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Authentic Zakuski Recipe Russia, Europe
JUMP TO RECIPEWe strongly advise you to read the cooking tips before jumping to the recipe though
Introduction & history
The French have hors d’oeuvres, the Spanish have tapas, and the Russians take pride in their zakuski — a wide range of appetizers served before every traditional lunch or dinner, and paired with shots of vodka. Typically, zakuski can be served on a table with guests sitting around it, or presented as a buffet, depending on the occasion. There is no set rules on what zakuski should contain — most commonly, Russian hosts will bring everything they have to the table. Bread — white, rye or a mixture of rye and wheat — is most commonly served fresh, or toasted and paired with butter. Then, there is an assortment of cheeses and charcuterie – cold cuts, hams, chicken rolls, liver and tongue pâtés and aspics. Fish is usually served cured or brined, and often includes herring, salmon, eel, and fresh caviar. Dumplings, pancakes and savory pies — such as pelmeni, pirozhki, pampushki, kulebyaka and ... Read more
Pair with
Cooking tips
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caviar
The most expensive and the most lavish part of zakuski is the caviar — fish roe, or fish eggs. The best caviar comes from the beluga sturgeon and is known as beluga caviar, but osetra and sevruga are also highly appreciated. The eggs are small and grayish-black, and often lightly salted. Salmon caviar, on the other hand, is slightly larger, reddish in color and less expensive. Caviar is typically ... Read more -
salads
Mixed and layered salads, often garnished with sour cream and/or mayonnaise, are another essential part of the zakuski course. Salad Olivier is a classic mixed salad made with chicken, pickles, hard-boiled eggs, peas, onions, and mayonnaise. An example of a layered salad is shuba salad, a combination of herring, grated potatoes, carrots, onions, beets, and mayonnaise, also known as herring under a ... Read more -
bread
Fresh bread — white, rye, or wheat and rye — is served on zakuski table cut in slices or as a part of canapé sandwiches. Sometimes, the bread can be toasted and served with butter on the side. -
aspics
Meat or fish aspics are often made with vegetables such as carrots, peas, and onions, and served either as individual portions or cut in slices. Since the preparation is lengthy — 4 to 6 hours of cooking, plus an additional 2 to 12 hours for cooling, they are usually prepared a day or two in advance.
Recipe variations
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Shuba Salad
Ready in 3h 5minAlso known as seledka pod shuboi, which translates as herring under a fur coat, this traditional layered salad is most commonly served on festive occasions, such as the New Year’s Eve. The recipe was adapted from Russianfood.com and suggests preparing this salad well in advance, so the layers have enough time to soak in the mayonnaise.
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Turkey Kholodets
Ready in 6h 40minA Russian version of aspic, kholodets can be made from any kind of meat paired with vegetables and herbs in a savory jelly. This recipe, adapted from Ovkuse.ru, shows how to make kholodets with turkey — the broth will turn to jelly on its own, so there is no need to use gelatin.
Shuba Salad
PREP 2h 20min
COOK 45min
READY IN 3h 5min
Also known as seledka pod shuboi, which translates as herring under a fur coat, this traditional layered salad is most commonly served on festive occasions, such as the New Year’s Eve. The recipe was adapted from Russianfood.com and suggests preparing this salad well in advance, so the layers have enough time to soak in the mayonnaise.
Ingredients
Shuba Salad
500 g herring
2-4 beets
4-5 potatoes
2-3 carrots
1 onion
4-5 eggs
250 g mayonnaise
FOR DECORATION (OPTIONAL)
parsley
canned green peas
Preparation
1
Shuba Salad
Step 1/11
Prepare three cooking pots. In the first one, boil unpeeled potatoes and carrots for 20 to 30 minutes, until they are soft. In the second one, boil beets for 40 to 45 minutes, depending on their size. Finally, hard boil the eggs in the third one, about 10 minutes. Set aside and cool.
Step 2/11
Cut the herring into fillets and then into smaller pieces.
Step 3/11
Peel and finely chop the onions. If they taste bitter, soak them shortly in boiling water.
Step 4/11
Peel the vegetables and the eggs and prepare one or two flat-bottomed salad bowls.
Step 5/11
Now, start making layers. Cover the bottom with a layer of herring.
Step 6/11
Top evenly with chopped onions.
Step 7/11
Take a coarse grater and grate a layer of potatoes, so they fully cover the onions. Then, spread mayonnaise on top.
Step 8/11
Grate the eggs and spread them evenly on the surface, so they form the fourth layer. Again, cover the mayonnaise.
Step 9/11
Grate the carrots, create the fifth layer, and cover with mayonnaise.
Step 10/11
Finish with a layer of grated beets on top and gently pat with your hands.
Step 11/11
Decorate with fresh parsley and canned green peas. Cool in the refrigerator for at least two hours and serve.
Other Variations
-
Turkey Kholodets
Ready in 6h 40minA Russian version of aspic, kholodets can be made from any kind of meat paired with vegetables and herbs in a savory jelly. This recipe, adapted from Ovkuse.ru, shows how to make kholodets with turkey — the broth will turn to jelly on its own, so there is no need to use gelatin.
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