Ingredients

Dressing:

• 3 teaspoons powdered mustard
• 1 ^1/4 teaspoons sugar
• 1 to 2 tablespoons warm water
• 1 cup sour cream

Salad:

• 2 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped
• 2 large or 4 small boiled and peeled fresh beets, or canned beets, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 3 medium boiled potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 2 sour dill pickles, cut lengthwise into narrow strips, then crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide bits
• 3 fillets of pickled herring, drained and cut into 1/4-inch dice.
• 4 pounds of boiled beef, or cooked ham, veal, or lamb, trimmed of fat and cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 5 large tart red apples, cored, peeled, and cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 3 hard-cooked eggs, cut into quarters

Directions

• To make the dressing, combine the dry mustard with 1/4 teaspoon of sugar and stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of warm water, or enough to make a thick paste. Set aside for 15 minutes.
• Then stir in the sour cream and the remaining teaspoon of sugar. In a large mixing bowl, combine the finely chopped eggs, diced beets, potatoes, herring, meat, and apple.
• Add sour cream dressing and toss together lightly but thoroughly until all ingredients are well moistened with the dressing.
• Traditionally, rossolye is mounted high on a square or round serving plate, garnished with sliced hard-cooked eggs, and chilled. Serve as a first course or a part of the zakuska table.

Yields: 6 to 8 servings.