Headless Light Salted Matias Herring

What is Mathias herring? Herring Matjes (Matjes) is a young fish aged in brine, which has not yet reached sexual maturity, which gives it a special softness. Herring caught in the North Sea near Denmark or Norway between the end of May and mid-July is used for cooking. Very important: anglers must catch herring before spawning starts in July. "Maatje" comes from the word "maagd" ("virgin" in Dutch). That is, in the literal sense, Herring Matias (Matjes, Maatjes) are young virgin herrings. They have a relatively high fat content (over 16%), and they have not yet formed caviar and milk. In the medieval Netherlands, the first fresh catch was to be tasted by the king, and only after him - by everyone else."