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Rabbit Salad
Instructions
Prepare the ingredients for the Rabbit Salad. Hard-boil the eggs. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear and cook it. The crab sticks should be at room temperature. Drain the liquid from the canned corn. Peel the boiled eggs and the onions. Remove the seeds from the pomegranate. Instead of cucumber for decoration you can use green-onion feathers, and instead of olives, dark grapes.
Grate 2 of the eggs on a vegetable grater.
Cut the remaining 3 eggs lengthways and separate the whites from the yolks.
Grate the whites of all 3 eggs on the fine side of the grater and set them aside for decoration.
Also grate 2 of the yolks through the same grater for decoration. That leaves one yolk from the three eggs — it can be used for other purposes.
Cut the crab sticks into small cubes.
Finely chop the onions.
Heat a frying pan and pour in the vegetable oil. Fry the onion in it until golden.
Into a deep salad bowl, transfer the prepared grated eggs, crab sticks, canned corn, cooked rice and fried onion.
Add 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise.
Mix everything thoroughly. Add the lemon juice, mix again and taste. If the salad needs more lemon juice, add it to taste. If it needs more mayonnaise, you can add that too, but be careful, as the salad should not turn out too runny, or it will not hold the required shape.
Now start forming the salad into the shape of a rabbit. Spoon the salad onto a flat dish in small portions, shaping the head and ears of the rabbit from it.
Sprinkle it evenly all over with the prepared grated whites.
Gently press down the centres of the shaped ears with a spoon and dust the resulting hollows with the grated yolks. Use the olives to make eyes, eyebrows, a nose and a mouth for our rabbit. Cut narrow strips of peel from the cucumber and use them as decoration. Finally, lay pomegranate seeds along the outline of the head and ears. The Rabbit Salad is ready. Serve it chilled on the festive table.
Tips
- 1
Fry the onion — it is the secret to the flavour. Raw onion in a crab salad is sharp. Fried onion is slightly sweet and goes well with the mayonnaise and crab sticks.
- 2
Lemon juice is the secret to balance. Sweet corn plus creamy mayonnaise with no acidity makes for a flat taste. Lemon makes the salad fresh and lively.
- 3
Olives for the eyes and nose are the secret to the styling. They give a contrasting black against the white background of the ears. Grapes work too, but olives are brighter and more striking.
- 4
Pomegranate along the outline is the secret to the decoration. Without the seeds the rabbit looks flat. Pomegranate emphasises the shape and makes the salad festive. The same principle works for other kinds of shaped holiday salads.
Video
FAQ
Which rice should I choose? +
Round-grain rice is ideal: it is sticky and helps the salad hold its shape. Long-grain varieties such as jasmine or basmati also work, as does parboiled rice, which will not overcook. Avoid instant rice, which turns to mush, and rinse the rice until the water runs clear before cooking. For the classic salad texture, round, sticky or medium-grain rice is best.
What can I use instead of crab sticks? +
You can use peeled cooked shrimp, canned crab meat, boiled chicken breast, smoked chicken (for a stronger flavour), boiled pink salmon or salmon, or canned tuna without oil. For the classic Rabbit Salad, chilled crab sticks are the natural choice.
How long does the salad keep? +
Assembled and covered in the refrigerator, it keeps for 1 day. Without the decoration (just the mixed salad) it keeps for up to 2 days. Any longer and the rice firms up, the onion releases liquid and the egg whites on the decoration dry out. Take it out about 15 minutes before serving to let it stand at room temperature. I do not recommend freezing it, as the texture is completely ruined. Do not leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours, since eggs with mayonnaise spoil quickly.
What goes well with Rabbit Salad? +
It is a classic for the New Year table: with a glass of champagne or prosecco, or a shot of cold vodka. It also goes with other festive salads, a sliced-meat platter (cold pork, ham, balyk), a cheese selection, fresh sliced vegetables, slices of rye bread, a cup of chicken broth as a starter, a glass of freshly squeezed apple juice, a glass of dry white wine, red caviar on tartlets, and slices of pickled cucumber. For a children's party it is a universal choice, as there is nothing spicy in it.
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