Description
Traditional Shuba Salad, also known as Herring Under a Fur Coat, is a layered Russian salad featuring salted herring covered with boiled vegetables and mayonnaise. This colorful and flavorful dish combines sweet beets, carrots, potatoes, onions, eggs, and dill for a harmonious blend of textures and tastes. Perfect for festive occasions or as a unique appetizer.
Ingredients
Scale
Seafood and Vegetables
- 17.6 ounces salted herring (chopped into ½-inch cubes; typically 2 packages of 8.8 ounces each, packed in oil)
- 1 small sweet onion (finely chopped)
- 4 medium Yukon gold potatoes (boiled and peeled)
- 3 medium beets (boiled and peeled)
- 4 medium carrots (boiled and peeled)
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill (plus a few sprigs for garnish)
Eggs and Dressing
- 4 large eggs (hard boiled and peeled)
- 1 cup mayonnaise (or more, as needed)
Instructions
- Cook the beets: Place beets in boiling water sufficient to cover them. Boil for about 50 minutes to 1 hour until they are soft and easily pierced with a knife. Once cooked, remove them from water and allow to cool to room temperature. Peel the beets carefully (using gloves can help prevent staining). Set aside.
- Cook potatoes and carrots: In a separate pot, boil whole unpeeled potatoes and carrots for 25-35 minutes until tender but not overcooked. The carrots will cook slightly faster, so check tenderness frequently. Remove from water and cool to room temperature before peeling. Set aside.
- Boil eggs: Place eggs in a pot with cold water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cook for 10 minutes. Transfer eggs to an ice bath to cool, then peel. Slice eggs in half and separate whites and yolks. Set aside.
- Prepare the herring mixture: Cut each herring fillet into 4 strips, then chop into ¼-inch cubes. Place in a bowl. Finely chop the sweet onion and add to the bowl along with 2 tablespoons of fresh dill. Mix gently and set aside.
- Prepare to layer: Position a springform mold without the bottom on a plate slightly larger than the mold to easily catch any juices.
- Layer potatoes: Grate peeled potatoes and spread evenly in the springform to the edges without pressing down.
- Add herring layer: Spoon the herring, onion, and dill mixture evenly over the grated potatoes, spreading to the edges.
- Layer carrots: Grate peeled carrots and spread on top of the herring layer. Spoon half of the mayonnaise over the carrots and spread evenly.
- Layer beets: Grate the peeled beets and spread them over the mayonnaise-covered carrots. Add the remaining mayonnaise on top and spread it evenly.
- Add eggs: Grate the egg whites over the final mayonnaise layer, then grate the egg yolks on top as the last layer.
- Garnish and chill: Garnish the top with fresh dill sprigs. Refrigerate for at least 4-6 hours or overnight to allow the flavors to meld. Carefully release and remove the springform before serving. Cut the salad like a cake and enjoy.
Notes
- Use gloves when peeling beets to prevent staining your hands.
- Boil vegetables until tender but avoid overcooking to maintain texture.
- The salad tastes best when chilled overnight, allowing flavors to meld fully.
- Adjust the amount of mayonnaise based on personal preference for creaminess.
- This salad is traditionally served cold as part of holiday or festive meals.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Russian
Keywords: Shuba Salad, Herring Under a Fur Coat, Russian Salad, Layered Salad, Beet Salad, Holiday Salad
