This festive salad has its roots in Ukraine, where it’s a beloved staple of traditional celebrations. Šuba, which translates to “fur coat,” is colorful, hearty, and surprisingly delicious. Layers of vegetables and fish are wrapped in smooth mayonnaise like being tucked into a warm coat.
Herring Wrapped in a Coat of Vegetables and Eggs
And let’s not forget the mayonnaise. Lots and lots of mayonnaise. Many of the other ingredients will remind you of a classic potato salad: eggs, potatoes, carrots, and cooked beetroot.
Did we mention the mayonnaise? It’s the key element that brings this layered salad together — and, along with the herring, gives šuba its unmistakable flavor.
Tips for a Perfect Šuba
You’ll lock in amazing flavor by choosing high-quality smoked pink herring fillets and herring in a sweet and sour marinade. We also recommend using top-quality mayonnaise and if you’re up for it, homemade is ideal. As for the beetroot, only freshly boiled beets will give you that rich, authentic Šuba taste. Pre-cooked beets just don’t deliver the same depth of flavour.
Ingredients for a 20 cm round dish:
- 3 medium beets
- 6 small potatoes (type A – firm, waxy)
- 3 medium carrots
- 4 large eggs
- 240 g smoked herring fillets
- 260 g pickled herring in sweet-sour brine
- 10 pickled pearl onions
- 300 g mayonnaise
- 100 g sour cream
- 1 tsp full-fat mustard
- Salt
- Pepper
- Fresh dill for garnish
Instructions:
- Prepare the vegetables: Wash the beets but do not peel them. Boil them with the skin on for about 45 minutes, until tender. Wash the potatoes and carrots and cook them together in another pot for about 30 minutes. Hard-boil the eggs. Let all the ingredients cool completely.
- Peel the vegetables, grate them coarsely, and separate them into individual bowls — one type of vegetable per bowl. Peel the eggs and set one yolk aside. Grate the rest of the eggs coarsely and place them in a separate bowl.
- Chop both the smoked and pickled herring into small pieces (if the brine includes onions, chop those as well).
- TIP: The finer you chop the herring, the more balanced the flavor it won’t overpower the other ingredients. Finely chop the pickled spring onions in sweet-sour brine and mix them with the herring.
- Mix the mayonnaise with sour cream for a milder taste and add mustard (Dijon or full-fat, depending on preference). You can also just use mayonnaise if you prefer. Prepare a mold to “hide the herring under a coat.” You can use the full base of the mold to create a cake-like shape — or place a glass or bottle in the center of the mold to form a wreath shape.
- Start layering the ingredients. It’s best to begin with a potato layer as a firm base. Smooth it out, season with salt, and spread with a layer of the mayonnaise mixture.
- Next, add the herring mixed with onions, season lightly with pepper (do not add salt — the herring is salty enough), and spread with another layer of mayonnaise.
- On top of the herring, add the grated eggs, season lightly with salt, and gently spread more mayonnaise. Then comes the carrot layer, also lightly salted and topped with a bit of the mayonnaise mix.
- The final layer is the grated beetroot and you guessed it a light coat of mayonnaise. Smooth out the top and sprinkle with the reserved grated egg yolk for garnish. Add a few sprigs of dill and refrigerate the Šuba to let the flavours meld.
- If you used a bottle or glass in the center of the mold, carefully remove it before serving, along with the outer ring of the mold. Slice the Šuba gently into portions and serve cold. Enjoy!
Stravenky udělají z každé ceny slevu
We probably don’t need to remind you that with meal vouchers or the electronic eStravenka, you can buy all the ingredients for your Šuba much more affordably.
With the Můj Up app, you can easily check your current balance and find out where to shop for all the ingredients you need to make a perfect Šuba.
