Fish Salad in the Lake

Name: Fish Salad in the Lake - Mariana E.
Ingredients: 200 g smoked sprat; 2 potatoes; 2 carrots; 1 red onion; 2 eggs; 50 g cheese; 400 ml mayonnaise; green onion leaves; parsley

Savory - Fish Salad in the Lake by Mariana E. - Recipia

When I make this salad, I usually start with the vegetables, as they boil quickly and can cool while I prepare the rest. I typically have smoked sprat in the fridge and use it quite often for quick recipes. The "Fish in the Lake" salad doesn’t look like an ordinary salad, but it’s easy to make and has an interesting appearance on the platter. Quick Info Total time: about 45-60 minutes Preparation time: 25 minutes Boiling time: 20-25 minutes (for vegetables and eggs) Servings: 4-6 Difficulty: easy Recipe type: smoked fish appetizer salad Ingredients 200 g smoked sprat (or similar smoked fish) 2 medium potatoes 2 carrots 1 red onion 2 eggs 50 g cheese 400 ml mayonnaise green onion leaves fresh parsley Preparation method 1. Boil the whole potatoes and carrots in salted water. Cook them until a fork goes in easily, but don’t let them get too soft; you want them firm for grating. Remove them, let them cool, and then peel. 2. Boil the eggs separately until hard. Once cooled, peel them. 3. Grate the cooled potatoes and carrots and place them in a large bowl. Add the finely chopped red onion. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then mix everything with two tablespoons of mayonnaise, just enough to bind the mixture. 4. Place this mixture on a platter, flatten it with a spoon, and gently level the edges. 5. Take the smoked sprat and cut each fish in half. Keep the halves with tails for decoration, and remove as many bones as you can from the rest. Arrange the boneless pieces on top of the potato and carrot layer as evenly as possible. 6. Sprinkle the grated cheese over the fish to cover the layer well. 7. Grate the boiled eggs over the cheese, forming another fairly even layer. 8. Cover everything with the remaining mayonnaise. If you want it to look neater, you can use a piping bag or a spoon to apply the mayonnaise without disturbing the layers below. 9. Finally, take the tails from the fish and stick them into the mayonnaise layer so that they look like fish coming out of the "lake". Garnish the platter with green onion leaves and parsley. Why I make this recipe often It’s quick, doesn’t require complicated techniques, and the ingredients are easy to find. Plus, it can be made in advance, chilled, and remains just as good the next day. The smoked sprat gives it a unique flavor, and there’s no need to bake or fry anything. Tips and variations Tips - Don’t boil the vegetables too much, or they will become watery and mushy when grated. - If you want it to look neater, layer each component carefully so they don’t mix. - The sprat has many bones, but if you patiently remove them, the texture is more pleasant. Substitutions - You can use other smoked fish (herring, mackerel) if you can’t find sprat. - The red onion can be replaced with green onion if you prefer a milder taste. Variations - For a lighter version, reduce the amount of mayonnaise or use a diet mayonnaise. There are recipes with potato mayonnaise, but I haven’t tried them, so I can’t guarantee the result. - You can add a little lemon juice over the fish for a fresher taste, but it’s not mandatory. - If you want, the cheese layer can be placed between the fish and eggs or even omitted if you don’t like it. Serving ideas - The salad looks good on oval or rectangular platters to accommodate the fish tails for decoration. - I let it chill in the fridge for a few hours before serving so that the layers settle. - It works well as an appetizer for festive meals or as a cold snack. Frequently asked questions Can I use sardines instead of sprat? Sardines are not usually smoked, so the taste will be quite different, but technically you can try if you like them. Can I make the salad a day in advance? Yes, it’s actually better if it sits in the fridge for a few hours. You prepare it, cover it, and let it chill. What type of cheese should I use? Any semi-hard cheese that grates easily. There’s no need for special varieties. What if I don’t have a piping bag for the mayonnaise? You can spread it with a spoon or spatula, just be careful not to mix the layers. How do I easily remove the bones from the sprat? The easiest way is to split the fish in half and gently pull on the backbone, then feel with your fingers for any small bones. Nutritional values Approximately, one serving (out of 6) has around 350-400 kcal, with about 20-25 g of fat (mostly from mayonnaise and fish), 15-18 g of protein, and 20-25 g of carbohydrates (from vegetables and mayonnaise). Values may vary depending on the type and exact amount of mayonnaise and fish used. It’s a more substantial salad. Storage and reheating It keeps well in the fridge, covered, for 1-2 days. I do not recommend reheating; it’s a cold salad. If it sits too long, it may release water from the vegetables and mayonnaise, so don’t prepare it too far in advance. The fish tails can be easily removed when serving if you don’t want to leave them in the salad.

Fish Salad in the Lake

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