"Herring under a fur coat" (short "Fur coat") is a salad widely known in Russia, often decorating festive tables. There are many original cooking options in which cooks clean or add products, change the sequence of layers or the shape of the salad.
How to choose a fish
All these recipes are united by one fundamental ingredient - fish. The taste of the dish depends on her competent choice. How to choose the right fish for "Herring under a fur coat"?
Signs of quality and fresh salted herring:
- the fish is clean and without damage;
- uniform bluish-steel color scales without inclusions;
- lack of foreign odors;
- the elasticity of the meat, which is noticeable when you press the carcass;
- dark red elastic gills;
- transparent, slightly reddish eyes, which indicates a weak salting.
Now that you have selected the right herring, you need to prepare it for cutting. Instructions for cutting and cleaning fish:
- Put the herring on the board and remove the head, tail and fins.
- Using a sharply sharpened knife, make an incision in the center of the abdomen.
- Carefully remove the insides, trying not to damage the gallbladder, otherwise the fish will have a bitter taste.
- Rinse the fish thoroughly from the inside under cold water to remove the black film.
- Smoothly remove the skin. Divide into two halves and separate the fillets from the bones, starting from the head.
Carefully remove the bones, even one bone can spoil the impression of the dish.
After the main ingredient is cut, it's time to start cooking.
Classic recipe step by step
Cooking time - 120 minutes. Caloric content of 100 grams - 203 kcal.
You will need:
- salted herring - 1 pc .;
- onion - 1 pc .;
- potatoes - 2 pcs .;
- carrots - 2 pcs .;
- beets - 2 pcs .;
- egg - 3 pcs .;
- mayonnaise - 250 gr.
- Wash all the vegetables. Place potatoes and carrots in one pan and cook in the uniform for 35 minutes. At the same time in the same pan can cook eggs. Beets should be boiled apart from other vegetables until soft, that is, about an hour. You can replace ordinary cooking with cooking in an oven or a double boiler, which will better preserve the beneficial properties of the products.
- While vegetables do not require your attention, do not waste time. Separate the onion from the husk, cut it into cubes or half rings and prepare the fish. Divide it, following the step-by-step instructions presented above, and cut into small pieces. It is recommended to start cutting along, and then into small cubes across - so you can detect the remaining bones and prevent them from falling into the dish.
- Remove the cooked vegetables and eggs and allow them time to cool. Then remove the peel and the shell and rub each ingredient on a coarse grater. If desired, you can cut into cubes, but do not forget - the smaller the slicing, the more airy the salad. Spread all products in different containers.
Start putting out products. You can divide each ingredient into equal parts and alternate them in any order. Or form the layers in the proposed gradation:
- Herring.
- Bow.
- Eggs
- Potatoes.
- Carrot.
- Beet.
Each layer, starting with the second, it is necessary to coat with mayonnaise. Grease the layers abundantly, but do not overdo it - choose a middle ground.
Place the finished salad in a cold place for a few hours, during which time it will infuse, each layer will be soaked with mayonnaise, after which the dish will become familiar and well-known beetroot.
How to make a "Herring under a fur coat" roll
Another option for serving your favorite salad - roll. If you worry that it will be bad to keep shape and fall apart - in vain.
But for connoisseurs of "ideal forms", gelatin is allowed to be included in the recipe, which will give presentability and durability to the dish. But such an additive will affect the taste accordingly, so be prepared for this. Cooking time - 200 minutes. Caloric content of 100 grams - 177 kcal.
You will need:
- salted herring - 1 pc .;
- onion - 1 pc .;
- potatoes - 3 pcs .;
- carrots - 3 pcs .;
- beets - 3 pcs .;
- egg - 3 pcs .;
- mayonnaise - 250 gr;
- gelatin (optional) - 1.5 tsp;
- water (for gelatin) - 50 ml.
- Rinse thoroughly. Cook the eggs and vegetables in the peel until ready for about half an hour, slightly salted with water. Cook the beetroot separately so that it does not stain the other components of the salad. Then cool all the components in the refrigerator, this will help avoid sticking pieces together with their further grinding and forming a roll.
- Skip this step if you stop using gelatin.
In a small vessel, mix the water with the gelatin and allow the mixture to infuse. Mix the resulting mass with mayonnaise until smooth. Note that mayonnaise should not contain artificial preservatives, otherwise when mixed, lumps will form. The best option in this case is to make mayonnaise by yourself. - Using a knife, peel the vegetables and grate them. Fish finely cut into cubes, after removing the bone. Onions free from husks and shred. Spread the ingredients in different bowls and proceed to laying out.
Cover the kitchen board or mat with cling film for easy shaping. The peculiarity of the “Fur coat” roll is that the ingredients are laid out in the opposite order, so the sequence is as follows:
- Beet.
- Carrot.
- Potatoes.
- Eggs
- Bow.
- Herring.
As you lay out, coat the layers with mayonnaise or the resulting gelatin sauce. Each layer do already than the previous one, and at the end lay out a herring in a thin strip.
Carefully flatten the ends of the cling film and press down slightly. Tightly wrap the resulting roll film and place in the refrigerator for 4 hours. After a specified time, take out the salad and remove the film, trying not to deform the roll. From above you can make a beautiful lattice of mayonnaise. Cut the resulting salad - "Herring under a fur coat" roll is ready to serve.
How to decorate a beautiful dish
A creative approach to the design of "Fur Coat" and any other culinary products is always welcome and is limited solely by your imagination. It is no secret that it is much more pleasant to eat dishes whose creator has taken care of their appearance. Aesthetic and decorated food sometimes even seems tastier.
To decorate the dish in this way, you can use boiled eggs, carrots and beets. You will also need some olives for the eyes of the fish.
Cut the beets into 4-5 cm long strips and lay them in the form of scales. Then shape the beet slices with fins and lips, and place the carrot on them, as shown in the figure. Make eggs out of eggs and olives. Done! Your salad looks unusual and will please both its appearance and taste.
Useful tips
- For the preparation of "Herring under a fur coat" use a wide and flat plate, on it the layers will be more even, it will be much easier to shape them.
- If you do not want to feel the onion flavor in the salad - marinate it in water with the addition of one tablespoon of vinegar, previously chopped. After half an hour, you need to drain the water and squeeze the onion with your hands to get rid of excess moisture. And no more taste!
- Perfectionists may use the inverted pyramid method when cooking. To do this, select any shape that you would like to give the salad, and lay out the components in reverse order. Then turn over the container and enjoy a perfectly smooth surface.
Vegetarians are relieved, because this salad has an option without fish and eggs. Herring in this recipe is replaced by seaweed, and avocado eggs. It turns out a new salad - "Algae under a fur coat."
The fresh and savory taste of the salad will give grated apples or finely chopped pickled cucumbers. Some housewives add corn or green peas.
Do not underestimate the value of herring, because the success of the dish largely depends on it. It is recommended to choose moderately salted and low-fat herring. When choosing, pay attention to the scales - the smaller it is, the younger the fish is, it means that the salad will be tastier.
