Ayrshire Herring with Mustard Sauce
Crisp pan-fried fresh herring fillets paired with a sharp, creamy Scottish mustard sauce. A classic coastal supper packed with rich flavour.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 460 kcal
Equipment
- •Non-stick frying pan
- •Small saucepan
- •Whisk
- •Fish slice
- •Flat plate
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 460 kcal
- fat
- 32 g
- carbs
- 12 g
- fibre
- 1 g
- protein
- 28 g
- calories
- 460 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Melt 20g of butter in a small saucepan over a medium hob heat.
- 2
Whisk in 15g of plain flour and cook for 1 minute until bubbling gently.
- 3
Pour in the milk gradually, whisking continuously to create a smooth, lump-free sauce.
- 4
Simmer the sauce gently for 3 minutes until thickened and glossy.
- 5
Stir in the English mustard, wholegrain mustard, cider vinegar, and a pinch of salt.
- 6
Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the chopped parsley, then keep warm.
- 7
Mix 30g of plain flour with the remaining salt and black pepper on a flat plate.
- 8
Coat the herring fillets lightly in the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess.
- 9
Heat the remaining 20g of butter and the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over high heat.
- 10
Lay the fillets skin-side down and fry for 2 minutes until the skin is crisp and golden.
- 11
Flip the fillets carefully and cook for 1 further minute until cooked through.
- 12
Transfer the hot fillets to plates and spoon the warm mustard sauce generously over them.
Chef's tips
Herring is a delicate oily fish that cooks in minutes, so watch the pan closely to avoid drying it out. If fresh herring is unavailable, fresh mackerel makes an excellent substitute that suits the sharp sauce equally well.
Ingredient substitutions
- herring fillets → fresh mackerel fillets or trout fillets
- cider vinegar → white wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice
- plain flour → fine oatmeal or gluten-free plain flour
Storage
Store leftover cooked herring and mustard sauce in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 1 day.
Reheating
Warm the sauce gently in a saucepan over low heat, and reheat the fish briefly in a medium-hot dry frying pan.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Overcooking the herring, which causes the delicate, rich flesh to dry out and break apart.
- •Pouring in the milk too quickly, which creates lumps in the mustard roux.
- •Crowding the frying pan, which steams the fish instead of crisping the skin.
Serving suggestions
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