Cooking time: 2 hours 20 minutes including marinating time.
ingredients
serves 8
8 fresh Bloaters, cleaned, boned and without heads
1/4 cup coarse salt
2 1/2 cups cold water
2 1/2 cups white wine vinegar or cider
1 large mild onion, sliced in rings
4 small pickled gherkins, halved lengthwise
2 bay leaves
6 white peppercorns
1 tablespoon mixed pickling spice
method
1. Dissolve the salt in the cold water. Bone the Bloaters and lay them open in a dish. Cover with the brine and leave for 2 hours.
2. Bring the vinegar and spices to the boil. Set aside to cool for 1 hour.
3. Drain the fish and lay open, skin side downward. Put some onion and gherkin on each Bloater and roll up towards the tail.
4. Pack the Bloaters into 1 1/2 cup jars.
5. Divide the bay leaves and peppercorn between the jars and add any remaining onion. Cover the fish with the stirred vinegar.
6. Top up with more vinegar if the fish are not covered. Cover with a non-corrosive airtight lid.
7. Keep refrigerated and eat within 6 weeks.
