Herring milt

Laitance de hareng

What it is

Laitance is the male herring's milt, named for the milky liquid it releases, and classical French service used it twice over: fried whole as a garnish, and pounded raw into butter to bind a sauce. Victorian breakfast tables ate the same thing on toast as soft roe, and it has quietly vanished from both countries since.

In the kitchen

Poach it two or three minutes in barely trembling salted water with a dash of vinegar, or flour it and fry it in foaming butter. Anything approaching a boil splits it and turns it grainy.

Goes with

Butter Lemon Parsley Capers Shallot Cream Herring

Same species

Matjes herring Smoked herring Herring Kazunoko

In season alongside

Fugu shirako Shirako Albacore Northern sweet shrimp Nantucket bay scallop Arctic char

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