Wasabi Herring Skewers - Ambijus Clearly Confused
Recipe & Food-Styling: Mattia Risalti, Photo & Styling: Oliver Schwarzwald
Aromatic and fresh
Welcome to the first stop on the Tour de Sans, our culinary journey through the cycling nations of Europe! This is one of the featured topics in the latest edition of the Highlevelzero Dining Club Magazine. We're starting our journey in the Netherlands, a country known for its flat roads and relentless headwinds.
Our culinary adventure begins with a tribute to tradition: an exquisite herring, enhanced with a delightful hint of wasabi. This dish pays homage to the maritime heritage of the Netherlands, blending the old and the new in perfect harmony.
To accompany this delicious fish specialty, we have a carefully fermented alcoholfree drink from Ambijus.
The drink recommendation that follows below, comes from Jennifer Kießling, the owner of the renowned Mindful Drinking Club in Berlin. With her expertise, she has guided all the recipes for our Tour de Sans. You can purchase all these excellent drinks either in Berlin or conveniently online at www.mindfuldrinkingclub.de.
Amidst all these culinary delights, let's not forget the athlete gracing our page. Jan Raas, the hero of Dutch cycling, may not be as well-known to younger generations, but he remains a significant figure in the history of cycling, especially in the Netherlands. When he was celebrating his victories, most of us were still riding tricycles. The Dutchman was one of the record winners of the Amstel Gold Race, winning the race an incredible 5 times between 1977 and 1982.
Recipe & Food-Styling: Mattia Risalti, Photo & Styling:Oliver Schwarzwald
Wasabi Herring Skewers
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Resting time: 120 min
Serves 4
4 Herring fillets ( or from the can)
2 Medium to large onion
150ml Vegetable oil canola
Black pepper
Pickled Onions
1 canning jar
2 small red onions
150ml white vinegar
150ml cups water
50g cane sugar
20g sea salt
1 garlic
5g peppercorns
30g pickled cucumber from the can
20g wasabi
50g pistacchio granel
Method:
Soak herring fillets in a large bowl of cold water for 2 hours, changing water every 30 minutes. Remove herring and let them dry slightly on paper towels. Slice the onion thinly and place in a separate bowl. Add vegetable oil, black pepper in to the bowl with onions. Slice herring fillets at an angle into strips and add to the bowl with onions. Mix all the ingredients together and refrigerate until serving. Best if prepared 2-3 days ahead of time.
Thinly slice the onions in 4 pieces, and divide the parts. Place the garlic and peppercorns in the jar. Heat the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt in a medium pot over medium heat. Stir until the sugar and salt dissolve, about 1 minute. Let cool and pour over the onions. Set aside to cool to room temperature, then store the onions in the fridge.Your pickled onions will be ready to eat once they're bright pink and tender - about 1 hour for very thinly sliced onions, or overnight for thicker sliced onions.
Let's assemble the skewer, starting with the onion, then threading a piece of herring previously brushed with wasabi and sprinkled with crushed pistachios, and a piece of cucumber, repeating the process until the skewer's length is covered.
About the pairing with Ambijus - Clearly Confused.
This sparkling drink, based on fermented apple with spruce needles, juniper, and angelica, complements this modern take on a classic Matjes herring perfectly. It has a bold acidity to balance the rich fish and a touch of residual sweetness to harmonize with the red onions and mustard seeds. (Jennifer Kießling)