Not every person eats herring milk, the benefits and harms of which are expressed in various factors presented in the article. People have their own preferences in tastes, and therefore have different preferences for types of fish and its individual elements. Milk is a food product about which it is impossible to say for sure whether it is harmful or beneficial, so you should understand it in more detail.
History and distribution
Herrings are caught in the largest quantities in the world. As mentioned above, they live in tropical, as well as subtropical and temperate seas. The taste properties of the fish itself and herring milk directly depend on the season, fishing area, size of the herring, and method of processing.
The most expensive and significant catches are oceanic species - Pacific and Atlantic. They become more well-fed only in the second half of the year, that is, in the autumn and winter periods - this is the time when their fat content is more than 20%.
Composition and beneficial properties
The fish itself, like herring milk, the benefits and harms of which are presented below, are quite easily absorbed by the human body. In addition, fish meat is practically the main source of protein, phosphorus, iodine, zinc, fluorine and other elements necessary for the body. It is worth considering that 100 grams of fish contains more than half of the daily protein requirement.
With regular consumption of herring in the body, the content of so-called good cholesterol, that is, high-density lipoproteins, will significantly increase. This will reduce the likelihood of the occurrence and development of diseases associated with the cardiovascular system, as well as atherosclerosis.
Delicious dishes made from milk and herring caviar
There are a lot of ways to prepare snacks from herring milk and caviar, so let’s look at a few recipes:
- Stuffed eggs. For this dish you will need boiled chicken eggs (5-6 pcs.), lightly salted herring caviar, hard cheese (50 g), mayonnaise, salt, pepper, ketchup and spices to taste. Pass all ingredients (except egg whites) through a blender. Fill the chicken protein with the resulting pate and garnish with a dot of ketchup. Calorie content per 100 g of product – 190 kcal.
- Crackers with caviar pate and herring milk. In a blender container, mix boiled and peeled carrots (1 pc.), boiled chicken egg (1 pc.), milk and fish roe (50 g each), butter (1 tbsp.) and spices to taste. Pass this all through a blender and spread on saltine crackers.
Calorie content per 100 g of product – 232 kcal.
These snacks are effortless and don't take much time to prepare, so they can easily be served for breakfast.
How to cut a herring
When cutting fish yourself, you should not be afraid of getting dirty, since this procedure does not take so much time and is not as complicated as it seems at first glance. Before you get to the milk, you need to go through several more important steps, adhering to the following recommendations:
- You need to cut on a board, and for greater convenience you can cover it with a special cling film, which will greatly facilitate the final cleaning.
- An incision is carefully made on the abdomen, then the milk is smoothly removed and all remaining entrails are removed.
- The next step is to get rid of the head, after which the resulting carcass must be thoroughly washed in warm water, removing all films and remaining entrails. It is also recommended to remove the cling film along with all excess waste.
- Next, the back is cut lengthwise, simultaneously eliminating the fins.
- We get rid of the skin, always starting from the head part. This is done extremely simply: it is hooked and pulled towards the tail section.
- From the tail side, both halves of the carcass are pulled together in different directions.
- Small bones, which can be felt quite easily with your hands, are removed from almost finished meat.
How to pickle herring with mustard?
The fish will acquire an appropriate spicy flavor. It also attracts connoisseurs of bright taste because it is not often processed in this way, which makes it more attractive to lovers of the unusual.
Ingredients
Their list is as follows:
- Fresh frozen herring – 2 pcs.;
- Salt – 20 g;
- Mustard – 1.5 tsp;
- Dijon mustard – 1.5 tsp;
- Vegetable oil – 50 ml;
- Sugar – 1 tsp;
- Lemon juice – 0.5 tbsp. l.;
- Water – 700 ml.
Cooking steps
Here's how to deliciously pickle herring with mustard:
- Defrost and wash the fish;
- Remove tail, head, entrails;
- Mill them, removing the backbone, bones, peel;
- Place the product in a glass, enamel or ceramic pan, fill with water;
- Add salt to the ingredients, stir well until it dissolves. Check the water level - it should cover the herring;
- It should be left in the resulting solution for a couple of hours, placing the container in the refrigerator;
- Combine two types of mustard, lemon juice, butter, sugar in a separate bowl, mix all ingredients well until the mixture becomes homogeneous;
- After 2 hours, remove the main component from the refrigerator, drain the brine, rinse it, and allow excess liquid to drain using a colander;
- Cut the fillet into pieces, pour the resulting mustard marinade;
- Place the container with the dish back into the refrigerator. It will take 6-8 hours for it to marinate well;
- It is recommended to serve it cold.
All the recipes given for how to pickle herring at home are excellent ways to prepare this product, which we love very much in our country. To suit your taste, you can adjust them if desired, changing the amount of certain spices and additional ingredients.
Herring milk
Herring milk, which clearly contains benefits and harm to one degree or another, is the sperm of male fish, which includes proteins and fats valuable for the human body.
