Herring Under a Fur Coat

Cut the onion into thin half-rings, pour boiling water over it for 1 minute, drain in a sieve, then pour vinegar over it and leave to pickle for 20 minutes.

Boil the beet until tender (45-60 minutes), the carrots and potatoes for 20-25 minutes, and hard-boil the eggs (10 minutes); cool everything and peel.

Pat the herring fillets dry with a paper towel, pick out any small bones, and cut into small cubes.

Grate the potatoes, carrots, beet and eggs separately from each other on a coarse grater.

Spread the herring in an even layer on the bottom of the salad bowl and press down lightly with a spoon.

Squeeze the vinegar out of the pickled onion and spread it on top, then add a layer of potatoes — coat each layer generously with mayonnaise.

Next add a layer of carrots, then the eggs, coating with mayonnaise again.

For the final layer, add the beet, cover with a thin lattice of mayonnaise and smooth the surface.

Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (overnight is best) so the salad soaks through well.