Ingredients
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12 salt herring fillets, preferably matjes herring
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2 cups cider vinegar
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2 cups cold water
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3 juniper berries (bruised)
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3 whole allspice (bruised)
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6 whole black peppercorns (bruised)
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1 small bay leaf (bruised)
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1/4 cup dusseldorf-style prepared mustard or 1/4 cup substitute other prepared hot mustard
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2 tablespoons capers, drained
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parsley sprig
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3 medium onions, peeled,thinly sliced and separated into rings
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3 whole cloves (bruised)
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3 large dill pickles
Instructions
- Place the herring fillets in a bowl and pour in enough water to cover them by about 1 inch.
- Soak them for at least 12 hours in the refrigerator, changing the water once or twice.
- Drain them well, rinse under cold running water and pat them dry with paper towels.
- Remove and discard any bones.
- For the marinade, combine the vinegar, water, BRUISED WITH A MORTAR AND PESTLE OR WRAPPED IN A TOWEL AND BRUISED WITH A ROLLING PIN the spices, juniper berries, allspice, cloves, peppercorns and bay leaf and place in a 2 to 3 quart saucepan and bring them to a boil over high heat.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.
- Then cool to room temperature.
- Lay the herring fillets, skin side down, on a board or table.
- Spread 1 teaspoon of mustard evenly on each fillet and scatter 1/2 teaspoon of capers and several onion rings over the mustard.
- Cut the dill pickles lengthwise into quarters; if they are much longer than the width of the herring fillets, cut them crosswise into halves.
- Place a wedge of pickle at one narrow end of each of the fillets, and then roll the fillets jelly roll fashion around the pickle into small, thick cylinders.
- Skewer the rolls with 2 or 3 toothpicks to secure them.
- Pack the rolls flat on their sides in a 2-quart glass loaf dish in two layers with the remaining onion rings scattered between the layers and over the top.
- (Do not use a metal pan, for the fish may pick up a metallic flavor.) Pour the marinade over the herring, then cover the dish with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for 5 to 6 days before serving.
- Serve the rollmops as an hors d'oeuvre on individual plates or arrange them on a platter.
- In either case, garnish them with onion rings and parsley.
- NOTE: If salt herring fillets are not available, substitute 12 bottled Bismarck herring fillets.
- Drain them, wash them thoroughly under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
- Then proceed with the recipe.
- The Cooking of Germany Time Life.