An excellent alternative to the celebratory Estonian Potato Salad, this vibrant layered beetroot and herring salad (also known as Kasukas in Estonia, Shuba in Slavic countries) or Herring Under a Fur Coat takes some time to make but is worth it. It was my Mum’s favourite salad to put on the table on a special occasion as she always wanted to offer something different. This (mostly) wholesome and filling salad is ideal if you’re looking to incorporate more root vegetables and/or herring to your diet as they are sure to revitalise any diet. The exact origin of the layered beetroot and herring salad is unclear, it continues to be enjoyed both as a traditional dish and as a nostalgic reminder of culinary history.
Layered beetroot and herring salad
Course: Lunch, DinnerCuisine: Estonian, SlavicDifficulty: Easy4
servings30
minutes40
minutes300
kcalThis celebratory layered beetroot and herring salad (also known as Kasukas in Estonia, Shuba in Slavic countries) or Herring Under a Fur Coat is vibrant and filling. Ideal if you’re looking to incorporate more beetroot and/or herring to your diet as they are sure to revitalise any diet.
Ingredients
200g marinated herring (such as Silver Tide Marinated Herring & Dill), drained and chopped into pieces
1/2 red onion, peeled and chopped into small pieces
2 pickled gherkins, chopped into pieces
2 carrots, boiled, peeled and grated
3 potatoes, boiled, peeled and grated
200g beetroot, boiled, peeled and grated
- Salad dressing
120g gluten free mayonnaise (make it yourself)
120g soured cream
- Topping
2 boiled eggs (8-10 minutes of boiling), mashed with a fork
Directions
- When boiling the beets, carrots and potatoes, be prepared to boil them for up to 40 minutes. Beets take the longest so you may want to opt for the ready-boiled ones (just make sure you don’t buy a pickled version that may contain barley malt vinegar).
- Once the vegetables are cooled, peeled and grated, start layering the ingredients into a large glass bowl (the wider the better) in the following order, starting from the bottom: onion, herring, gherkins, carrots, potatoes, beetroot. DO NOT press down the layers.
- Take a long narrow knife and make some holes all the way through to the bottom so that the sauce can fall through.
- Mix the dressing and spread it gently over the salad. Cover and let it sit in the fridge for at least 12 hours.
- Before serving, boil the eggs, cool and mash them with a fork. Spread over the salad.
- When serving, use a large spoon to make sure you reach all the way to the bottom of the layers. Enjoy.
Notes
- Substitute the onion for a smaller size leek to make it a bit milder.
Please use the hashtag #TheNonGlutenOne if you make this recipe so I can re-share the love. And do let me know if there’s anything wrong with this recipe. Use my contact page or email me info@thenonglutenone.com.