This food product is quite high in calories - 100 grams contain about 100 calories. For this reason, they are used specifically to restore strength after serious illnesses or tiring workouts in the gym.
Another point that is also worth noting is their Omega-3 fatty acid content. As you know, they play a huge role in improving the cardiovascular system, and also prevent heart attack, atherosclerosis and stroke. And glycine, which is necessarily included in milk, can stimulate brain cells.
Many experts claim that herring milk (benefits and harms, recipes, as well as interesting facts about them are provided below) can even be used as immunomodulators. Thus, if you eat milk in the very first days of a cold, then in the future the disease will not develop at all or will go away very quickly and easily. That's how strong the effect of this food product is.
How to pickle herring with vinegar and onions?
How to pickle herring with vinegar and onions
Often these products are added to the fish after salting - when serving. But, if you add them right away, the seafood will be saturated with their smell and will receive a spicy, but very interesting, pronounced taste. Prepared according to this recipe, herring can be used as a delicious addition to a side dish or as an ingredient in other dishes. Another advantage of this cooking method is that when serving it, you don’t have to do any additional steps - the dish will be immediately ready to eat. Maximum - decorate it with greenery if desired.
Ingredients
The products you will need can probably be found in your kitchen:
- Fresh frozen herring – 2 pcs.;
- Vinegar (6%) – 1-2 tbsp. l.;
- Medium size onion – 1 pc.;
- Salt – 2 tbsp. l.;
- Vegetable oil – 50 ml;
- Allspice peas;
- Bay leaf – 5 pcs.;
- Sugar – 1 tbsp. l.
If you wish, add lemon (2 pieces) to the list of ingredients, but this is not necessary, since vinegar will provide enough acid. But if you decide not to add lemon, then its quantity can be increased to 2-3 tbsp. l.
Cooking steps
Follow this algorithm:
- Thaw, rinse, gut the fish, remove the head and tail. It needs to be milled, cleared of the backbone, small bones, and peel;
- Cut it into pieces, place them in a glass or ceramic bowl, laying them in an even layer;
- Mix salt and sugar, pour this mixture over the seafood to pickle the herring, making sure that each piece is coated with it;
- Let the ingredients sit for 4-5 hours and then rinse to remove any remaining sugar and salt;
- Place the fish in a colander to drain excess liquid;
- Place the herring in a jar, having previously placed a bay leaf and allspice on its bottom;
- Sprinkle the ingredients with vinegar. If you also use lemon, then immediately sprinkle with lemon juice;
- Pour the contents of the jar with oil, cover it with pre-cut onion rings;
- Close the container with a lid and place it in the refrigerator;
- After a day, the dish is ready to eat. You can continue to store it in the refrigerator for several days.
This is also a recipe for salting silver carp similar to herring, which is similar in taste and texture. Not everyone loves this variety, because it can have a specific smell and it contains a lot of bones. Thanks to vinegar and onions, these nuances are neutralized, and the dish from it will turn out tasty and aromatic. If you want to salt silver carp this way, use lemon - the pronounced smell of citrus and its sour taste will be beneficial.
Interesting Facts
Herring milk is not such a simple food product, since not every person knows the following facts about it:
- A huge amount of vitamins, which the human body must constantly be saturated with, is contained in herring milk. The most important is vitamin D, which is able to influence the immune system and enable the body to accumulate the energy it needs. And everyone’s favorite vitamin A helps improve vision, as well as the formation of carotene.
- Omega-3 acids, necessary for people suffering from heart disease, as well as glycine, which improves memory, and many other components important for the body - herring milk is rich in all this. The benefits from them are certainly very great.
- There are a huge variety of different recipes for making milk, but fried milk is rightfully considered the most popular and tasty. They are constantly prepared in English ports and presented as a gourmet delicacy.
- Many chefs recommend cooking milk together in an omelet, which helps preserve its flavor better.
Herring milk: benefits and harms
Whether herring milk is harmful to the body is a complex question. After all, as mentioned above, they contain elements that are so necessary for the human body.
It is worth noting that salted herring milk (their benefits and harms are no different from unsalted fish) is loved by not only gourmets, but also people with other food preferences. After all, they are able to cure some diseases in a fairly short period of time.
Contraindications and harm
In addition to the benefits, there are a number of contraindications to the use of this product:
- Pregnant women should not get carried away with the seminal glands;
- It is recommended to exclude the product from the diet if there are diseases of the liver, gall bladder and urinary system;
- It is forbidden to consume both milk and herring in general for gastritis, stomach and duodenal ulcers;
- Contraindications include diseases such as diabetes, atherosclerosis, migraine, and a tendency to swelling.
Important! If you accidentally oversalted the herring glands, you should not eat them - soak them in water for about 30–40 minutes and only then serve.
Recipes
You can prepare delicious dishes from herring milk for any holiday.
The most popular are:
- Classic sandwich with milk. To prepare you will need a loaf, herring milk itself and greens. The main ingredients are placed on top of the bread and decorated with herbs, and then placed in the refrigerator. This appetizer is recommended to be served chilled.
