Mashed Potatoes with Herring and Marinated Vegetables, a Summer Favourite

Nostalgic mashed potatoes are a popular summer dish that can be made lighter by preparing it with Greek yoghurt. Combined with herring and marinated red onion and fennel, it makes for both an everyday dinner and a festive meal.

Mashed potatoes have been among Estonians' favourite summer dishes for generations. The version made with Greek yoghurt is considerably lighter than the traditional sour cream variant, yet retains the familiar homely flavour.

Marinade is simple to prepare

To start the dish, a marinade must be prepared. Water, sugar and salt are heated in a pot until the sugar is completely dissolved, then vinegar is added and the mixture is allowed to cool slightly. Thinly sliced red onion and fennel cut into the thinnest possible strips are placed in a bowl and the marinade is poured over them. The vegetables should be marinated for at least an hour, or longer if desired, as longer marinating yields an even fuller flavour.

Potatoes get a yoghurt sauce

The potatoes are washed carefully and cooked in salted water for 18-20 minutes until they are very soft. After draining, the potatoes are allowed to cool slightly. Ground paprika and dill are stirred into the yoghurt and seasoned with salt. The yoghurt sauce is added to the warm potatoes, the bowl is covered and shaken vigorously so that the sauce is distributed evenly and the potatoes break up slightly.

Serving

The herring is cut into bite-sized pieces and placed on a plate. The marinated vegetables are added alongside, and a little of the marinade is poured over the herring. The dish is served with the mashed potatoes while still warm. The result is a simple and fresh summer dish that suits both everyday dining and entertaining guests.