Mimosa Salad
When I had just launched my blog a little more than 4 months ago, I didn’t know I would soon be receiving emails from around the world from people who at one point in their lives happened to be in Azerbaijan, whether for work or for travel. Some share their stories about the country, some write about their experience with local foods. Some request recipes for the dishes they loved the most. I love reading such emails!
One of such wonderful letters came from Kathy, a mom to an adoptive son from Azerbaijan. When her family visited Baku to complete their son’s adoption, Kathy recalls being treated to dolma and a mimosa salad she loved. In her email to me, Kathy was asking if I was familiar with that salad. And sure enough I was. Not because I am a genius:) but because it is a pretty popular salad in Azerbaijan. So finally, here is the recipe. My cousin’s wife Saida, with whom we share a passion for cooking, sent me her version of the salad, which I tried and loved! Cokh sagh ol (thank you), Saida!
About the recipe. Mimosa Salad is a layered salad. One of the many layered salads we make in Azerbaijan using a great variety of ingredients. This one is probably the most common and is served in many local restaurants and cafes in Baku, the capital. It tastes as delicious as its presentation is beautiful. Once done, Mimosa Salad really looks like a festive cake. Shh, dont’ tell you guests it isn’t. Let them be pleasantly surprised:)
I would like to dedicate this recipe to all the people who adopted children from Azerbaijani orphanages. And those who are in the process of adopting. I admire you not only for giving loving and caring homes to the little kids but also for doing everything possible to keep them connected with their Azerbaijani roots. I hope I can contribute to this connection at least a tiny-tiny bit with the food I share with you on my blog.
MIMOSA SALAD
Preparation time: 15 minutes, plus 1-hour refrigeration
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves 6 to 10
INGREDIENTS
1 pound (450 g) skinless boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 teaspoon salt, for boiling
1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped
3 medium potatoes, boiled, peeled
2 eggs, boiled and peeled
3 medium carrots, boiled, and peeled
salt, to taste
For Dressing
6 tablespoons sour cream mixed with 6 tablespoons light mayonnaise - use about 2 tablespoons each time dressing is called for. Use more for a moister salad. Note: You can also use creamy plain yogurt for the dressing (it shouldn’t be sour). Alternatively, use sour cream or mayonnaise only. If using mayonnaise only, be extra careful not to oversalt your salad since mayo is pretty salty by itself.
To Garnish
gouda cheese (In Azerbaijan: Holland Pendiri), shredded
1. Place the chicken in a pot with about four cups of water. Add salt. Bring to a boil. Cook for about 20 minutes or until chicken is tender. Drain and set aside. When cool enough to handle, cut the chicken into thin strips using knife or tear it into small pieces using your hands.
2. Grate boiled and peeled potato, carrots, and eggs on a coarse side of a box grater.
3. On a round serving plate, EVENLY layer the ingredients in the following order (do not mix!)
half the chicken
dressing
half the walnuts
half the potato
salt
dressing
half the eggs
salt
half the carrots
dressing
Repeat in the same order with the remaining ingredients, finishing with carrots.
4. Spread some dressing on top and around the sides of the salad to give it a cake-looking appearance. Top the salad with some shredded Gouda Cheese. I used fresh pomegranate seeds. Just use your imagination and you’ll have a fabulous cake, oops, a salad at the end!
And as we say in Azerbaijan - Nush Olsun! (read: noosh olsoon)
- Shannon: Thank you for your reply
I - FERIDE - AZCOOKBOOK: SHANNON - This is not a traditional
- Shannon: Hi, is this Azerbaijani cuisine?? I would
- Yuliya: I grew up eating these! My Grandma
45 Comments Add your own
1. Marija | June 8th, 2008 at 11:39 am
Yum! I love your salads Farida!
2. Lore | June 8th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
Lovely! I really like your savoury cake-shaped salad.
3. Marc @ NoRecipes | June 8th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
This looks very interesting. I’m having trouble imagining what it tastes like, bit it does look good:-)
-M
4. Medena | June 8th, 2008 at 6:28 pm
Oh, love the way this this salad sounds! Beautiful too!!!