- Pate. 50 grams of milk, 1 boiled egg and carrots are ground on a fine grater, then seasoned with 80 grams of butter and decorated with herbs to taste. This dish needs to infuse for at least two hours in the refrigerator.
- Canapes. Products needed for cooking: rye croutons, butter or mayonnaise, milk, yolk and herbs to taste. Rye bread croutons are brushed with butter/mayonnaise, then milk is added (you can add thin slices of herring interspersed). All this is decorated with onions and other herbs, as well as carefully chopped egg yolks.
- Toast. This option will require a little more financial costs and time, since to prepare it you will need to take: 3 pcs. yolk, about 15 grams of mustard, a tablespoon of vegetable oil, 80 grams of milk, olives to taste, 35 grams of margarine, bread, herring fillet, mayonnaise to taste. The yolks of hard-boiled eggs are ground together with mustard and butter, olives and milk are gradually added. Spread the prepared mixture onto lightly toasted pieces of bread, then add the fish fillet and place in the oven for about 5 minutes. And as decoration you can use mayonnaise, gherkins, herbs and so on.
- Casserole. The milk should be thoroughly washed and carefully placed on a baking sheet in the first layer. The next layer should consist of tomatoes or peppers with lemon. Next, all this is covered with a layer of greens, bread crumbs and mayonnaise. The dish must be baked in the oven for about half an hour at a temperature of 200 degrees. This casserole is very tasty, healthy and, most importantly, not too high in calories.
Making pate from salted herring milk
To make a delicious snack from salted herring milk, you will need the following ingredients:
- salted herring milk (70 g);
- herring fillet (70 g);
- butter (1 tbsp);
- onion (1 pc.);
- fresh cucumber (half or 1 small);
- mustard (5 g).
Before preparing the pate, prepare the ingredients as follows:
- Separate the fish fillet from the skin and small bones, and carefully peel the milk so that it becomes clean.
- Peel the onions and cut into large cubes.
- Remove the butter from the refrigerator and keep at room temperature until soft.
- Pass all components through a meat grinder. If you want to achieve a more homogeneous mass, pass the pate through a blender.
Finally, add mustard and spices to the pate to taste. When spreading the appetizer on black bread, do not forget to add a slice of cucumber. This will make the taste even more piquant.
Calorie content per 100 g of product – 180 kcal.
Interesting to know! The taste of the salted herring milk pate is reminiscent of the Jewish dish forshmak.
Herring salad under a fur coat is a classic recipe for the holidays. There are several variations of its preparation.
Consumer Opinions
Each person has his own opinion about what herring milk is and why it is needed. The benefits and harms from them, according to consumers, for the human body are not proportional.
Some people claim that regular consumption of milk can cause worms, lice and other unpleasant diseases. Although, if the quality of the fish is high, then its milk can be used as a food product.
Others talk only about the benefits and recommend soaking the milk in milk or eating it together with green onions, which will further saturate the body with essential vitamins.
Possible problems with milk
To avoid harm from using this product, you must buy it only from those sellers who have a quality certificate for the product. The appearance of the milk must correspond to the following quality indicators:
- The color of herring milt is whitish with a pink tint, while the product from other adult fish is whitish milky.
- The consistency on the surface is even and smooth. Mechanical damage is not allowed.
- The consistency on the cut is soft, gelatinous, but not weakened.
If the product does not meet these indicators, you should not purchase or prepare anything from it.
In accordance with the requirements of SanPiN, it is unacceptable to contain live parasites in herring. Therefore, fish are disinfected with cold, which causes the death of the worms. It is prohibited to sell herring that contains worms and their larvae in the pulp. But if they are located on the internal organs, in the abdominal cavity, in the gills, then such fish are allowed for sale.
Milk is often affected by helminths called anisakids. They are found in almost all fish. They are easy to detect - in appearance, helminths resemble a coiled spiral enclosed in a capsule.
The threat from these parasites to the human body is that, once they enter it, they can develop in the gastrointestinal tract, liver, throat, causing gastritis, inflammation, intestinal obstruction, cirrhosis, and pancreatitis. To prevent the development of anisakids, before salting or smoking, the fish must be thoroughly frozen, including the milk. The second condition is steep salting with a lot of salt.
Flat helminths (tapeworms) and ringed helminths may be present in the raw product. Prevention to prevent human infection is the same as for anisacidosis. They cannot exist in the body for a long time, do not reproduce and die after a while.
Most often, blackheads are caused by post-diplostomosis (ink disease). In places where larvae are laid, the parasites secrete a dark pigment. It is believed that a person is not in danger by consuming such milk. But, nevertheless, before use, the testes must be heat treated or salted.
On the traditional Russian table, herring has been considered a delicacy for a long time. If caviar is considered a more traditional product, then with milk it is not so simple. Is it possible to eat them and what are the benefits and harms of herring milk for the body - a question that remains open.