Russian Salad Herring Under Fur Coat – Shuba With Garnish Ideas

      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 recipe is my favorite. I can say the shyba can be chopped herring salad as well but I personally like shredded vegetables in it (onion in small dice). We make this winter salad for New Year’s Eve on a big plate and usually, 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, greens 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 Russian 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 in my life was in Krasnodar, the state of Kuban Russia. Herring sell from large barrels on farmer markets, 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 the top. The best pairing for pickled herring is boiled potatoes with green dill on top.

     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 make a salad in the shape of 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 not coming 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 is dill greens and green onion curls.