Pickled Smelt

Ingredients

1 pound fresh smelt, gutted

1/2 pound kosher salt

1 cup distilled white vinegar

1/4 cup pickling spices

1 white onion, thinly sliced

Preparation

Salt the smelt on both sides. Lay the smelt in a glass or ceramic bowl and cover. Refrigerate the smelt for 24 hours.

Put the pickling spice and vinegar into a non-reactive saucepan and bring to a boil. Let the liquid cool.

Take the smelt out of the refrigerator and pour off any liquid that has been extracted and dry the fish with paper towels.

In a deep glass bowl or jar, layer the smelt with the sliced onion and repeat this process several times ending with onions on the top layer. Pour the pickling liquid over the fish and onions and cover completely. Store covered fish for 4 -5 days in the refrigerator.

This is a good snack on rye bread, crackers, or a bagel with sliced of fresh onion and cream cheese.