Russian: Shuba (Layered Herring Salad)

Recipe by Paul Young <paul@cooking-with-paul.com>

(serves 8-10)

Ingredients:

• Required equipment: springform cake pan ring (7 or 8-inch preferred); or food ring molds for individual servings
• 6 medium beets, boiled and peeled
• 2 medium potatoes, boiled and peeled
• 4 medium carrots, boiled and peeled
• 6 large eggs; hard boiled, peeled
• Salt and pepper (to taste)
• 32 oz jar herring filets in wine sauce, drained and chopped into ½-inch chunks
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped (optional)
• 4 tablespoons fresh dill, plus a few sprigs for garnish
• 1½ cups mayonnaise
• Freshly ground black pepper (for garnish)

Procedure:

1. In a large pot, bring about 3 quarts of water to a boil
2. Add the beets and cook for 20 minutes; add the potatoes and cook for another 20 minutes; add the carrots and continue cooking for an additional 20 minutes (add more water if needed)
3. While the veggies are cooking, boil the eggs (about 12 minutes); cool under cold running water, then peel; chopped 5 of the hard-boiled eggs, set aside (leave the 6th egg intact)
4. When the veggies are cooked (but still slightly hard), drain and let cool for 10 minutes; peel the veggies
5. Chop the potatoes, set aside
6. Shred (or finely julienne) the carrots and beets; set aside in separate bowls
7. Assemble the layered salad: on a large serving platter, place the ring from the springform pan (do not use the bottom)
8. Combine chopped potatoes with ½ cup of the mayonnaise, add salt & pepper to taste, then spread evenly in the ring as the bottom layer
9. Combine carrots with another ½ cup of mayonnaise, add salt & pepper to taste, then spread evenly in the ring as the second layer
10. Combine chopped herring, dill, and more onions (if the marinated herring filets do not have enough onions); add to ring as the third layer
11. Add chopped eggs to ring as the fourth layer
12. Combine beets and another ½ cup of mayonnaise, add salt to taste, then spread evenly in the ring as the last layer
13. Press down all the layers with a large spatula to help firm up the salad; use a paper towel to sponge up the juices that might seep out at the bottom of the ring
14. Separate the egg whites from the yolk of the remaining egg
15. Carefully grate the white part of the hard boiled egg over the center of the top layer, spreading evenly as you grate; then top with crumbled egg yolk
16. Garnish with fresh dill, then refrigerate for at least 4-6 hours or overnight
17. To serve: release and remove the springform, then cut like you would cut a cake
18. Garnish with additional freshly ground black pepper (optional)