The name of this salad translates as "Herring under a fur coat". It evokes memories of the harsh Russian winter and our multiple layers of warm clothes to keep warm. Technically, it is a layered salad with finely chopped pieces of salted herring in a coat of cooked vegetables and diced onions, richly seasoned with mayonnaise. The texture of its top layer of grated beets resembles the fur coat. For decades, it has taken the place of honour on our tables.
According to legend, the idea to make this salad first occurred to a Moscow restaurant owner at the beginning of the 20th century. He liked his customers, but he had a problem. Many guests drank to excess and sometimes started fights and caused damage to his property. He designed a recipe for this filling salad, offered it to his rowdy guests and solved his problem.
In this video, Nun Natalya (Bolotina) presents the lenten version of the salad. Watch her make it, and impress your family and guests on your next special occasion.
