Recipe: Marinated Herrings

Marinated herrings are a classic of the English Channel and Atlantic coasts. It's a spring and summer dish, when fresh herrings hit the market from March to June. Serve it cold, as an appetizer, a light starter before meat, or even on toasted white bread for a lazy Sunday lunch. Historically, this is a preserve recipe from the time before refrigerators: the vinegar marinade, the spices and white wine acted as preservatives. Today we don't really care about that, we make it simply because it's delicious, tangy, sharp, with that bite from raw onions and those little cloves that add character. For wine, pick a dry, crisp white: a Muscadet, a Gros Plant (the wine that goes in the dish anyway), or a Sancerre if you find one. It cuts the acidity of the marinade and clears the palate. For sides, keep it simple: toasted bread, some warm potatoes boiled in water, or just a chunk of country bread. You can also lay the herrings on a salad of raw grated beetroot, that works well. Serve chilled, not ice-cold.