Solomon Gundy takes its name from the old English "salmagundi," but Jamaica made it its own: a pickled smoked-herring paste, fiery with scotch bonnet and fragrant with pimento (allspice). It's a classic appetizer — traditionally served on water crackers with a cold drink. A little goes a long way.

Ingredients

  • 4 smoked herring fillets (or red herring)
  • 1 small red onion, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ scotch bonnet (or to taste), seeded & minced
  • ⅓ cup white vinegar
  • 1 tsp whole pimento (allspice), ground · ½ tsp black pepper
  • 2 tbsp oil · 1 bay leaf

Method

  1. Cover the smoked herring with water and bring to a boil for about 10 minutes to soften and draw out excess salt. Drain, then pick through carefully and remove all bones and skin. Flake finely.
  2. Pound the fish in a mortar (or pulse in a food processor) with the onion, garlic and scotch bonnet to a coarse paste — not a purée.
  3. Work in the ground pimento, black pepper, vinegar and oil until evenly blended and spreadable.
  4. Pack tightly into a clean jar, tuck in a bay leaf, and refrigerate at least 24 hours so the flavors marry and "pickle."
  5. Serve cold, spread thin on crackers, water biscuits or bammy.

🌶️ Taste your scotch bonnet

Solomon Gundy is meant to bite, but herring is already salty and the pepper is fierce — start with half a scotch bonnet, taste, and add more. It mellows slightly after a day in the fridge.

Jamaica’s smoky fish paste

Solomon Gundy is a pungent Jamaican spread of pickled, smoked herring pounded with scotch bonnet, onion and pimento into a fiery paste. Its name likely derives from "salmagundi," an old English mixed dish. Spread on crackers, it's the classic Jamaican party appetiser — and a little goes a very long way.

Salty, smoky and hot, it's not shy, and that's the point.

Ingredient notes & substitutions

  • Smoked or pickled herring — the base. Smoked mackerel can substitute.
  • Scotch bonnet — essential; this is meant to have heat.
  • Aromatics — onion, scallion, pimento and black pepper.
  • Vinegar and a little oil — to bind and lightly pickle it.

🔥 Pro tips

Boil the salted herring to draw out excess salt and soften it, then flake it and pick out the bones carefully. Pound or pulse it with the aromatics — traditionally it's pounded for a coarse, rustic texture, not blitzed to a smooth purée. It gets better after a day or two in the fridge as the flavours marry.

Common mistakes to avoid

  1. Too salty. Boil the fish first and taste as you go.
  2. Bones left in. Go through the flakes carefully.
  3. Over-blending. Keep some texture; it shouldn't be a smooth paste.
  4. Eating it straight away. Give it a day for the flavours to settle.

What to serve with solomon gundy

  • On water crackers as a classic appetiser.
  • With bammy or hard-dough bread.
  • With a cold beer or a glass of sorrel.

Storage & reheating

Solomon Gundy keeps for up to 2 weeks in a sealed jar in the fridge — the vinegar preserves it — and the flavour deepens over time. It isn't suited to freezing.

Solomon gundy FAQ

What is Solomon Gundy?

A Jamaican spread of smoked, pickled herring pounded with scotch bonnet, onion and pimento. It's served on crackers as an appetiser.

What fish is used?

Smoked or pickled herring (red herring) traditionally. Smoked mackerel is a reasonable substitute.

Is it very spicy?

Yes, traditionally — scotch bonnet is central. Reduce or deseed the peppers if you want it milder.

How long does it keep?

Up to two weeks refrigerated in a sealed jar. The vinegar acts as a preservative and the flavour improves.

What do you eat it with?

Crackers most often, or bammy and hard-dough bread. A little spread goes a long way.