Salad Herring Under Fur Coat – Russian Shuba With Garnish Ideas

Photo Russian salad herring under fur coat image

Traditional Russian salad herring under a fur coat or shuba is a layered salad with pickled herring. We call in Russian seledka pod shuboi or shuba salad (салат селедка под шубой). This dressed herring salad recipe has so many versions. Some people even add apples! Every household has its own twist for this salad. I tried so many different versions to make and this Russian herring with potatoes recipe is my favorite. I can say the shyba can be chopped herring salad as well but I like shredded vegetables in it (onion in small dice). We make this winter salad for New Year’s Eve on a big plate and nothing is left after the feast, because of the colorful vegetables so many versions to decorate this colorful pickled herring salad. If to follow old Russian cooking rules, we can decorate dishes only with ingredients included in the dish. Of course, fresh dill, parsley and lemon can be used too.

I thought only in Russia did we eat herring beet salad. I had international friends over a few years ago and thought only Russians are going to eat my pickled herring salad. I was very surprised, my friend from Germany said she makes this salad too but with slightly different ingredients mixed and it is one of the favorite salads in her family. I know in Europe herring is a popular fish. I remember tasty marinaded Polish herring when I was in Poland.

The best pickled herring I ever tried was in Krasnodar, the state of Kuban, Russia. Herring is sold from large barrels on farmer markets. It is very fresh and very tasty fish! I can call it a local delicacy. We serve it with a few drops of white vinegar, sunflower oil, and onion rings on top. The best pairing for pickled herring is boiled potatoes with green dill on top.

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Herring Under a Fur Coat Ingredients:

On the photo approximate amount of ingredients

5 oz ( 150g) cooked potatoes

5 oz ( 150g ) pickled herring

1 oz (30g) onion

1 oz (30g) cooked carrot

3 hard-boiled eggs

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Black pepper to taste

The ingredients portion for 2.

How To Choose Herring For Russian Salad Shuba

We can use any pickled herring for herring beet salad. The best herring is from the barrel. Herring pickled in a huge barrel and you can buy at Russian and European stores in the USA. Canned and in a packages herring pickled fillets can be used for Russian herring salad as well. Less work with cleaning fish when buy in ready to use fillets but taste wise from barrel much better usually. Better taste of herring, of course, the better taste of pickled herring salad as result. We don’t use marinaded herring for Russian salad shuba.

Preparation For Salad Herring Under Fur Coat

1. Bake, boil or steam beets, potatoes, and carrot. Cool off vegetables. Shred beets, carrot, and potatoes on the medium or small shredder.

*Baked beets have the best flavor for any salad.

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2. Dice onions and add vinegar and a small amount of vegetable oil. Let the onion stand for 5 minutes before adding it to the salad.

*Great way to serve pickled herring as is with circles of onion and a few drops of vinegar and oil on the top. It is so good with boiled potatoes!

3. Shred egg and yolks separate whites. Use yolks on the top for garnish.

4. Remove skin and bones from fish. Cut herring into small dices.

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5. Place mayonnaise into a plastic bag. Use the plastic bag for spreading mayonnaise, cut tip, and use.

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Layering Salad Herring Under Fur Coat

Layers of herring beet salad:

Potatoes
Herring
Onion
Potatoes
Mayonaise
Carrot
Mayonnaise
Beets
Mayonnaise
Egg whites
Egg yolks

Last layers depend on your preference, mostly for decor.

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1 Layer

1. Place shredded potato on the bottom.

*The layer of potatoes depends on how salty the herring is. For very salty herring add extra potatoes.

2-3 Layers

2. Herring and onion.

4-5 Layers

2. Potatoes and mayonnaise.

*Mayonaise easy to spread evenly with a spoon if using a plastic bag.

4-5-6-7 Layers

3. Carrot, mayonnaise, beets, mayonnaise.

8-9 Layers

4. Eggs whites and yolks.

The salad is better served after a few hours in the refrigerator. If you make it to the event, you can make it the night before. Just add eggs before serving or make the last layer a beet layer. If you place eggs on the top of a salad, the next day red beets will bleed on the top unevenly.

Enjoy!

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How To Garnish Russian Salad Herring Under Fur Coat

Photo Herring under fur coat garnish idea

The most simple garnish that I used to make is herring head and tail and greens like green dill and green onion. I remove the gills and replace the eyes with mayonnaise and coriander (black pepper peppercorns). I made a salad in the shape of a fish and decorated it with a head and tail from the herring. For the top layer, I make egg yolks. If you going to decorate this way, add egg layers before serving, the salad looks good and the beets do not come out on the top.

The explanation and the reason why we garnish fur coat salad with a fish head and tail is simple. Shyba salad is a very exotic food for people from other countries. Russian tables serve salads and appetizers already on a table when guests arrive and we have many varieties of salads. All with different ingredients. The main ingredient is better to put on the top of the salad and will be no confusion for guests. Not everybody eats fish and when a person sees this garnish it is clear what is the main ingredient. Especially, it is important on large party tables and banquets. Another way to garnish fish salad is to make it just in the shape of fish as an alternative.

We can serve herring beet salad individually. So many options to garnish it but the most simple are dill greens and green onion curls.