Herring

Here in Sao Paulo it's hard to find fresh fish on the first days of the year. I guess it's vacation time for the fishermen and that's more than ok because we can prepare delicious cured herring!
Herring is the name given to any of various sea fish of the family Clupeidae. The oily fish rich in Omega-3 and vitamin D is found in shallow, temperate waters of North Pacific and North Atlantic oceans. Herring has been a staple food source since at least 3000 B.C. In Europe the fish has been euphemistically called the "silver of the sea", and its trade has been so significant to many countries that it has been regarded as the most commercially important fishery in history.
Fresh herring can be eaten raw, cooked, fermented, pickled or cured by other techniques. Pickled herring is a delicacy in Europe, and has become a part of Baltic, Scandinavian, German, Eastern Slavic and Jewish cuisine. Most cured herring uses a two-step curing process. Initially, herring is cured with salt to extract water. The second stage involves removing the salt and adding flavorings, typically a vinegar, salt, sugar solution to which ingredients like peppercorn, bay leaves and raw onions are added. Sherry, mustard and dill are also some of the traditional flavorings in Denmark, Sweden and Germany.

That's the recipe we do at home that I adapted here to become an appetizer:

Herring Hors d'oeuvre:
(For 20 pieces)

2 fillets salted herring
1 cup olive oil
½ onion, sliced
10 black peppercorns
3 slices dark bread
1/4 cup sour cream
chives for decoration

Place the herring in a bowl and cover with cold water, let in the fridge for 30 minutes, throw the water out and repeat the operation for 3 more times.
Cut the fillets into pieces and place them in a glass jar with the olive oil, sliced onion and peppercorns. Let it marinate for at least 24hours.
Cut the bread with a cookie cutter, spread sour cream and top with a piece of herring, a slice of onion and decorate with chives.