Mustard fried herring roes on Granary toast
Soft herring roes, which you may also find described as herring milts, can make a dish that is both nutritious and economical. Here they are combined with fried onions, diced courgette, fresh tomato and grainy mustard, then served on thick slices of Granary bread to make a delicious lunch dish.
Ingredients
Serves: 4
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 225 g (8 oz) onions, very thinly sliced
- 225 g (8 oz) courgettes, diced
- 340 g (12 oz) soft herring roes, roughly chopped
- 250 g (8½ oz) ripe tomatoes, chopped
- 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard
- 8 thick slices Granary bread, about 450 g (1 lb) in total
- salt and pepper
- watercress or rocket to garnish
Method
Prep:10min ›
Cook:20min ›
Ready in:30min
- Preheat the grill to high. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, for about 8 minutes or until they have softened and are starting to turn golden.
- Add the courgettes to the pan and cook for a further 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the courgettes are just tender.
- Toss the herring roes into the pan and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and mustard, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 1 more minute or until the tomatoes have softened slightly.
- Meanwhile, toast the slices of bread on both sides under the grill. Pile the cooked roes on top of the warm toast, garnish with watercress or rocket and serve immediately.
Each serving provides
B12, E, B1, C, folate, niacin, copper, iron, zinc, A, B2, B6, calcium, potassium
Another idea
To make tomato and ginger prawns on toast, heat 2 tbsp sunflower oil in a large non-stick frying pan, add 2 tsp finely chopped fresh root ginger and 2 crushed garlic cloves, and cook for 30 seconds. Add 400 g (14 oz) chopped ripe tomatoes, 8 sliced spring onions and 2 tsp soy sauce, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring from time to time. Add 225 g (8 oz) diced courgettes and cook for a further 5 minutes to make a pulpy sauce. Stir in 225 g (8 oz) peeled raw tiger prawns and cook for 2—3 minutes or until the prawns change from blue-grey to pink. Mix in 3 tbsp chopped fresh coriander. Scatter a layer of shredded cos lettuce onto 8 toasted slices of sesame bread, then pile on the tomato and ginger prawns. Serve immediately.
Plus points
*Roes have a lot to offer in a healthy diet, being a rich source of many vitamins — A, E and the B vitamins B1 and biotin, as well as some C and D — and low in saturated fats, so they are well worth eating more often. Herrings are full of roe just before spawning, in late summer and early autumn, and this is the best time to enjoy this dish.
*Granary bread is made from brown flour. The nutty flavour comes from the addition of malt flour and wheat kernels, which also contribute to the nutritional value. Using thick rather than thin slices is an easy way to push up the intake of starchy carbohydrates.
