Sweden - Pickled Herring and Strawberry Compote

This week was a very exciting one for me- I got to try yet another Scandinavian recipe, and discovered one of my new favourite foods in the process. I took a bit of a risk making pickled herring having no idea if I would like it or not, and luckily I loved it! Although, I probably now owe an apology to my neighbours because the fish smells very strongly when its being prepared, and I'll almost definitely be making this again.

I had this pickled herring for lunch every day for about a week when I made it, served on the leftover rye bread I made for my Danish meal, buttered with a special butter mixed with capers, dill and lemon. I can not explain just how much I love this meal. Not only was it absolutely delicious, but it also made me incredibly happy every time I ate it, which actually encouraged me to look into the psychology of why certain foods make us feel a certain way, which was quite interesting and enlightening.

Along with the herring, I made a strawberry compote, as it was midsummer and it seemed like an appropriate treat for the occasion. This was amazingly simple to make, and was delicious served with a bit of cream or yogurt.

I have absolutely no complaints about this particular week of my project, and this has been without a doubt, my absolute favourite of all the meals I've made, and it made me think I need to make a trip to Scandinavia to try more of their amazing foods.

FIRSTS THIS WEEK:

• Pickled something
• Made and ate herring
• Used capers
• Made a compote

RECIPES I USED:

• Herring and butter: https://www.bbc.com/food/recipes/swedish_pickled_herring_57381
• Compote: https://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/midsummer-swedish-strawberry-compote-jordgubbskr-m-235227