Salad with Smoked Braided Cheese (Kosichka)

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   Gather the ingredients for the salad. Boil the eggs ahead of time for about 7–10 minutes and cool them in cold water. Boil the chicken breast fillet ahead of time too; you can also use baked fillet. The cucumbers should be fresh — one large or two small ones (like mine). For the salad, use a red salad onion. You'll need mayonnaise to dress it. Use about one small bunch of fresh parsley, and olives to garnish.

2. Step 2:

   

   You can make this salad in one big bowl in layers, or serve it in individual portions using a plating ring. I'll make it in layers in a salad bowl, in two rounds, so I divide all the ingredients into two parts. Pull the boiled, cooled fillet apart into strands or cut it into strips. Spread the chicken over the bottom of the salad bowl, press it down lightly with a spoon, and coat it with a little mayonnaise or pipe on a mayonnaise lattice.

3. Step 3:

   

   Rinse the fresh cucumbers in cold water and pat them dry with a towel. Trim off the ends and cut the cucumbers into matchsticks. Add the cut cucumbers to the salad bowl. Coat this layer lightly with mayonnaise (1 tbsp). I leave the skin on the cucumbers, as you can see, but you can peel them before slicing.

4. Step 4:

   

   Take the braided string cheese out of its package and use the amount you need for the salad. Pull the cheese apart into strands or cut it into matchsticks. Add it as the next layer and coat with mayonnaise. Cut it as fine or as coarse as you like, to your own taste.

5. Step 5:

   

   Peel the boiled, cooled eggs. Cut them into strips and spread them as a layer in the salad bowl. Coat this layer with a little mayonnaise.

6. Step 6:

   

   Peel the salad onion, wash it, and cut it into thin half-rings. Rinse the parsley in cold water and dry it very well. Add the next layer of chopped onion and parsley. Coat with a little mayonnaise.

7. Step 7:

   

   Repeat all the layers once more. Coat the final layer with mayonnaise and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

8. Step 8:

   

   It's best to let this salad sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving, so all the layers soak through. When serving, garnish the salad with olive halves. You can skip this step — the olives are optional.