Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Pickled Herring

Thanks to my sister for coming forward when I lamented on the "lost" pickled herring recipe.  Here goes.

PICKLED HERRING
Elsa Stuberg Recipe


1 pound                salt herring filets or pieces

1 cup                    white vinegar

1/2 cup                 sugar

1 small                  yellow onion

1/4 cup                 whole allspice (NOT ground)
 Put herring in a bowl with plenty of cold water and refrigerate overnight.  When you’re ready to make the herring, drain off the water and rinse lightly.  (This is to remove some of the salt from the herring.) 
Cut up the herring into about 1-inch pieces, if not already cut up.  Dissolve the sugar in the vinegar. 
For a fancy presentation, place the cut-up herring in a one-quart glass jar (I use a large Adams peanut butter jar) skins sides up.  Otherwise a glass or ceramic bowl is fine. 
Add the vinegar with the sugar dissolved.  Cut the onion in half and then cut the halves into slices.  Put the onions in the jar on top of the herring. 
Very coarsely ground the allspice.  I use a good mortar and pestle to do this, and all I do is break each “corn” of allspice open.  Put the allspice in the jar on top of the onions.

If some of the pieces of herring are not covered by the liquid, add more vinegar to cover.  Put a lid on the jar and refrigerate.  There is no need to mix the ingredients.  The flavors will blend just sitting in the fridge.  Use only glass or ceramic to store the herring, not plastic.
 
Rachel the Pig
Pike Place Market
Sis recommends preparing the herring about a week prior to serving to give it time to marinate.   Once prepared, the dish seems to last a long time so long as it is refrigerated and the herring covered with vinegar.  But it won't be around too long because it is really, really good.  

It is important to purchase herring that is firm and bright looking (with a definite blueish cast like fresh trout).  In Seattle my sister has had good luck buying herring at the Pike Place Market at the “fish-throwing” stand (aka Pike Place Fish Company) by Rachel the Pig.

Now, there was the question of recipes for the meatballs and the potato salad.

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