5. michelle | June 8th, 2008 at 7:29 pm
are you sure this isn’t a cake? because it really, really looks like a cake. lovely!
6. Elle | June 8th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
Not only does this look lovely, but it sounds delicious!
7. Rosa | June 9th, 2008 at 12:36 am
A wonderful salad for the summer! Delicious!
Cheers,
Rosa
8. laurelpaula | June 9th, 2008 at 1:18 am
Fabulous! I am going to try yet again another one of your great recipes. I honestly want to go to Azerbaijan….
warmest,
Paula
9. andreea | June 9th, 2008 at 2:06 am
first time here
wow how could i have missed it so far? looks great. have been browsing through your recipes - what a wealth of a cusine i am not familiar with. delicious.
10. Kitchen Goddess | June 9th, 2008 at 3:45 am
Lovely. I love the sound of the salad and the presentation too - so pretty
11. Cynthia | June 9th, 2008 at 7:07 am
I have never had this before, gosh I’d really like to try some of yours. Looks great!
12. familiabencomo | June 9th, 2008 at 7:22 am
How fun! I can see how this would surprise guests. The flavors sound amazing. Great post, thank you!
xoxox Amy
13. Rosie | June 9th, 2008 at 8:41 am
Oh this is SO beautiful what great presentation
The falvours sound just wonderful in this salad!! Great post 
Rosie x
14. Marysol | June 9th, 2008 at 11:10 am
I dare say this is prettier than a cake, not to mention, healthier. And the pomegranate seeds are the crowning touch.
Pal, I can assure you I’ll be Nush Olsun-ing on this one soon! Thank you.
15. Swati | June 9th, 2008 at 11:15 am
Farida, the salad looks too pretty ..love the addition of pomegranate !!
16. Jonathan | June 9th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
fascinating! i love learning about these new dishes. this looks really delicious - I love anything layered.
17. diva@theSugarBar | June 9th, 2008 at 2:25 pm
wow how interesting!! i love the pomegrenate seeds on top. looks beautiful
18. Susan from Food Blogga | June 9th, 2008 at 4:39 pm
It’s just too pretty to be a salad, Farida! The ruby red pomegranate seeds get me every time.
19. Nicisme | June 10th, 2008 at 10:59 am
You had me fooled when I first spotted this - it’s truly beautiful (apart from the eggs, lol!)
20. Kevin | June 10th, 2008 at 5:59 pm
That sure does look like a cake but it sounds good as a salad!
21. Dee | June 10th, 2008 at 10:58 pm
Farida, it’s beautiful! And I loved your post, too
22. farida | June 11th, 2008 at 11:34 am
MARIJA: Thank you! So glad you like my salads.
LORE: Welcome to my blog! This salad is really delicious. Just give it a try, you’ll know for yourself.
MARC@NORECIPES: I looks pretty inside – accurate colorful layers.
MEDENA: Thank you, dear friend!
MICHELLE: Welcome to my blog! Hope you make the salad one day.
ELLE: Thank you!
ROSA: It is indeed wonderful. My guests always ask me for the recipe:)
LAURAPAULA: Yes, let’s go to Azerbaijan together! I am sure you’ll love it there.
ANDREEA: Welcome to my blog. So glad you like it here! I just checked your site and it is gorgeous!
KITCHEN GODDESS: Thank you for your sweet comment!
CYNTHIA: Wish you lived close by:)
FAMILIABENCOMO: Glad you like the salad. Give it a try, you won’t regret:)
ROSIE: Thank you very much!
MARYSOL: You just made me laugh again:) This time with your Nush-Olsun-ing:)
SWATI: Glad you like it!
JONATHAN: This is indeed one delicious salad. Hope you give it a try someday.
DIVA: Thank you for your nice comment!
SUSAN from FOOD BLOGGA: Glad youi like it. Yes, pom seeds do the trick all the time:)
NICISME: You can always omit the eggs, it will still look like a cake:)
KEVIN: Glad you like it!
DEE: Thank you, dear!
23. Marie | June 11th, 2008 at 9:32 pm
Farida, That salad is absollutly beautiful! And what a meaning full dedication too!
