Ingredients (serves 12)
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
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
And to drink
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