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Chicken Liver Salad with Onions and Carrots
Instructions
Prepare all the products for making a beautiful layered salad with chicken liver on a clean work surface.
Rinse the chicken liver thoroughly under cold water, dry it with a paper towel.
Place pieces of liver in a preheated (with oil) skillet, frying them for 5-6 minutes total on all sides. Then add salt and pepper. Carefully cover with a lid, then reduce the heat and simmer for another 5 minutes total. Transfer the fried liver to a plate to cool.
Thoroughly clean the onion, then cut it into thin half-rings.
Place the sliced half-rings in the skillet where the liver was fried. In the same oil that the liver was fried in, fry the onion until properly golden brown for 3-4 minutes total, stirring constantly. Now transfer the fried onion to a plate to cool faster.
Boil the eggs for 8 minutes total, remove them from the boiling water, and place them in a container with cold water. Once cooled, peel the boiled eggs. Then grate the yolks separately on a fine grater, and the whites on a coarse one.
After washing the carrot, boil it for 20 minutes total. Then, once cooled, grate it on a medium grater.
Grate the pickled cucumber on a coarse grater.
Cut the cooled chicken liver into small pieces or grate it on a regular grater (large holes).
Line a deep salad bowl with food cling wrap and place the grated egg whites in it.
Spread mayonnaise on the egg whites layer.
Spread the grated carrot on the layer of egg whites.
Cover the carrot layer with a net of mayonnaise.
The next layer is grated pickled cucumbers, previously squeezed from the brine.
Then add the layer of fried onions.
Now spread mayonnaise on the layer of fried onions.
The next layer is the chopped boiled liver.
Spread mayonnaise on the liver layer. Then place the salad bowl in the refrigerator for 20-25 minutes total so that the layers properly soak.
After that, cover the salad bowl with a flat plate and carefully turn it over.
Remove the food cling wrap from the salad.
Decorate the layered salad with chicken liver, onions, and carrots on the sides with thin strips of mayonnaise. On top of the salad, place the boiled crushed yolks.
For decoration, use green peas as well. Around the salad on the plate, arrange (carefully and beautifully) the sliced lettuce leaves. Bon appetit!
Tips
- 1
Line the salad bowl with cling film before assembling, since this brief step makes it easy to invert the finished layered salad onto a serving plate without disturbing the iconic dome shape. The brief patience for proper film-lining genuinely matters for the most beautifully presented finished result every single time at home. Leave enough overhanging film to grip when inverting.
- 2
Fry the chicken liver only until just cooked through, since overcooked liver becomes disappointingly dry and crumbly in the finished layered salad. To pair this beautifully classic Soviet-era layered salad with another properly nostalgic homemade dish from the same culinary tradition, try our beautifully tender chicken gizzards in cream sauce on the skillet as a contrasting offal-based main course alternative.
- 3
Squeeze the grated pickled cucumbers thoroughly to remove excess brine, since wet cucumbers would soak the surrounding layers and ruin the iconic distinct-layer cross-section appearance. The brief patience for proper squeezing genuinely matters for the most beautifully presented finished salad every single time. Wrap the grated cucumbers in a clean kitchen towel and twist firmly.
- 4
Top the finished salad with crushed boiled egg yolks, green peas, fresh herbs, or even pomegranate seeds for the most beautifully festive Soviet-era finished presentation at the celebration table. For another properly classic homemade layered salad recipe to add variety to your weekly menu, try our beautifully traditional beet salad with prunes and walnuts as a contrasting sweet-and-earthy alternative for properly festive holiday spreads.
FAQ
Can I use beef or pork liver instead? +
Yes, both beef liver and pork liver work as suitable substitutes for chicken liver in this layered salad. Beef liver produces a noticeably stronger more pronounced finished flavour, while pork liver gives a milder finished result that is closer to chicken liver in character. Each substitute brings its own slightly different finished flavour profile. Soak beef or pork liver in milk for 30 minutes before frying to mellow the strong flavour, then prepare exactly the same way as in the original recipe with chicken liver.
Can I make this salad without mayonnaise? +
Absolutely. Substitute the mayonnaise with thick Greek yoghurt, sour cream mixed with a small spoonful of Dijon mustard, crème fraîche, or a homemade tahini-based sauce for a noticeably lighter healthier finished version. Each substitute brings its own slightly different finished flavour and texture to the layered salad. The yoghurt version produces a properly tangy finished result that contrasts beautifully with the rich liver and the sweet cooked carrot in the layered build at the table.
How long does this salad keep? +
Store the assembled layered salad covered tightly in the refrigerator for up to two days for best results. The flavours actually improve significantly during the first 24 hours as all the layers properly meld with the mayonnaise dressing. After two days, the texture becomes noticeably softer as the cucumbers continue to release moisture into the layers below. The salad does not freeze well, since freezing destroys the texture of the layered cooked vegetables and the mayonnaise dressing entirely.
Can I add other layers? +
Absolutely. Try adding sautéed mushrooms, grated boiled potato, finely diced apple, finely chopped celery, finely chopped fresh dill or parsley, or even a layer of crab sticks for properly varied finished flavour profiles. Each addition brings its own character to the layered build. Maintain proper layer thickness for the best finished cross-section appearance. The classic Soviet-era version focuses on liver-onion-carrot-cucumber, but variations are genuinely endless thanks to the versatile layered concept.
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