The main decoration of the table is not even the main hot. Despite the fact that it is his guests who are waiting with special impatience, salads are the first batch of the feast. Olivier and herring under a fur coat is a classic that has already bored many. I want something new and tasty. Today we will consider the recipe for a grouse nest salad. Despite the fairly simple ingredients, almost everyone likes it, without exception.
Help for the hostess
If you are still doubtfully sorting through recipes, then you can assume that the search is over. This appetizer is really worth it. It is both delicious and spectacular. You don’t need to buy expensive seafood, nuts or mushrooms. To date, the housewives have managed to test a dozen options for the salad recipe "Capercaillie Nest." Each of them is so distinctive that it may not seem like a variation, but a completely independent dish.
Distinctive features
It is difficult to say what is remembered better - attractive taste or unusual and very bright design. The “Capercaillie Nest” salad recipe will surely become a favorite in your family as well. It will become a spectacular decoration on the table. Surely guests will appreciate the idea and efforts of the hostess. And after a while, they will remember not even the taste, but the original presentation. With some effort, a real bird nest with eggs is really formed on the dish.
Initially, the main ingredient was game. But today, the owners have a lot more options. Game can be replaced with chicken, veal, ham or beef. But the most important detail is crisp. Therefore, its preliminary preparation is very important. It must be dried, cut very thinly and fry in portions.
Classic is always in price
Despite the fact that salad recipes “Capercaillie Nest” today exist in ten variations, the most often prepared appetizer is based on chicken fillet. There are several explanations for this. On the one hand, it is a tribute to a healthy lifestyle. Fillet does not contain excess fat and is perfect even for those who are on a diet today. The second point is the low price and availability. The classic “Capercaillie Nest” salad recipe necessarily includes french fries, cheese and greens, as well as quail eggs. It turns out a real treat.
Detailed description
Familiar to most people is the option with chicken breast. Therefore, we will consider it the very first. Ball eggs can be made in different ways, but in this case we will consider the option with cheese and a quail egg. There are variations of chicken, eggs and cheese with mayonnaise or sour cream. Some lovers make a lot of canned sprats and egg yolks.
Cooking:
- Chicken fillet (0.5 kilograms) must be washed and boiled in salted water. Cool and cut in neat little cubes.
- Chop the medium onion (100 g) in half rings and pour boiling water for 10 minutes. Then drain and rinse under a cold tap. Some recommend pickling it lightly in vinegar.
- Potatoes (0.5 kg) need to be cut into small strips and deep-fried. You can take ready-made crisps in a supermarket. Then the cooking process will be even faster.
- Fresh cucumbers (0.25 kg) cut into strips.
- Boiled eggs need to be divided into proteins and yolks. The protein needs to be finely grated, add a bunch of chopped greens.
- Half the potatoes should be mixed with protein, meat, onion and cucumbers. Dress with mayonnaise, it will take about 100 g.
Salad decoration
Considering the classic recipe for a grouse nest salad, it should be noted that the most important thing is to lay out the ingredients on a dish beautifully. First of all, you need to arrange the lettuce leaves and fluffy branches of dill. Top with mayonnaise mixture.
The final touch remains. Grate the yolks and cream cheese, mix with a little greens and garlic, add a little mayonnaise. Form the balls. They need to be laid on top of the potatoes. It turns out a very tasty nest.
Savory appetizer: a step by step recipe
The grouse nest salad can be not only classically tender and satisfying. It is in your power to make it interesting and original. To do this, use pickled mushrooms and ham, as well as hard cheese. Above, we looked at a step-by-step classic salad recipe “Capercaillie Nest”. In general, the idea is preserved in other variations, but the taste changes a lot.
Instruction:
- Three potatoes need to be cut into thin strips and fried in portions in a pan with butter.
- Boil approximately 200 g of chicken and chop into fiber or cut into cubes.
- Chop the ham (100 g) with a thin straw.
- Pickled mushrooms or mushrooms - slices or straws.
- Three boiled eggs are divided into proteins and yolks.
- To prepare the eggs, you need to grate the yolks coarsely, add 100 g of grated hard cheese, herbs and a little garlic. Mix with mayonnaise to make a mass from which you can form balls.
- Cover the bottom of the plate with lettuce.
- Combine ham and chicken, mushrooms and protein, add mayonnaise.
- Decorate the sides with potatoes. This provides a simulated socket.
- Now the top. It is recommended to sprinkle it densely with greens, and lay the balls on top.
It turns out very beautiful, bright and original. Be sure to try to cook it for the next holiday.
Puff salad
Analyzing reviews, you can meet the only noted drawback. Salad is not very convenient for laying on a plate. Crispy potatoes crumble, the rest of the mass remains on its own, and the balls act as an addition. But there is a very good way out, namely the salad recipe “Capercaillie Nest” layers. It also looks very interesting.
Instruction:
- Boil 400 g of chicken, 4 chicken and quail eggs.
- Cut 120 g of onions and 300 g of potatoes into strips in half rings.
- Fry the potatoes.
- Onions will need to be pickled with a mixture of water, sugar and vinegar.
- Grind a bunch of dill, grate hard cheese 120 g.
- Grate chicken proteins with yolks, cut the fillet and 200 g of pickles in small cubes.
The products are laid out in layers. First pickled onions, then chicken, mayonnaise. Next come the cucumbers, eggs and cheese. Each layer is separated by a mayonnaise grid. In the middle, make a depression and fold the greens into it. Decorate the sides with potatoes. Quail eggs complete the design of the nest. They need to be carefully cut and the yolks removed. Grind them and mix with cream cheese, herbs and garlic, mayonnaise. Start the squirrels with this mixture and lay the eggs in the nest.
Variations
It is difficult to imagine a salad that would have so many copies, slightly or very significantly different from the original. Variations are the addition of sprats, cabbage or carrots, chips. Instead of mayonnaise, you can take sour cream, adding mustard to it for spiciness. Meat can be replaced with turkey. It will turn out to be a very healthy and light dish.
But in spite of everything, you should study and remember the basic step-by-step recipe for salad “Capercaillie Nest” with chicken. It is optimal and balanced. Judging by the reviews, it is the classic recipe that is becoming favorite in the vast majority of families. Already on the basis of it you can put experiments. Replace fresh vegetables with pickled or salted vegetables, fry mushrooms or stew in sour cream, and season the meat with hot sauce. Your dish will benefit from this. Prepare this salad for the next holiday and you will enjoy the delight of the guests.