Russian Layered Salad Food

RUSSIAN POTATO SALAD

Steps:

• Place potatoes in a Dutch oven; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until tender, 10-15 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl., Meanwhile, combine sugar and vinegar in a small saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved; pour over hot potatoes. Cool to room temperature., In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add carrots and onion; cook and stir until crisp-tender, 6-8 minutes. Add to potatoes. Stir in beets, celery and pickles. Combine mayonnaise, salt and pepper; gently stir into potato mixture. Refrigerate, covered, until chilled.

RUSSIAN SHUBA SALAD (HERRING UNDER FUR COAT)

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• In a large saucepan, bring 3 quarts of water to a boil.
• Add the beets and cook for 20 minutes.
• Add the potatoes and cook for another 20 minutes.
• Add the carrots and continue cooking for an additional 20 minutes. Add more boiling water to keep the vegetables covered, if needed.
• Drain the vegetables and let cool for 10 minutes before handling.
• While still warm, peel the potatoes, carrots, and beets.
• Set aside to cool completely.
• Shred the carrots and beets.
• Place in separate bowls.
• Finely chop the potatoes.
• On a pretty serving platter, place a ring mold or the ring from a springform pan . This salad can also be assembled free form in a round or oval shape or in a 13 by 9-inch pan.
• Place all of the chopped potatoes in the ring, covering the bottom. Pat carefully into an even layer.
• Spread 1/3 of the mayonnaise to completely cover the potatoes.
• Place half of the beets in a thin layer on top.
• Then add half of the carrots.
• Place half of the finely chopped onion on top of the carrot.
• Use all of the chopped pickled herring to cover the onions.
• Spread another 1/3 of the mayonnaise to cover the herring.
• Layer with the remaining carrots and then the onion.
• Add the chopped eggs on top.
• Sprinkle over black pepper to taste.
• Cover with the remaining mayonnaise.
• Add the rest of the beets.
• Carefully pack down the beets so there's nothing else showing.
• Refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
• When it's time to serve, carefully remove the ring, if using, so the layers of the salad are shown.
• If desired, place the sliced hardboiled eggs on top of the salad to decorate it.
• Garnish with chopped dill or parsley.
• Serve and enjoy.

EASY RUSSIAN SALAD

Steps:

• Cook the carrots and potatoes in a pan of boiling salted water for 4 mins, then throw in the peas and cook for 4 mins more until all the vegetables are tender. Drain, cool for a few mins, then tip into a bowl with the cornichons, mayonnaise and parsley, if using. Mix well and season to taste. Delicious with leftover roast beef or lamb, wedges of pork pie or cold sliced ham or chicken.

RUSSIAN SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to boil. Season with salt.
• Add whole potatoes to the boiling water, and cook 15 minutes. Add whole carrots to the cooking potatoes, and cook both another 10 minutes. Remove potatoes and carrots with a spider when easily pierced with a cake tester or a very thin knife blade, and set aside in a bowl.
• Add frozen peas to boiling water, and using the spider, remove them to a separate bowl as they float, until all peas have floated and been transferred to the bowl.
• Gently add the eggs, and allow to boil 10 minutes.
• While the eggs cook, peel the potatoes and carrots under cold running water by rubbing them gently with your fingers. Rinse the peas under cold running water to cool.
• Once the eggs are cooked, drain them, and peel under cold running water.
• Neatly dice the potatoes, carrots, ham, eggs and cornichons to the same approximate (and rather small) size as the peas, aiming for uniformity. Gently toss them all together in a large bowl.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise with the cornichon brine, and pour over the salad. Toss gently with rubber spatula or using your fingers until the salad is well coated. Season with several hearty grinds of black pepper.
• Refrigerate overnight, and serve cold.