Herring butter on toast
6 servings
140 minutes
Herring butter on toast is the embodiment of Russian traditional cuisine, where the simple yet rich taste of herring combines with the tenderness of butter and aromatic spices. This dish originated as a way to preserve fish and give it a more refined flavor. The butter absorbs the aroma of garlic, onion, herbs, and capers, creating a rich palette of flavors with a tangy hint of lemon and mustard. Spread on crispy rye bread, it transforms into an exquisite appetizer perfect for both festive tables and cozy home dinners. It is best served chilled to keep the butter firm and its flavor bright and intense. This dish truly reveals the spirit of Russian cuisine by uniting tradition and simplicity.

1
Boil the eggs hard and mash them with a fork.
- Chicken egg: 2 pieces
2
Chop the onion finely and pour boiling water over it.
- Red onion: 0.5 head
3
Peel the garlic, crush it with the flat side of a knife, and mash it into a paste with a pinch of salt.
- Garlic: 2 cloves
- Sea salt: pinch
4
Cut the herring into small pieces.
- Herring: 2 pieces
5
Squeeze juice from the lemon.
- Lemon: 1 piece
6
Chop parsley and dill finely.
- Parsley: 1 bunch
- Dill: 1 bunch
7
Mix softened butter with onion, then gradually add eggs, garlic, olive oil, mustard, lemon juice, capers, herring, herbs and a pinch of pepper, mixing thoroughly each time.
- Butter: 200 g
- Red onion: 0.5 head
- Chicken egg: 2 pieces
- Garlic: 2 cloves
- Olive oil: 2 tablespoons
- Mustard: 0.5 teaspoon
- Lemon: 1 piece
- Capers: 2 tablespoons
- Herring: 2 pieces
- Parsley: 1 bunch
- Dill: 1 bunch
- Freshly ground black pepper: pinch
8
Wrap the herring butter in foil and place it in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
9
Slice the bread and toast it in a dry pan, toaster, or oven.
- Rye bread: 0.5 piece
10
Serve the toast with herring butter.









