“Shuba” Salad – “Fish Under A Fur Coat”

This is a widely known famous  salad, called “Shuba” which means “Fish Under A Fur Coat”.

The Shuba salad is very popular in Ukraine and Russia. It is one of the traditional dishes that are served during big holidays or events such as New Year, Christmas, Easter, weddings, and other celebrations.

The main ingredient of this recipe is a salted herring.  In the US, it maybe available in Costco store (a larger pack) or at European small stores.  If it’s not available, you may substitute the herring with salted salmon that can also be prepared at home.

shuba

Ingredients:

  • Potatoes –  2 medium size
  • Carrots –   2-3 medium size
  • Red beets – 2 medium
  • Onion –   1/2  medium size
  • Salted herring or salted salmon
  • Mayonnaise (you may use homemade mayonnaise)

Preparation:

  • Put raw unpeeled potatoes and carrots into a pot, fill it with water, and cook until it’s ready. Carrots should be ready in about 20 min.
  • Potatoes should be ready in 20-25 min. depending on its kind and size.
  • In the same way cook unpeeled beets until they are ready. Cooking time will be between 1 and 2 hours.
  • Check them with a fork if they are soft inside.
  • After potatoes, carrots, and beets are cooked, drain water and set them aside to cool off.
  • Peel beets, potatoes, carrots, and onion.
  • Using an extra coarse cheese grater, grate cooked vegetables separately, beets, potatoes, and carrots.
  • Chop onion.
  • Cut salted herrings or salted salmon into small cubes/pieces.
  • For salted salmon recipe click here.
  • When all ingredients are prepared, start making layers:
    • First layer is the fish
    • Second layer – onion
    • Third layer – potatoes
    • Spread some mayonnaise with a spatula over the potato layer, more or less – it’s up to your taste preference.
    • Next layer – carrots
    • And the last layer – beets.
    • Now take a small plastic bag, cut a little hole on one of the corners, put some mayonnaise into the bag, and make a decoration over the beet layer.

Extra tips:

  • You may add as much mayonnaise as you like; some people like less of it, some like more.

shuba 500px

shuba served-500

 

Serve cold with or without bread.

Enjoy!