Mimosa Salad

This salad is a Russian creation (салат мимоза) almost as famous in the country as the Olivier Salad.

It is a salad that is made with ingredients that are placed in layers, most of which are cut into strips. There is no written rule about the ingredients that are stacked, but smoked ones (salmon, trout), carrots, cheese, potatoes, eggs, etc. are usually not lacking. The base is almost always grated cooked potato and the "top" of the tower is always the crumbled egg yolk. The layers must also be separated by a thin layer of mayonnaise.

The aesthetic result of a Mimosa salad is really impressive, so  the Mimosa salad is an alternative that will arouse the admiration of diners.

INGREDIENTS (4 people):

• 4 large potatoes
• 4 slices of smoked salmon
• 8 eggs
• 4 large carrots
• 2 red onions
• Grated cheese (semi-cured)
• Salt
• Pepper
• Mayonnaise
• Round or square molds, no base, the size of a loaf of bread

Cook the potatoes whole and peeled until soft. We let them cool down and cut them into strips or grate, to taste. Season and reserve.

Cook the hard-boiled eggs (12 minutes), peel them, then separate the yolks from the whites. We crumble the yolks and cut the whites into strips. Season with salt and pepper. We reserve it.

We grate the carrots and also season them. We reserve it.

We grate the onions and reserve. If you don't want to make a layer of onion, because if it's raw you don't like it, you can do without. In the Mimosa there is no obligation to do a specific number of layers.

Cut the salmon or smoked trout into small pieces. We do the same with the cheese, although it can be grated without problems.

Now we are going to assemble the salad. This is always done in an individual format, using molds without a base that, once the tower is assembled, are removed with care not to destroy the stack.

We place the mold on the diner's plate.

At the bottom we pour a layer of cooked potato.

On the cooked potato a layer of mayonnaise is made. To do this, we introduce the mayonnaise in a pastry bag or, more simply, we purchase mayonnaise in one of those containers that are placed "upside down" and to which all you have to do is press to discharge the desired amount. Add a small amount, it is not a question of coating the entire potato base.

The next layer is smoked salmon cut into small pieces.

On top of the salmon another thin layer of mayonnaise.

Then the whites in strips of two eggs.

Next, mayonnaise

Then carrot

Again mayo

Grated onion

Then grated or diced cheese

Mayo

Finally we finish off with the yolk of two crumbled eggs and some decoration, which in Russia is usually a branch of fresh dill.

What is easy and elegant? It is possible to change the smoked tuna for canned tuna, well drained and, as I said, reduce the number of layers as well.

It should be eaten from top to bottom, that is, we simultaneously pinch the maximum number of layers at the same time to have the contrast of flavors that we are looking for.