Phred > wrote:

> When you say "right out of the barrel", are you referring to salted
> fish/fillets?

Yes. It is a young virginal Dutch herring which is lightly salted and
stored in barrels for a few days only, just enough to ferment the gut
enzymes (it is only those enzymes that ferment, not the fish itself, as
would be the case with the Swedish surströmming which many people
consider just rotten :-). Matjes is still practically raw.

> I notice that the restaurant you mentioned above says:
>
> "Matjes Herring fillets - salted herring with chopped onions, spelt
> bread and salad"
>
> Assuming the possibility of finding them here in a deli or similar,
> what preparation is needed of those "salted herring" fillets before
> dining on it?

Be sure it is indeed labelled "matjes", not just "salted herring" which
is different. Matjes fillets need no preparation and can be eaten "as
is" (it's the same with "salted herring", too). However, most often
matjes is served with onion rings or chopped onions, and black rye bread
of the pumpernickel type. You can also add sour cream. Or you can make
a salad with matjes containing all or any of the following: pickled
cucumbers, sour apples, boiled potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, boiled, baked
or pickled beetroots, sour cream, mayonnaise, vinegar, salt and pepper.

> [Incidentally, that place is flogging plonk at $6/glass, but only
> around $18/bottle -- enough to make drunks of us all!]

Maybe theirs is very large glass. :-)

Victor