24. Shari | June 12th, 2008 at 7:40 am
This salad sounds like a delicious meal! Thanks for sharing it with us.
Shari@Whisk: a food blog
25. Coffee and Vanilla | June 12th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
This look amazing Farida… thank you for the award, I just came back and I’m trying to organize all things, I will post about it shortly, when I go through all my messages in the inbox…
Have a wonderful day, Margot
26. maybelles mom (feeding maybelle) | June 12th, 2008 at 6:00 pm
THis is a lovely presentation and something I had never heard of.
27. nina | June 13th, 2008 at 3:34 am
You CAN teach an old dog new tricks and I have just learned one. This is a first time experience for me and I will most definitely try this cake…oops salad!!!
28. Hippocrene | June 13th, 2008 at 7:41 am
Hi Farina,
Thanks for your post in our blog and for this recipe–looks delicious!
Looking forward to trying this one out myself.
29. farida | June 13th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
THANK YOU!
MARIE
SHARI
COFFEE & VANILLA
MAYBELLESMOM
NINA
HIPPOCRENE
I appreciate your lovely comments!
30. Mansi | June 13th, 2008 at 6:31 pm
I am awed looking at that salad!! boy! its looks so pretty and oh-so inviting! beautiful recipe farida!:)
31. Clumbsy Cookie | June 14th, 2008 at 3:56 pm
Farida it looks so beautiful this salad, really fresh. I hope Kathy will make it and that she enjoys it!
32. Maryann | June 14th, 2008 at 4:46 pm
It’s simply beautiful!
33. Mag | June 14th, 2008 at 4:54 pm
Wonderful display!!! Looks yummy too
34. courtney | June 15th, 2008 at 10:14 am
Thats a beautiful salad creation. So festive and perfect for entertaining.
35. farida | June 15th, 2008 at 10:51 pm
THANK YOU!
MANSI
CLUMBSY COOKIE
MARYANN
MAG
COURTEY
Glad you like the salad. Hope you make it sometime soon!
36. Indranee | June 16th, 2008 at 8:55 am
Farida, your blog is great and the recipes simply wonderful! This salad is so unique…must be very yummy:) Congrats for all your awards!
37. farida | June 16th, 2008 at 11:41 am
Indranee, welcome to my blog! Glad you like it here. I will be posting more recipes, so please do come back:)
38. Niamh | July 9th, 2008 at 9:58 am
Oooooh! How nice!
39. F?rid?nin Yem?k Kitab? &r&hellip | March 24th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
[...] yerd? qoymay?b, onun üçün v? övladl??a götürdüyü Az?ri balas? üçün bloqumda mimoza salat?n?n reseptini yerl??dirdim. ?n çox bibimo?lunun yolda?? S?id?nin mimoza salat?n? b?y?ndiyim üçün, [...]
40. Heni | June 17th, 2009 at 8:52 am
I had this salad before … in Turkey. It was lovely! Thanks for the recipe…. now can make it at home!
41. Natalya | October 28th, 2009 at 5:31 am
Farida,
I love this russian recipe. My mom makes it quite often for the guests.
42. Sabinaaa | November 14th, 2009 at 7:03 am
Originally the name comes from the FRENCH - Salade Mimosa, but there are quite a few differences between the Azeri version and the French version.
Either way, this salad is realllllllllllllllllllllllyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy YUMMY!
Go Farida! Go Azcookbook!
43. Yegane | January 11th, 2010 at 11:00 am
Ferish I am back to kitchen i.e. to cooking. You probably remember I was out for some time. I made this one exactly as you advised. Good. Very good. I enjoyed it and my mom. Sorry sis didnt try as she became vegetarian after seeing some program about freezing meet/poultry
I just saw another one by ORT, there is a batch of 30 years old meat deep frozen imported from USA so i guess I am gonna become veggie too…. we will see….
44. El | May 8th, 2010 at 6:01 am
Ok!
45. Margot | December 2nd, 2010 at 2:49 pm
What a beautiful salad Farida! I saw your post by chance searching for some info Azerbaijan and realized I haven’t visited your blog for ages… We make very similar salad in Poland and it is called Mimoza.
Will write you soon, promise
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