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Men's Caprice Salad with Beef
Instructions
I prepare all the necessary ingredients. I boil the beef in advance and marinate the onion. Both can be made ahead of time, which saves you time.
I cut 200 g of boiled beef into small pieces or thin strips. Strips look more striking "the manly way" in the cross-section of a layered salad.
I grate 130 g of cheese on a coarse grater. Hard varieties (Gouda, Russian cheese) hold their shape and don't go soggy in the salad.
I grate three chicken eggs on a coarse grater. The eggs must be completely cooled – warm ones turn mushy.
I get a salad bowl ready and lay out the Men's Caprice salad in layers. The first layer is the marinated onion. Marinated onion is the "signature" of this salad, giving a sweet-and-sour accent.
I cover the marinated onion with mayonnaise – a thin solid layer or a net.
As the next layer I lay out the chopped beef and spread it out evenly. The beef is the foundation of the flavour, so its layer should be dense and juicy.
I apply mayonnaise over the beef layer. In a thin layer – otherwise the salad becomes too greasy.
Next I lay out the grated eggs. The eggs create a "neutral" layer between the beef and the cheese.
I cover the egg layer with a net of mayonnaise. The net soaks only the top of the eggs and stops the salad from "going runny".
The final layer is the grated cheese. The salad is ready. I put it in the fridge for 3 hours – during this time the layers come together and the flavours mingle.
The Men's Caprice salad with beef is ready. I serve it at the table.Enjoy your meal!
Tips
- 1
BOIL the beef as a whole piece, without cutting it – that way it will be juicier. Cool it in the broth, then slice it, and the meat won't be "dry".
- 2
Be sure to MARINATE the onion – plain raw onion would be too harsh. A marinade of vinegar and sugar makes it soft and piquant.
- 3
Apply the mayonnaise in a THIN layer or as a net – otherwise the salad will turn out too greasy and "heavy". This salad is calorific enough as it is.
- 4
Keep the salad in the fridge for at least 3 hours – this is crucial for soaking layered salads. A similar principle works in other meat salads.
Video
FAQ
What can I use instead of beef? +
Alternatives: boiled veal (more tender but pricier), boiled tongue (a classic for such salads, with a more refined taste), smoked beef (a brighter, sweeter flavour), baked pork (buzhenina) – which can be sliced like cold meat. Chicken won't do – that would already be a different salad (more like "Lisichka" or "Nezhnost"). Pork is possible but less "manly". The main thing is that the meat should be firm and cut into thick strips.
How can I quickly marinate the onion? +
A simple marinade: 100 ml of hot water + 2 tbsp of 9% vinegar + 1 tsp of sugar + a pinch of salt. Pour it over the sliced onion, leave for 15–20 minutes, then drain in a colander. A more "delicate" marinade is made with water and lemon juice (no vinegar): 100 ml of water + the juice of half a lemon + a pinch of sugar. Marinating time is 30 minutes. For a quick option, simply scald the onion with boiling water for 3 minutes – the bitterness will go, but it won't have that "marinated" flavour.
How long does the finished salad keep? +
In the fridge, in a covered container – 2 days. No longer than that – the mayonnaise loses its freshness and the beef "dries out". On the second day the flavour is brighter, as the layers soak through completely. At room temperature – a maximum of 2 hours while serving. It must NOT be frozen – the mayonnaise separates and the structure falls apart. If your guests have "overstayed" the celebration, simply put the salad back in the fridge until the next day.
Can it be made without marinated onion? +
It can, but the flavour will change considerably. Alternatives: ordinary onion scalded with boiling water (a slight bitterness remains, but the salad is simpler), leek cut into rings (a milder taste), raw red onion (more piquant but a bit "raw"). Marinated onion is the "signature" of "Men's Caprice" – it gives that very sweet-and-sour note that balances the richness of the mayonnaise and the beef. Without it, the salad is just "meat with cheese" rather than "Men's Caprice".
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