Chopped Herring (Forshmak)

Classic Ashkenazi chopped herring, also called gehakte herring or forshmak: cured herring pulsed with tart apple, onion, hard-boiled eggs and soaked bread into a coarse spread, then chilled. Makes about 4 cups, 16 servings.

Make-ahead

Contains: milk, egg, fish, wheat. Based on the ingredients as written; check package labels, which can change.

From Cousin Ricky, who makes the chopped herring in our family.

  • Prep 20 min
  • Cook 12 min
  • Total 4 hr 32 min
  • Yield About 4 cups (16 servings)
  • Level Easy

Updated

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Chopped herring spread in a bowl topped with crumbled egg yolk, with dark rye bread, crackers and a wedge of green apple

Chopped herring is a deli and holiday-table classic from Eastern European Jewish kitchens, known in Yiddish as gehakte herring and in Russian and Ukrainian homes as forshmak. Salty herring is balanced by a tart apple, mellowed by hard-boiled eggs and bread, and sharpened with a little vinegar.

In our family, Cousin Ricky is the one who makes it. It takes about 20 minutes to put together and is best made a few hours or a day ahead, so the flavors can settle. Serve it cold with rye or pumpernickel, crackers or kichel.

Instructions

  1. Cook the eggs. If your eggs are not already cooked, cover them with cold water, bring to a boil, then cover and let stand off the heat for 12 minutes. Cool in ice water and peel. Set aside one yolk for the garnish if you like.
  2. Prepare the herring. Drain jarred herring well. If you are using salt-cured herring, soak the fillets in cold water or milk in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight to draw out the salt, then pat them dry. Cut the fillets into chunks.
  3. Soak the bread. Soak the bread or matzo in a little water or sweet wine for a minute, then squeeze it dry.
  4. Chop. Cut the apple and onion into chunks. Put the herring, apple, onion, eggs and bread in a food processor and pulse in short bursts until finely chopped. Stop while it is still a coarse spread; it should not be a smooth paste.
  5. Season. Stir in the oil or butter, the vinegar or lemon juice, the sugar or sweet wine and a little black pepper. Taste and add more acid or sweetness until it is balanced.
  6. Chill. Spoon into a bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight, so the flavors meld.
  7. Serve. Scatter crumbled egg yolk over the top, add chopped chives or green onions if you like, and serve cold with rye or black bread, crackers or kichel.

Nutrition per serving (estimated, about 1/4 cup)

120Calories
7 gCarbohydrates
1 gFiber
6 gNet carbs
6 gProtein
8 gFat

Estimated per serving, based on 16 servings of about 2 ounces from a 32-ounce jar (about 18 ounces of drained fillets), using USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient. Net carbs are carbohydrates minus fiber. Bread, crackers and garnishes for serving are not included. Herring in wine sauce is sweetened, and brands vary.

Tips

  • How much to serve: allow 2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup (about 2 ounces) per person; it is rich, so a little goes a long way.
  • One batch tops 30 to 35 crackers, makes 15 to 18 small open-faced rye canapés, or fills 25 to 30 celery pieces cut 3 inches long, a good low-carb way to serve it.
  • Using salt-cured herring instead of jarred: use about 18 ounces of fillets, soaked first as in step 2.
  • Ricky buys a 32-ounce (2-pound) jar of herring in wine sauce. Herring is one of the richest sources of omega-3s: the label on the jar he uses lists 489 mg of omega-3 fatty acids per 2-ounce serving of herring, with 90 calories, 7 g fat and 7 g protein.
  • Pulse, do not purée. A little texture is what makes chopped herring; the traditional tool is a wooden bowl and a curved hand chopper.
  • Herring in wine sauce works best. Herring in cream sauce makes a softer, milder spread; drain it well.
  • Covered and refrigerated, chopped herring keeps for 3 to 4 days.

Storage and leftovers

Make ahead

Covered and refrigerated, chopped herring keeps for 3 to 4 days.

Questions about this recipe

What is forshmak?
Forshmak is the Russian and Ukrainian name for chopped herring, a cold spread of herring, apple, onion, egg and bread from Ashkenazi Jewish cooking. In Yiddish it is called gehakte herring.
Do I need to soak the herring?
Only if it is salt-cured. Jarred herring in wine sauce is ready to use once drained; salt herring should soak for a few hours or overnight first.
Is chopped herring served for holidays?
Yes. It is a favorite at Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur break-fast and Shabbat kiddush tables, and on deli platters year round.

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