Sel'odka Pod Shuboy

From Russia with love…

What is it about all those Northern European seafood recipes? With those strong, pickled flavours they’re certainly an acquired taste, but once you’re accustomed to them, you’ll be coming back for more! These addictive seafood preparations have the benefit of being easily accessible, great as an aperitif accompaniment, and long-lasting.

That is, if you don’t devour them all in the first sitting!

So rest assured, traditional Russian cuisine isn’t all cabbage, potatoes, and beetroot. It involves a wide variety of fresh and preserved ingredients, as would be fitting in the world’s largest country, and one that spans across ten time zones and several micro-climates. However, I must concede that my favourite classic Russian seafood dish does actually involve beetroot and potatoes, but as you can see from the recipe below, it’s what you do to them that counts.

Sel’odka pod shuboy

A literal translation of this fantastic year-round salad would be “Herring under a fur coat”, so you’ve got a fairly typical portrayal of Russian life here, all in the one easy-to-make dish!

Ingredients

• 1-2 preserved herring filet(s) or salty herring(s)
• 2 potatoes
• 2 carrots
• 2 beetroots
• Mayonnaise

Boil the vegetables and then grate finely, dividing all the different types of vegetables into separate piles.

Chop the herring filet into small pieces. If you’ve bought whole herring, then it’s necessary to mince the filet after removing the bones.

Place the ingredients in layers into a deep dish. Begin with the potato, then the carrot (slightly less depth than the potatoes), then spread with mayonnaise. Next add the herring, a layer of beetroot, and a final layer of mayonnaise.

Repeat the layers, and you should have a wonderful layered rainbow of colours.

Refrigerate for 8-10hrs before serving.

Try and keep the distinct layers intact when serving for the ultimate presentation effect! If you’re taking this salad along on a picnic or outdoor BBQ, be very careful when you have it in your picnic hamper, as it can be quite delicate to transport – especially if you’ve already taken a slice to sample!

There are a lot of great Russian recipe ideas for seafood, especially when it comes to hors d'oeuvres, which in Russia are a particular specialty and are called “zakuski.” The most desirable treats feature caviar and smoked salmon, although in an effort to conserve the endangered sturgeon to continue accessing its prized roe in future generations, Russians have recently been encouraged to steer away from buying and consuming caviar.

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