Pickled Herring

The Aviary based this elegant plate on Hank Shaw’s tartly delicious recipe in Hunter Angler Gardener Cook. The notes of vinegar and the call of the sea open the tastebuds without weighing down the palate. The Aviary’s Darren Waterston paired the herring with a “knockout” 2019 bottle of Le Cince rosé. For those preferring white, he offered up a 2012 Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Beaune from Berger Rive. This elegant, super-dry Chardonnay is hard to find, but worth the search.

Recipe adapted from: Hank Shaw, Hunter Angler Gardener Cook

Ingredients
1/4 cup kosher salt
5 cups water, divided
1 pound herring fillets
2 cups distilled white vinegar
1/4 cup raw cane sugar
1 tsp mustard seed
2 tsp whole allspice
3 bay leaves
3 cloves
A bevy of garnishes (see below)

Instructions

Make a brine by dissolving ¼ cup kosher salt in 4 cups of boiling water. Once the brine has cooled to room temperature, submerge the herring and refrigerate overnight (or up to 24 hours). Meanwhile, bring vinegar, sugar, and spices to a boil with 1 cup water. Let spices steep until liquid has cooled. Remove herring from brine and cover with pickling liquid. Store refrigerated for up to 1 month. Garnish herring fillets with fresh herbs (such as dill), shaved radishes, sorrel, thinly sliced spring onion greens, pickled red onion, coarsely cracked black pepper, a squeeze of lemon juice, a drizzle of olive oil. Serve with dense, seeded bread or crackers.