Saint Petersburg-style herrings

By: Zuza Zak
From: Polska
Serves: 5
Prep: 45 mins
Photographer: Laura Edwards

These herrings are as popular in Russia as they are in Poland. In Russia this dish would be known as pod shuboy, which translates as ‘under a fur coat’, referring to the fact that in this recipe the herrings lie snug underneath all the other ingredients. In Poland, we know this dish as śledzie pod pierzynką, meaning ‘under a duvet’.

The most memorable time I ate this dish was in the Liternaturnoye Café in St Petersburg, where Pushkin had his final glass of water or lemonade – no one is sure – before being mortally wounded in a duel over his love, the beautiful and flirtatious Natalia.

Ingredients

Quantity	Ingredient
2	red beetroot
1	large potato
150ml	mayonnaise
150ml	soured cream
250g	herring fillets, preserved in oil, drained and chopped
1	red onion, finely chopped
2	carrots, grated
1	medium apple, grated
4	hard-boiled eggs, chopped
1 tablespoon	chopped fresh dill
	salt, to taste
	white pepper, to taste

Method

Cook the beetroot and potato with the skins on until tender when pierced with a knife. Allow to cool, then peel. Grate the beetroot and thinly slice the potato.
Combine the mayonnaise and soured cream in a bowl. Season to taste.
Arrange the herrings in a single layer in the base of a shallow bowl or plate. Scatter the chopped onion over the top, then add a layer of sliced potato and spoon over half the mayonnaise and soured cream mixture. Add a layer of grated beetroot, the grated carrot and then the apple. Finally, add the chopped egg, the remaining mayonnaise and soured cream. Scatter over the dill. The salad should now look like a colourful cake. Place in the fridge for a couple of hours to chill.
Cut into squares or slices to serve, making sure each guest gets a bit of each layer.

Tags:: polish; eastern european

Saint Petersburg-style herrings

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