Description
Traditional Shuba Salad, also known as Herring Under a Fur Coat, is a layered Russian salad featuring salted herring, boiled vegetables, eggs, fresh dill, and mayonnaise. This vibrant and flavorful dish is chilled to meld flavors and presented beautifully like a savory cake, making it a festive and comforting appetizer or side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Fish and Seasoning
- 17.6 ounces herring, chopped into ½-inch cubes (2 packages of 8.8 ounce herring packed in oil)
- 1 small sweet onion, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped (plus a few sprigs for garnish)
Vegetables
- 4 medium Yukon gold potatoes, boiled and peeled
- 3 medium beets, boiled and peeled
- 4 medium carrots, boiled and peeled
Eggs and Dressing
- 4 large eggs, hard boiled and peeled
- 1 cup mayonnaise (or more if needed)
Instructions
- Cook the Beets: Place beets in a pot with enough boiling water to cover them. Boil for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until tender when pierced with a knife. Remove and cool to room temperature. Peel the beets carefully to avoid staining your hands. Set aside.
- Cook Potatoes and Carrots: In a separate pot, boil whole unpeeled potatoes and carrots for 25-35 minutes, until easily pierced with a knife. Do not overcook. Remove, cool to room temperature, then peel. Set aside.
- Boil the Eggs: Place eggs in a pot with cold water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, continue cooking for 10 minutes. Transfer eggs to an ice bath to cool, then peel. Cut eggs in half and separate the whites from the yolks. Set aside.
- Prepare the Herring Mix: Cut each herring filet into strips, then into ¼-inch cubes. Combine the herring with finely chopped onion and dill in a bowl. Mix well and set aside.
- Layer the Salad: Place a bottomless springform ring on a plate larger than the ring’s diameter. Grate the peeled potatoes evenly inside the ring, spreading to the edges without pressing down. Next, spread the herring, onion, and dill mixture evenly over the potatoes, reaching the edges.
- Add Carrots and Mayonnaise: Grate the peeled carrots over the herring layer. Spread half of the mayonnaise evenly atop the grated carrots.
- Add Beets and Mayonnaise: Grate the peeled beets on top of the carrot layer. Spread the remaining mayonnaise evenly over the beets.
- Add Eggs: Grate the egg whites over the mayonnaise layer, followed by grating the egg yolks on top.
- Garnish and Chill: Garnish the salad with fresh dill sprigs. Refrigerate for at least 4-6 hours or overnight to allow flavors to meld. Carefully remove the springform. Slice the salad like a cake when serving and enjoy.
Notes
- Use gloves when peeling beets to prevent staining your hands.
- Do not press down on the potato layer to maintain the salad’s light texture.
- Allowing the salad to chill overnight improves flavor blending.
- If mayonnaise is preferred lighter, use low-fat mayonnaise.
- Cut the salad carefully after removing the springform to maintain neat layers.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Russian
Keywords: Herring salad, Shuba salad, Russian salad, layered salad, beet salad, holiday salad
