Russian salad or just a veggie salad

I must confess to something. We’ve been talking here about Polish flavours like mushroom pierogi, bigos,  etc. And it may seem to you I’m so into those flavours. Well I kind of am, but only a little bit. I told you I love potato based dishes, so most Christmases and Easters I would eat mostly the  only thing that contain potatoes the Russian salad. Everything else (except my aunt cakes) could disappear for me and I wouldn’t mind. My parents would make a huge bowl (by huge I mean a washing-up type of bowl) of salad. To be fair, we have quite big family and my parents like it as well, but still… I would eat the salad like three times a day during holidays. So you see this recipe was evidently missing on the blog.

For me this salad was always basic Polish salad, we just call it veggie salad, what was my surprise to see it’s called Russian salad, although Wikipedia says  that traditional Russian salad should include meat. I was even more surprised to get this salad as a side in a Brazilian restaurant. My Brazilian friend said they don’t have a special name for the salad other than veggie salad with mayo.

It is kind of old-fashion salad, but it is still perfect for any party, not necessary for Christmas or Easter. It’s a perfect make-ahead dish, as it tastes better if it spends 24 hours in a fridge. The recipe is very flexible, you can add more carrots if you like to, you can replace peas with corn, you may omit dill pickles or onions for milder taste, you can add boiled celery. Quantities of ingredients are flexible too, you just want to achieve nice colourful spots of green and red.

Russian salad or just a veggie salad

This is one of those imprecise, but forgiving recipes.
Main rule is to gain enough green and red spots, as it will look pretty. Be careful with strong flavours like dill pickles and onion, they may overpower the salad.

• 6-8 medium potatoes
• 3 carrots
• 2 small root parsley
• 3 eggs, hard-boiled
• 2-3 medium pickled dill cucumbers
• 1-2 apple
• 1 medium onion
• 1 cup green peas, boiled or canned
• 3 tsp Dijon mustard
• 6 Tbsp mayonnaise
• salt
• pepper

In one pot boil potatoes with their skins on until tender but still firm. Leave them to cool them down and peel them.

Peel the carrots and parsley. In a second pot boil carrots and parsley until tender but still firm. Leave them to cool them down.

Peel the apples.

Dice potatoes, carrots, parsley, eggs, pickled dill cucumbers, apples and onions into small cubes (around 1/2-cm) and place them into a big bowl.

Add green peas into the bowl.

Mix the chopped ingredients, so the vegetables are well distributed (it’s better to do it before adding mayonnaise as, it’s just easier to stir).

Add mustard, mayonnaise, salt and pepper and mix well.

Add more mayo if it seems a bit dry, but try not to overdo it.

Taste a spoonful of the salad and, if needed, adjust the seasoning according to taste, but remember that on the next day flavours will more distinctive.

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