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Salad with Chicken Hearts and Korean Carrots
Instructions
I lay the pickled mushrooms on a board and cut them into thin slices, 3–4 mm – that way they are evenly distributed through the salad and every spoonful has mushrooms in it. I transfer them to a deep bowl. If the Korean carrot happens to be long, I cut it too, into 3–4 cm lengths. I add it to the mushrooms and gently stir.
I put the potatoes and eggs into one saucepan, cover them with cold water and boil. I boil the eggs for 10 minutes after the water comes to the boil, then take them out and cover them with cold water so they are easy to peel. I boil the potatoes until done – 20–25 minutes after boiling. I rinse the chicken hearts under cold water and trim off the membranes and the little vessel tubes with a sharp knife. I fry them in a pan with oil for 10–15 minutes over medium heat until completely cooked through. I salt them at the end of cooking – salting at the start would make the hearts tough. I open the peas, drain off the marinade and add them to the mushrooms and carrots. I add the cooled hearts to the same bowl.
I peel the shells off the eggs under running water and peel the potatoes. I cut them into large cubes, 1.5–2 cm, and add them to the rest of the components. Large cubes look nicer in a salad than small ones. I finely chop the parsley and add it to the bowl – I use it as a bright green accent.
I dress the salad with sour cream right before serving, then add the salt and the fragrant pepper. I stir it gently with a silicone spatula, folding from the bottom up – stirring vigorously with a spoon would turn the salad into "mush". The salad with chicken hearts and Korean carrots is ready!
Tips
- 1
Dress with sour cream strictly right before serving – otherwise the salad will release excess liquid and lose its lovely appearance.
- 2
Use thick homemade sour cream at 20–25%, or replace it with thick yogurt, mayonnaise, or a 50/50 mix of the two.
- 3
Large hearts can be cut into 2–3 pieces before frying – they will then be more even in size with the other ingredients. There is a similar principle in meat salad.
- 4
Serve it with a vegetable or meat platter – the salad is filling and goes beautifully with dry red or rosé wine.
FAQ
What can I use instead of sour cream in the dressing? +
Unsweetened natural yogurt works well (a lighter option), as does classic mayonnaise (a richer flavour), a 50/50 mix of sour cream and mayonnaise (the golden mean), or Greek yogurt (thick and creamy, and lower in calories). You can also use homemade egg mayonnaise – the most natural option. Each dressing gives its own character: sour cream is refreshing, mayonnaise is rich, yogurt is light, and the mix is balanced. The choice depends on your preferences and on the calorie content of the finished dish.
Can I use fresh mushrooms instead of pickled ones? +
Yes, but be sure to fry them for 7–10 minutes in a pan with vegetable oil until golden. Pickled mushrooms give the salad a light tang that fried fresh ones will not have – the flavour will turn out milder. You can additionally sprinkle the freshly fried mushrooms with lemon juice or a spoonful of wine vinegar to mimic the pickled taste. I would not advise adding the mushrooms raw – they would be tough and may cause discomfort during digestion.
How long does the finished salad keep? +
Without dressing, in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container, it keeps for up to 2 days, and the ingredients retain their freshness and flavour. A salad dressed with sour cream is best eaten straight away, or within 12 hours at most – any longer and it will start to release liquid and spoil. If you need to keep the salad for the next day, do not dress it all – dress it as you serve. I would not recommend freezing it: after thawing the potatoes turn watery and the eggs become "rubbery". A fresh salad is the best salad.
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