How to make the festive ‘Cap of Monomakh’ salad (RECIPE)
This might seem to be not class-conscious, but Soviet-era chefs were happy to serve up a salad inspired by the tsars - the edible Cap of Monomakh. This fine and delicious salad used some of the best ingredients from Soviet culinary classics.
The Cap of Monomakh is a symbol of autocracy in Russia and it was the coronation crown that the Russian tsars wore upon ascending the throne, at least until Peter the Great changed the custom in 1721. There are a number of versions about the origin of the Cap of Monomakh. There’s a legend that it was a gift of the Byzantine Emperor Konstantine Monomakh. But later it was established that the cap was created from separate parts of the armor of Russian princes at the beginning of the 16th century.
Just like the origin of the real Cap of Monomakh, the origin of the eponymous salad is not entirely clear. What is clear is that the recipe goes back to the days of the Soviet Union.
Among such familiar festive salads as Olivier, mimosa, crab salad, and "herring under a fur coat", Cap of Monomakh salad also had a special place during holidays.
Traditionally, it’s a meat salad that’s prepared with boiled beef, pork or chicken. But there are similar salads that use canned salmon or beef tongue. The other key ingredients are the usual potatoes, carrots, beets, and eggs.
The highlight of this salad, in my opinion, is the garlic mixed with the beets and carrots and chopped walnuts. As good as they are in the salad, please warn your guests since not everyone eats garlic and might be allergic to nuts.
To imitate a real cap, namely a golden cone with a sable trimming, shape a similar form from the ingredients. For the center of the salad, the ingredients are stacked in layers and dabbed with mayonnaise. For the fur, grated cheese, egg whites and potatoes are used. The ‘gems’ are made of pomegranate seeds, green peas and carrots. Walnuts are reminiscent of the gold from which the original is made.
An interesting comparison can be made with the salad not only in appearance. For example, Monomakh's Cap was put on display just once on the day of the coronation. So, the salad was also prepared only for very special occasions. Apparently, it was prepared only by a small segment of society during the Soviet period, and even today it’s still considered quite unique and few people know about it. But now you know about it, and can boast that you know how to make one of the rarest and most delicious Soviet salads.
Ingredients (for 6 servings):
- Potatoes - 2-3 pcs
- Smoked chicken - 150 g
- Carrot - 1 pc (medium)
- Eggs - 4 units
- Beet - 1 pc
- Garlic - 2 cloves
- Walnuts - 50 g
- Salt - pinch
- Mayonnaise - 100 g (or more, to taste)
- Pomegranate, green peas for decoration
Preparation:
1. Prepare the ingredients. I already had boiled beets and smoked chicken breast. Also, I boiled potatoes, carrots and eggs, and peeled them. I grated the potatoes on a fine grater and divided them into 3 bunches. I placed the first bunch of potatoes carefully, using two forks, at the bottom of a plate to be used for serving.
2. To make it easier to prepare the proper dose of the mayonnaise, put it in a plastic bag in order to make it easier for yourself to spread.
3. Grate the beets on a grater, add crushed garlic clove and salt.
4. Put on a layer of potatoes, and spread the mayonnaise.
5. The cheese is divided into three parts; first adding the layer of beets and then the vegetables, and finally, with the first layer of cheese and mayonnaise.
6. Chop the chicken finely, divide into two parts. Now, place the first layer, and brush with mayonnaise.
7. Parsley.
8. Separate the egg whites from the yolks.
9. Layer the yolks with mayonnaise.
10. Add a layer of carrots and garlic, add salt, dab with mayonnaise.
11. Chop the nuts and put it on as the next layer.
12. Repeat the layers with cheese and chicken, dabbing with mayonnaise. Cover the salad with the second part of the potatoes.
13. Mix the rest of the potatoes and cheese with the grated egg white. Spoon the salad around, making a border. Brush the top of the salad with mayonnaise, doing so with a spoon.
14. Use pomegranate seeds, carrot slices, green peas and walnuts for decoration.
15. Let the salad sit in the fridge for a couple of hours.
16. Enjoy!
READ MORE: 5 popular New Year salads in Russia
