Dressed pickled herring – A traditional Russian salad for the New Year
INGREDIENTS:
500 g seledka/selyodka (pickled herring)
1 red onion head
6 potatoes
4 small heads of red beetroot
6 carrots
8 eggs
400 g mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lemon juice
black pepper
salt
PREPARATION:
Rinse the red beetroot and put each of the heads in tin foil. Roast them in a pre-heated oven for about 45-50 minutes. Leave them aside to cool. Optionally you can also boil the beetroot but then you will need to drain it really well to ensure there is no water from the boiling left.
Boil the potatoes, carrots and eggs separately. You can also combine the potatoes and carrots together. Clean the herring from any bones if any are present and cut it into small cubes. Cut the red onion into cubes and mix it with the herring. Pour some lemon juice on them and stir.
Grate the potatoes, carrots and beetroot. Peel the boiled eggs and separate 5 egg whites. Grate the eggs in two bowls – in one of them 3 eggs and 5 yolks, in the other the 5 egg whites. Set the egg whites aside. You will need them for decoration.
Get a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap as shown below. The bowl should be cone-shaped.
Add 2-3 tablespoons mayonnaise to the grated beetroot and stir. Cover the walls and the bottom of the bowl with this mixture.
Start placing the other ingredients in layers. First some of the grated eggs/yolks, salt and then mayonnaise.
Then a layer of grated carrots and again a little salt and mayonnaise. Smooth using a spoon.
Then a layer of grated potatoes (seasoned with salt and black pepper) and again mayonnaise.
Then a layer of herring and onion.
Repeat the layers once more, finishing again with the herring.
Cover with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for 5-6 hours to harden.
Then turn the salad onto a large plate and smooth with the back of a spoon where necessary.
Decorate with the grated egg whites, to which you have added 1-2 tablespoons of mayonnaise and salt to taste.
