Something Fishy with Simon Rhodes of the  Lobster Pot Fishmongers, Wood Street Food Hall, Swindon

THESE ‘Silver Darlings’ were once the staple diet of the British Isles, served by vast fishing communities around the northern coasts of Scotland, Anglia and Cornwall.

In fact, at one point in the 19th century, Scotland boasted the largest fishing industry in Europe and herring was the main export. Large communities became dependent on the herring industry to cure, gut, smoke and prepare the herring and support the fishermen in their quest to track down the large shoals of herring.

The two World Wars interrupted the herring industry, which then failed to recover as focus was concentrated on white fish and more efficient fishing methods.

The herring is an oily fish and has many health benefits as it contains the vital Omega 3 oil. It is a pelagic species, which means that it is predominant in the upper layers of the sea.

A kipper is a split, cured and smoked herring and many areas specialise in their own unique ways of smoking. Arguments abound about which kippers are the best - the Manx, the Craster, or the Loch Fyne.

Herrings have recently been featured in Channel 4’s Jamie and Jimmy’s Friday Night Feast, where they highlighted the benefits of eating herring as a cheaper alternative to more mainstream white fish.

Being versatile, they can be pickled (not my favourite, but popular in Scandinavian countries), smoked, or served dusted in oats and pan-fried.

Herrings work well with a sharp vinegary taste which cuts through the oiliness. So here’s a recipe for pan-fried herring fillets with horseradish gratin potato and a crème fraiche dressing, which is simple but very tasty.

First make the horseradish gratin potatoes: peel and slice some waxy potatoes to the thickness of a £1 coin and boil until just cooked. Then layer them in a ramekin, spreading some horseradish sauce in between each layer. Grate a little parmesan on the top and place under the grill for a couple of minutes.

Then fry the fillets in a little oil and butter and season well.

Then make a dressing with some crème fraiche in a bowl and stir in peeled, finely-chopped cucumber, a few capers in brine, a squeeze of lemon, and chopped chives.

Carefully remove the potatoes from the ramekin and arrange on a plate with the herring fillets then spoon a little of the crème fraiche dressing to the side.