Welcome to a delightful twist on a beloved classic! While potato salad is a staple in many cuisines, this version draws inspiration from Northern and Eastern European traditions, introducing a star ingredient: salaka, a type of Baltic herring. This isn't your average potato salad; it's a beautiful medley of textures and flavors. The creamy potatoes and rich eggs form a perfect base for the savory, salty fish, while crisp apple, tangy pickled cucumber, and sharp capers add bright, refreshing notes. A creamy dressing with a kick of khren (horseradish) ties everything together, creating a dish that is both comforting and exciting. Perfect as a hearty side or a light lunch, this salad is sure to become a new favorite.
Potato salad with salaka.
Ingredients for Potato Salad with Baltic Herring
- 4 medium potatoes, boiled in their skins
- 2 chicken eggs, hard-boiled
- 100 g salted salaka (a type of Baltic herring) fillet
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 1 pickled cucumber
- 1 sweet apple
- small bunch of dill
- 1 sweet salad onion
- 4 tablespoons thick mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons khren (horseradish paste)
- salt, black pepper, herbs for garnish
How to Make Potato Salad with Baltic Herring
Peel the potatoes boiled in their skins and cut them into large cubes.
Dice the eggs and add them to the potatoes.
Cut the lightly salted salaka fillet into small pieces.
Peel the potatoes that were boiled in their skins and cut them into large cubes. By the way, many nutritionists recommend not peeling potatoes but just washing them thoroughly with an abrasive sponge. The potato skin is rich in nutrients, so whether to leave it on is up to you.
Dice the hard-boiled eggs and add them to the potatoes. There’s no need to boil the eggs vigorously; just bring the water to a boil, turn off the heat, and leave them in the hot water for 10 minutes. This way, the yolk will stay yellow, and the white won’t become rubbery.
Cut the fillet of lightly salted salaka (a type of Baltic herring) into small pieces. Add the chopped salaka to the potatoes and eggs. I salt salaka at home; it’s very simple. Gut the fish, remove the bones, rinse, and cover with salt, preferably sea salt. It’s ready in 3-4 days!
Add the pickled capers to the salad.
Add pickled capers to the salad. Unfortunately, there’s no substitute for them. If you don’t have any, just make the salad without them.
Dice the pickled cucumber into small cubes.
Next, add the diced sweet apple.
Finely chop a bunch of dill.
Dice the pickled cucumber into small cubes and place it in the bowl.
Next, add the diced sweet apple. To prevent the apple from browning in the air, you should sprinkle it with lemon juice or place it in cold water with a drop of citric acid for a minute.
Finely chop a bunch of dill and add it to the bowl.
Finely chop the head of a sweet salad onion.
Finely chop the head of a sweet salad onion. Add the chopped onion to the other salad ingredients.
Add the mayonnaise and khren.
Add the mayonnaise and khren (a spicy horseradish paste). I make my own mayonnaise: 1 teaspoon of table mustard, 1 teaspoon of sugar, a pinch of salt, 1 raw egg yolk, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, black pepper, and vegetable oil. First, whisk the yolk with mustard, salt, and sugar, then slowly add the vegetable oil drop by drop until the desired consistency is reached (about 60g is needed), and finally, add the lemon juice.
The khren, by the way, is also homemade – just run peeled horseradish roots through a meat grinder and season to your taste with beets, lemon, or garlic and tomatoes.
Mix the salad well and refrigerate for half an hour to an hour.
Mix the salad well. Refrigerate for half an hour to an hour to let the ingredients get acquainted and the potatoes soak up the juices.
And there you have it – a potato salad that's anything but ordinary! This Potato Salad with Salaka is a testament to how simple ingredients can create an extraordinary dish. For the best flavor, be sure to let it chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes; this allows all the distinct tastes to meld into a harmonious whole. Serve it at your next family gathering, picnic, or as a satisfying weeknight meal. It pairs wonderfully with dark rye bread. We hope you enjoy this taste of European comfort food and feel inspired to explore new flavors in your kitchen. Happy cooking!
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