DUTCH FOOD Calendar presents Soused Herring in June

Soused Herring / Haring

Some say the soused herring is an ‘acquired taste’, but the Dutch swear by it. You could argue it is the most typical Dutch snack out there, from the way it reflects our relation to the North Sea to our not so subtle manner of eating it. If you want to jump right into this tradition, there is no better time to do so then at the beginning of June. Not only is the herring of the highest quality, you can even attend actual herring eating parties.

Every year the Dutch celebrate ‘Little-Flags-day’. The first newly caught fish is welcomed into the port of Scheveningen, the first barrel is auctioned off for charity and the herring eating feast commences. The way to prepare it is rather simple. The herring is frozen and kept in salt for a couple of days, to ripen it. The herring is thus, contrary to popular belief, not really raw. This practice was already used in the Middle Ages. Then the herring is served with cut onions. Simple as that! So how do you eat it? Hold the fish by its tail, dip it in the onions, tilt your head backwards and let the slippery fish slide right into your mouth. Dutch culinary culture at its finest.  

INGREDIENTS

Traditional Dutch herring

Onions and pickles

DIRECTIONS

Cut the onions. Then, as explained above, hold the fish by its tail, dip it in the onions, and just go for it.