A tasty mushroom meadow on your plate!
Olga BrovkinaPicture this: layers of potatoes, carrots, chicken, eggs, cheese and a generous spread of mayonnaise, topped with a picturesque meadow. Of course, the list of ingredients can vary, while still preserving the essence – this salad was created for mushroom lovers, as it is “crowned” with lots of mushrooms!
The original recipe dates back to the 20th century. When Soviet salads like ‘Olivier’ and ‘Herring under a fur coat’ took their place on every festive table, the mushroom version of the layered salads added some variety to them.
As time marched on, the recipe for the ‘Mushroom Meadow Salad’ continued to adapt. Chefs infused their creativity, experimenting with various mushrooms and additions. The list of potential additions has expanded to include pickles, corn and even nuts, contributing to the salad's complexity. Some chefs have taken inspiration from international cuisines, incorporating ingredients like Korean carrots or exotic herbs to elevate the dish to new heights.
The creativity doesn't stop at the ingredients, however! Presentation also plays a crucial role. Some culinary artists sculpt mushroom figurines out of the potatoes, while others arrange the salad to resemble enchanting forest scenery. Let’s try to create our own tasty mushroom meadow!
1. Begin by boiling the eggs, potatoes and the carrot: submerge them in water, add salt to prevent cracking the eggs and cook until hard-boiled (around 7-10 minutes after the water reaches boiling temperature) eggs. Then, cool and peel the eggs. Continue boiling the vegetables in water for another 20 minutes (the carrot may take up to 25 minutes). Remove from the pot, let it cool and peel the potatoes.
2. Boil the chicken filet in water seasoned with salt, bay leaves and peppercorns. Cook approximately 30-40 minutes. Then, remove from the broth and let it cool.
3. Drain the marinated mushrooms and rinse them under cold water. Then, dry them with a kitchen towel.
4. Wash and finely chop the dill. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise with sour cream, season with salt and pepper to taste and mix well.
5. Line a deep dish with plastic wrap. Place the marinated mushrooms at the bottom, caps facing down. Then put the layer of chopped dill.
6. The next layer is grated potato, lightly coated with the mayo sauce.
7. Grate the eggs finely and spread them over the potato layer. Add another thin layer of the prepared sauce.
8. Follow with grated carrot, mayo sauce, chopped pickled cucumbers, diced chicken and another layer of sauce.
9. The final layer is the cheese, grated coarsely and generously coated with the remainder of the sauce.
10. Cover the salad with plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 2-3 hours, preferably overnight. Before serving, remove the plastic wrap and place lettuce leaves on top, ensuring the edges hang over the salad container.
11. Flip the salad 180 degrees onto a flat plate, ensuring the mushroom layer is on top. Remove the plastic wrap and serve. Enjoy!
Dear readers,
Our website and social media accounts are under threat of being restricted or banned, due to the current circumstances. So, to keep up with our latest content, simply do the following:
Subscribe to our Telegram channels: Russia Beyond and The Russian Kitchen
Subscribe to our weekly email newsletter
Enable push notifications on our website
Install a VPN service on your computer and/or phone to have access to our website, even if it is blocked in your country
If using any of Russia Beyond's content, partly or in full, always provide an active hyperlink to the original material.
Subscribe
to our newsletter!
Get the week's best stories straight to your inbox