Salat Mimosa

Lower the eggs into a pan of boiling water and simmer for 10 minutes, then cool them under cold running water and peel.

Separate the whites from the yolks.

Grate the whites on the coarse side of a box grater.

Push the yolks through a fine sieve into a bowl with the back of a spoon.

Sieve the yolks rather than grating them. Sieving is what produces the loose yellow crumb the salad is named for, and grated yolk clumps into pellets instead.

Put the chopped onion in a sieve and pour the boiling water over it, then drain and toss it with the lemon juice.

Raw onion in a salad that stands overnight turns harsh and takes over everything around it; half a minute of boiling water takes that bite out without cooking it.

Mash the drained fish with a fork, leaving some texture rather than working it to a paste.

Set a 20cm springform ring on a flat serving plate, or use a straight-sided glass dish.

Spread the fish over the base and press it level.

Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise over it, using about a fifth of the total.

Scatter the drained onion over in an even layer.

Add the grated egg white and season it with the ground peppercorns and a little salt.

Spread another thin layer of mayonnaise over.

Add the grated cheese, then another layer of mayonnaise.

Grate the frozen butter over the top in a loose blanket and leave it as it falls.

Grate it straight from the freezer and do not press it down. Butter that has been allowed to soften smears into a solid sheet, and the salad then has a greasy layer in it that a spoon will not go through cleanly.

Spread the last of the mayonnaise over the butter, working lightly so the butter stays in place.

Scatter the sieved yolk over the whole surface and leave it loose and domed rather than flattening it.

Sprinkle the dill over.

Cover the dish and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight, so the mayonnaise softens the layers into a single mass.

Run a thin knife around the inside of the ring and lift it off just before serving.

Serve cold, cut down through all the layers with a spoon so every portion carries the whole stack.

Keep it refrigerated and eat within two days, sooner if the mayonnaise is home-made.