Soused herring

Soused herringis rawherringsoaked in a mildpreserving liquid. It can be raw herring in a mild vinegar pickle or Dutchbrinedherring.  As well as vinegar, themarinademight contain cider, wine or tea, sugar, herbs (usuallybay leaf), spices (usuallymace), and chopped onion.
The word 'soused' can also describe a marinated herring that has been cooked.The herring is usually baked in the (vinegar) marinade (but can be fried and then soaked in the marinade). It is served cold. This is usual in Scotland, Wales and Ireland.
The soused herring (maatjesharingor justmaatjesinDutch, orMatjes/matjesinGermanandSwedishrespectively) is an especially mild salt herring, which is made from young immature herrings. The herrings are ripened for a couple of days in oak barrels in a salty solution, orbrine. The pancreaticenzymeswhich support the ripening make this version of salt herring especially mild and soft. Raw herring pickled in vinegar are calledrollmops.
As of 2015, within the EU, Dutch madeHollandse Nieuwe,Holländischer MatjesandHollandse maatjesharinghaveTSGCertificationand German producedGlückstädter Matjes, produced inSchleswig-HolsteinhasPGIcertification.As apickled herringit can form one course of the traditionaltwelve-dish Christmas Eve supperin Poland.
This process of preparing herring (known as "gibbing") was developed in the Middle Ages by theDutch. Herrings are caught between the end of May and the beginning of July in theNorth SeanearDenmarkorNorway, before the breeding season starts. This is because herrings at this time are unusually rich in oils (over 15%) and theirroeandmilthave not started to develop.
The brine used for Dutch soused herring has a much lower salt content and is much milder in taste than the GermanLoggermatjes. To protect against infection bynematodesof the genusAnisakis,European Unionregulations state that fish should be frozen at −20 °C for at least 24 hours.In the modern day, soused herrings can therefore be produced throughout the year.
The Dutch newspaperAlgemeen Dagbladhas for more than thirty years organized a competition whereby the quality of soused herring was evaluated.In 2017, there was a controversy over this competition, as an economist produced two working papers accusing the newspaper of biased testing.As a consequence, the competition was discontinued. Subsequently, statisticians have argued that the economist's claims relied on questionable statistics.
Through a cut in the throat, thegillsand part of the gullet are removed from the herring, eliminating any bitter taste. The liver and pancreas are left in the fish during the salt-curing process because they release enzymes essential for flavor. The herrings are then placed in the brine for approximately 5 days, traditionally inoakcasks. They require no further preparation afterfilletand skin removal and can be eaten as a snack with finely sliced raw onion and pickles.
As skin removal requires experience, fillets or double fillets should be attempted first. The soused herrings are silvery outside and pink inside when fresh, and should not be bought if they appear grey and oily.
Whereas salt herrings have a salt content of 20% and must be soaked in water before consumption, soused herrings do not need soaking.
In the Netherlands soused herring is most often served as a snack, most frequently plain, or with a garnish of diced raw onion. Whole herring is often eaten by lifting the herring by its tail and eating it upwards holding it over the mouth.
Soused herring dishes in Northern Germany are traditionally served with potatoes boiled in their skins, French beans, finely sliced friedbaconandonions. It is also common in Germany to eat soused herring with sliced raw onions in a bread roll, in a dish calledMatjesbrötchen.
In some regions (e. g.Holstein), it is served on dark bread with acowberryand cream sauce. Soused herring can also be served with cream oryogurtsauces containing onions and gherkins, or insalads.
In Swedenmatjessillis traditionally served with boiled potatoes, sour cream, chopped chives, crisp bread andsnaps. Boiled eggs are popular together with this dish that is most traditionally served onMidsummer's Eve - Finland has a similar custom butsilliis not associated with crisp bread. Nowadays most Swedes and Finns eat herring which comes in cans and are sliced and with added sugar. The Swedishmatjessillis most often more strongly spiced than other varieties.