PICKLED HERRING
Two pickled herring fillets will do handsomely as a starter and three will happily pass as a light lunch. Eat with their pickled vegetables, a blob of crème fraîche and capers. Or, allowing two fillets per person, chop the pickled herring fillets across into 2cm sections, mix with hot sliced boiled potatoes, the pickled vegetables and capers, dress with extra-virgin olive oil, toss and serve while the potatoes are still warm.
Servings
4
Servings
4
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. To fillet the herring, lay them flat on one side and with a thin, sharp knife cut just behind the gills until you feel the blade touch the backbone, then turn the blade towards the tail; hold the head and slip the knife tailwards along the backbone. Turn the fish over and repeat the process. You may have to trim off some of the remaining herring ribs. (Or ask your fishmonger.)
  2. Mix the salt and 1½ cups of the sugar together, and place your herring fillets in a plastic container, sprinkling this mixture between each layer. Leave in the fridge for 24 hours. This will lead to a firmer, more flavorsome final result. Next day rinse off the sugar and salt and drain the herrings.
  3. In a stainless-steel pan, heat up the vinegar, water and remaining sugar, until the sugar is thoroughly dissolved. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. In the container in which you intend to store your pickled herrings (plastic, glass or china), layer the fillets with your spices, sliced vegetables and bay leaves equally spread about, then cover with the cooled sugar solution. Leave for a week before eating; they will keep very well in the fridge.