Sweet Pickled Herring with Beetroot and Pancetta Salad

Herrings are relatively small but very abundant; they swim in huge shoals, feeding on plankton and small animals and plants. The common adult herring can be found in the North Atlantic cooler waters growing up to 1 foot in length. Local herrings will be found from October onwards. Our local herrings are much smaller than their Atlantic cousins. One fish can lay up to 30,000 eggs, which sink to the sea bottom and develop there; the young mature in three years.

Herrings can be dried, smoked, salted, or pickled and are sold in nearly all parts of the world under such names as bloaters, kippers, soused herrings and rollmops.

This recipe can be used for other fish such as red mullet and mackerel. Once pickled, the fish will keep for five days in the fridge.

Hastings herrings have been awarded the Marine Stewardship Council certification for fishing from sustainable resources, which is not detrimental to the local habitat.

Pickled Herring with Beetroot and Pancetta Salad

4  Herrings 1 Onion Thinly Sliced 1 Bay Leaf 2 Tablespoons caster Sugar Mustard Seeds White Pepper Corns 1 cup white wine vinegar 1 Star of Anise Baby Red Chard Cooked Pancetta Small Potatoes 4 cooked Beetroot Vinaigrette Crème fraiche Caviar/ lumpfish roe Seasoning Fillet and clean herrings. With tweezers remove visible bones. Prepare marinade by mixing all other ingredients. The fish must be completely submersed in the pickling liquor. Marinate for 24 hours in fridge. Paul Webbe Webbe's at the Fish Cafe