Pickled Herring

From the Wisconsin Dutch chapter of the United States Regional Cookbook, Culinary Arts Institute of Chicago, 1947.

• Ready In: 5 hrs
• Yields: 2 1/2 pints

Ingredients

• 2  dozen herring fillets (milters)
• 4  large onions, sliced
• 2  lemons, sliced
• 12  bay leaves, broken
• 2  tablespoons mustard seeds
• 2  tablespoons peppercorns
• 1  cup water
• 2  cups vinegar
• 3  tablespoons sugar

Directions

1. Soak herring in cold water overnight, drain and remove entrails (reserve the milt).
2. Cut off the heads; run knife down center of backs and remove skin, working toward the tale.
3. Scrape fillets from backbones without breaking, remove all bones.
4. In a crock, place alternating layers of herring fillets, onion, lemon, pieces of bay leaf, mustard seed and peppercorns.
5. Boil water, vinegar and sugar together until sugar is dissolved; cool.
6. Mash milt and add enough vinegar mixture to thin; strain, add remaining vinegar mixture and pour over herring in crock.
7. Cover crock and set in refrigerator for 4 to 6 days.