Sillsallad

The story

A salad of herring, beets, potatoes, and tart apple, sillsallad — instantly recognizable by the deep pink color the beets give it — is part of the Swedish sillbord, a table devoted entirely to the various herring preparations served before the main course at the julbord. The idea of beginning with cold, sour, salty fish before moving on to warm ham and meat comes from an older Nordic logic of organizing a meal in layers of flavor, from the lightest to the richest. Sillsallad is often made a day ahead, since time in the refrigerator only helps the flavors meld, and it is served cold, garnished with hard-boiled egg and fresh dill. There are regional variations: some families add pickles, others insist on sour cream as the binder. For American descendants of Swedes, this is one of those salads that baffles outsiders at first glance (that pink color!) but quickly becomes a favorite of the table, precisely for the contrast of sweet, sour, and salty in a single spoonful.