How to make: Soused herring, chutney and horseradish cream

For the herring:

• 12 herring (filleted, pin boned and scaled)
• 500ml Chardonnay vinegar
• 250ml white wine
• 12 all spice berries
• 12 peppercorns
• 6 bay leaves
• 100g sugar
• 1 tsp mustard seeds

For the beetroot chutney:

• 1 kg peeled shredded beetroot
• 10g garlic
• 10g ginger
• 500ml red wine vinegar
• 500g granulated sugar
• 2 red onions peeled and sliced
• 10g of pickling spice

For the horseradish cream:

• 100ml raw crème fraiche
• Salt and pepper
• Horseradish to taste (fresh or from a jar is fine)

Method for herring:

• Start by curing the fillets in equal quantities of sugar and salt overnight.
• Bring to the boil all other ingredients then add two finely sliced onions and allow to cool
• The next day, rinse and dry the herring fillets place in a non-metallic container, cover with the pickling liquid and place in the fridge for at least 4 to 5 days

Method for beetroot chutney:

• Place all ingredients in a heavy-bottomed pan and cook on a low heat for around two hours or until sticky and sweet. This recipe will make quite a lot so you can either scale the recipe down or place in sterilised jars and store to use at a later date.

Method for horseradish cream

• Whip cream with around 10g of horseradish you can add more or less dependent on taste. Once the required stiffness is achieved refrigerate until required.

Prep time: up to 6 days​

Plating up time:less than 5 mins​

Herring is a heavy dish and can almost be compared with steak, which is why a medium to full-bodied wine is ideal for pairing