Solomon-a-Gundy is a pickled fish pâté made from smoked red herring.  It is usually served with crackers as an appetizer or hors d’oeuvre.  The term “Solomon-a- Gundy “ may come from the British word salmagundi, used to refer to a salad of many different ingredients.  There is also a popular Jamaican poem called “Solomon-a-Gundy” which is based on the Europe  nursery rhyme called “Solomon Grundy” .

Solomon-a-Gundy Poem: 
Solomon-a-Gundy, born on a Monday,
christened on a Tuesday,
married on a Wednesday,
took ill on a Thursday,
worse on a Friday,
died on a Saturday,
buried on a Sunday,
that is the end of Solomon-A-Grundy

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 ½  lb. Smoked Herring
• 9 pimentos( Allspice)
• ¾  Vinegar
• 2 small onions (chopped)
• 2 Scotch Bonnet Pepper  (1 scotch bonnet if you like it less spicy
• 2 Stalk Scallion
• 1 tsp. Thyme
• 4 tbsp. Oil
• 2 tsp. Sugar

METHOD:

1. Debone and Soak smoked red herring in water to remove some of the salt or boil in water for 10 minutes
2. Use your hands and shred (flake) the smoked red herring finely and set aside in a mixing bowl.
3. Chop up the onions
4. Puree the chopped onion, the scallion and thyme for 2 minutes in a blender. Leave these ingredients in the blender.
5. Put  the vinegar, pimento and sugar on a low fire. Do not boil. To help the sugar dissolve stir the pot occasionally.
6. Add the smoked red herring to the pot. Keep the fire on low. Let the ingredients cook for 10 Minutes. The goal is for the sugar to be completely dissolved.
7. Remove the pimento seeds from the pot and discard.
8. Add the ingredients from the pot (vinegar and smoked red herring) to the blender.
9. Puree in the blender for 1 minute
10. The Solomon-A-Gundy is now ready. Serve with crackers or bread.