Ardglass Herring in Oatmeal
Fresh herring fillets coated in crisp oatmeal and gently fried in rich foaming butter. A classic coastal Ulster supper bursting with rich, savoury flavour.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 25 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 460 kcal
Equipment
- •Large frying pan
- •Three shallow bowls
- •Fish slice or spatula
- •Kitchen paper
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 460 kcal
- fat
- 26 g
- carbs
- 24 g
- fibre
- 3 g
- protein
- 32 g
- calories
- 460 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Pat the herring fillets completely dry with kitchen paper.
- 2
Mix the plain flour, sea salt, and black pepper together in a shallow bowl.
- 3
Pour the whole milk into a second shallow bowl.
- 4
Tip the medium oatmeal into a third shallow bowl.
- 5
Dredge each herring fillet lightly in the seasoned flour and shake off any excess.
- 6
Dip the floured fillets briefly into the milk to coat them evenly.
- 7
Press both sides of the fillets firmly into the oatmeal to create a crust.
- 8
Melt the butter with the rapeseed oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.
- 9
Place the fillets skin-side down in the hot foaming butter.
- 10
Fry for 3 minutes until the oatmeal crust is crisp and golden brown.
- 11
Flip the fillets carefully with a fish slice and fry for another 2 minutes.
- 12
Transfer to warm plates, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and serve hot with lemon wedges.
Chef's tips
Medium oatmeal gives the best crunch without falling off in the pan. A splash of oil mixed with the butter raises the smoke point so the crust browns without scorching.
Ingredient substitutions
- fresh herring fillets → fresh mackerel fillets or trout fillets
- salted butter → beef dripping or lard for traditional deep flavour
- plain flour and oatmeal → gluten-free plain flour blend and certified gluten-free coarse oats
Storage
Herring is best eaten straight from the pan, but leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a dry frying pan over medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until crisp and hot.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Cooking over too high heat, which burns the oatmeal before the fish cooks through.
- •Overcrowding the frying pan, causing the oatmeal coating to steam and turn soggy.
- •Turning the fillets too frequently, which breaks the delicate crust.
Serving suggestions
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