There are many variations on the Russian salad, such as the Spanish one (Ensaladilla Rusa). In Spain, this salad is so popular that nearly every bar has it on the ‘tapas’ menu, or serves it as an appetiser.
Preparation
Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1 cm cubes.
Boil them in a pan containing a shallow layer of water and a little salt for approx. 6 min. until cooked.
Drain and allow to cool. In the meantime, cut the green beans into diamond shapes of 1 cm. Cut the carrot into 1 cm cubes.
When the water is boiling, add the beans and the carrot. Add salt to taste and boil them for approx. 6 min. until cooked. Add the garden peas to the pan for the final 2 min. Drain and allow to cool.
Slice the celery into thin rings. Cut the beetroot, ham and eggs into 1 cm cubes. Cut the gherkin into slices.
Beat the mayonnaise together with the vinegar, mustard and 1 tbsp water.
Mix all the vegetables together and then stir in the mayonnaise dressing.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Tips from the author
Prefer a vegetarian option? Feel free to omit the ham.
Variation tip You can also substitute the ham for cubes of smoked chicken fillet.