Herring under a fur coat is the salad that anchors a New Year’s table across Russia and much of the former Soviet Union. Its layered structure, built from salty fish, sweet beets, and neutral potato, gives it a flavor that’s instantly recognizable, while the deep magenta top makes it look festive without any extra effort.

The real trick to getting it right is patience: let the salad rest in the refrigerator before serving. Freshly assembled, it still tastes disjointed — the layers haven’t had time to soak into one another through the mayonnaise. The best plan is to build it the evening before the celebration so it’s fully set by the time guests arrive.

Choose a lean, lightly salted herring with the bones removed — either buy pre-cut fillets or fillet a whole fish yourself if you prefer. The vegetables are traditionally boiled ahead of time and kept in the fridge, which saves a lot of effort during the busiest days of the holiday season. Serve it already cut into neat squares, or simply set the whole dish on the table with a large spoon — either way works for a holiday spread.