Salads
Herring under a fur coat
Shuba, or herring under a fur coat, sits next to Olivier on nearly every Russian holiday table. Soft lightly salted herring, sweet beetroot, potato, carrot and egg, layered with thin coats of mayonnaise, create a flavour that is instantly recognisable. Success depends on two things: grating the cooled vegetables carefully and giving the salad time. It needs at least 3 to 4 hours in the fridge for the layers to settle, so make it ahead. A rectangular dish or a ring mould makes assembly easy.
Method
Tap a step to mark it done.
Scrub the potatoes, carrots and beetroot and boil them in their skins: potatoes 20 to 25 minutes, carrots 25 to 30, beetroot 50 to 60, until tender. Hard-boil the eggs for 10 minutes.
Let the vegetables and eggs cool completely, then peel.
Fillet the herring, remove every bone and cut into small dice of about 0.5 cm. Finely chop the onion, pour boiling water over it and drain.
Coarsely grate the potatoes, carrots, beetroot and eggs, each into its own bowl.
Spread the potato on a serving dish, season lightly with salt and cover with a thin mesh of mayonnaise. Scatter over the herring and onion.
Continue in layers, each with a little mayonnaise: egg, carrot, then beetroot. Do not press the layers down, just level them gently with a spoon.
Cover the beetroot top completely with the remaining mayonnaise. Cover with cling film and chill for at least 3 hours, ideally overnight.
Tips for success
- Never grate warm vegetables: they turn to paste and the layers lose their lightness.
- Run your fingers over the herring to find every bone; even tiny ones stand out in this soft salad.
- If the beetroot is very wet, squeeze it lightly after grating so the salad does not weep.
- Keep the layers loose rather than packed down.
Serving and storage
Serve chilled, decorated with grated egg yolk, herbs or a beetroot rose. Cut with a sharp knife and lift portions out with a spatula.
Keeps covered in the fridge for 24 to 36 hours. It tastes best the day after making.
Variations
- Add a layer of grated tart apple between the carrot and beetroot.
- Shuba roll: layer in reverse order on cling film and roll up.
- Lighter: swap half the mayonnaise for thick sour cream or Greek yoghurt.
Calories and macros
Per serving (about 266 g):
Per 100 g: 166 kcal, P 5.9, F 12.3, C 7.6. An estimate based on average ingredient values. Your daily calories ›
