Monty Hall's Sweet and Sour Herring

Monty Hall's
Sweet and Sour Herring
Monty Hall is best known to people of my generation as the host of "Let's Make A Deal". He grew up in a Yiddish-speaking home in Winnipeg and is, apparently, quite the feinschmecker.

He tells the story that one year he and Alan Alda went to a second night seder.
Hall brought two jars of the sweet and sour herring. The first jar was passed around and it quickly disappeared. He went to get the second jar - but no luck The company looked high and low for it, but it had disappeared into thin air. Hall then walked into the kitchen and there was Alan Alda, devouring the herring, a guilty look on his face.

So, try this for Pesach, or even before.


Sweet and Sour Herring

So, try this for Pesach, or even before.
You can buy kosher pickling spices in a package or combine your own. Matjes herring take about one hour to soak. Salt herrings might take longer, so talk to the fish man about it.
4 fresh Matjes or salt herrings, filleted
1 large white onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup white wine or apple cider vinegar
1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. pickling spices OR
3 cloves
8 black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
8 juniper berries
1 Tbsp. mace leaves
A piece of cheesecloth
Soak herrings for one hour in cold water or milk [NOT IF YOU WANT A PARVE FISH!]; drain on a few layers of paper towels. Cut into bite-size pieces.
In a wide-mouth glass jar, place a layer of herring, a layer of onions; alternate until you have reached the top. Place pickling spices or individual spices in a piece of cheesecloth, making sure to secure the ends to make a sack.
Place in pan with vinegar, sugar and water to taste with packet of pickling spice. Let it cool.
Pour the liquid over the herring. Refrigerate for 2 days before eating. It will stay fresh in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.
Serves 6 to 8.