HOW TO MAKE PICKLED HERRING JUST LIKE THE DELI'S

I feel well-qualified to write about herring and how to pickle it, since as the granddaughter of a Swedish immigrant, I ate herring from the time I was a toddler until the present day. I love herring in wine sauce or in sour cream. I am sure to eat it always on New Year's Eve for luck. And it's traditional in my family to serve it on Christmas Eve.

I have always wanted to go to Amsterdam where you can buy a herring and stand on the street and just open your mouth and bottoms up on it as you hold it by the tail. It must be a civilized culture that eats herring so openly and flagrantly.

Herring has been known as a staple food source since 3000 B.C. Many regional recipes call for it to be eaten raw, fermented, pickled or cured. The fish was sometimes known as "two-eyed steak" but I have no idea why.

Herring are very high in Omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA.

Pickled herring is a popular delicacy in Europe. It has become a basic part of Jewish and Nordic cuisine. Most cured herring uses a two-step curing process. First, the herring is cured with salt to extract water. Next, the salt is removed and flavorings are added--typically vinegar, salt, sugar solution to which ingredients like peppercorn, bay leaves and raw onions are added.

Recipe for Pickled Herring

Ingredients:

6 fillets salt herring 2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon pickling spice 4 bay leaves
4 large onions, thinly sliced
1 cup white vinegar

1/2 cup water


Instructions for Pickled Herring:

Wash the herring fillets well under running cold water. In a glass or crockery bowl, place the fillets. Cover the fillets with cold water and refrigerate overnight (about 10 to 12 hours). Rinse the fillets again and place them in a glass or enameled casserole or baking pan. Cover the herring with the sliced onions, making layers if necessary.

Now make the marinade. In a saucepan, combine the vinegar, water, sugar, pickling spice, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes until the sugar is dissolved. Cool slightly and pour over herring fillets. Cover and place in a cool spot or refrigerate and marinate for 2 to 3 days before serving. Remove the herring fillets from the marinade and slice into bite-size pieces. Place the pieces in a serving bowl. Remove the bay leaves from the marinade. Mix the marinade and onions with the herring pieces and serve. Makes 10 to 12 servings.