in the middle is the most common mistake over high heat.

Questions and Answers

Does Baltic herring have to be filleted?

No. The carcass, with the head and innards removed, is ground whole through a fine plate — it mills the backbone together with the flesh, and no bones can be felt in the finished patties.

Why does the plate have to be a fine one?

On a coarse one the bones stay as fragments. This is the case where the plate decides everything.

Why does the mince need to rest for twenty minutes?

In that time the flour takes up the fish juices, the mixture thickens and the patties stop falling apart in the pan. Of mince shaped straight away, half at best holds together.

Why is the flour divided in two?

These are two different jobs: half in the mince binds the moisture, the other half stays on a plate for coating. Poured entirely into the mince, it would make the patties dense and dry.

Recipe and step-by-step photos — kolizhanka.net.ua.