Bering sweet beetroot salad with herring and mayonnaise, 500g

This is a version of the classic "herring under a fur coat" (shuba) salad—except, rather than being layered, the ingredients are mixed together. It is ready to eat straight from the package. The beets provide color and sweetness, the herring adds a savory, salty richness, and the mayonnaise—used in just the right proportion—binds the components together without making the dish feel heavy. A touch of sugar, combined with a small amount of saccharin, gives the salad a milder, more delicate flavor than the traditional homemade version.

Ingredients: pickled herring fillets 35%, beets 25%, mayonnaise 15% (water, rapeseed oil, sugar, powdered egg yolk, modified starch, salt, thickeners: E412, E415; preservative: E211; acidity regulator: E260; mustard extract), salt, onion, spirit vinegar, sugar, sweetener (saccharin) 0.016%, preservative: E211.

Serve chilled—you can spoon it directly onto a plate, serve it atop slices of dark rye bread, or use it to fill halved hard-boiled eggs. For an effortless party appetizer, try portioning the salad into small cups and garnishing each with a sprig of dill. If you’d like to stretch the serving size, simply stir in a mashed boiled potato and a chopped hard-boiled egg—this will double the amount, enough for twice as many guests. Keep the package refrigerated and consume the contents soon after opening; herring mixed with mayonnaise does not store well—if left open, it will become unfit to eat within a week.