Ensaladilla Rusa (Russian Salad)

This blog is mainly for “Today I learned…” (TIL). And that can be anything…. so don’t get surprised. It could be worse ™

“Ensaladilla Rusa” (Russian Salad) is a typical Spanish dish. I remember we had it nearly every week in summer time. With the hot weather, having something fresh, it was a bless. Like “gazpacho” 🙂

But I have never tried it on my own until last weekend. I love cooking (I dont consider myself a good cook though), it is relaxing and I regard it as a very important part of my upbringing and culture. I want to keep it and enjoy it! It has to be simple, humble, tasty, etc. Dont like fancy or over the top things.

So back to the track… You can find many recipes in google/youtube, it is like “Tortilla Española”, each home has its own. This is the one I tried and I liked the result:

Ingredients for the salad

  • 1kg potatoes
  • 500g of frozen vegetables mix (peas, carrots, corn, beans)
  • 1 can of tuna (or 2)
  • 4 boiled eggs (salt and vinegar in the water so the shell doesn’t break)
  • olives
  • grilled pepper

Ingredient for the mayonesse

  • 1 egg
  • salt
  • juice of 1/2 lemon (you will have to taste and maybe you dont need to use all of it)
  • 500ml oil (I mixed 250ml sunflower oil + 250ml virgin olive oil)

Process:

  • Boil the potatoes with enough water and salt (skin included). Be sure the potatoes are similar size so the go tender around the same time. Cut them if needed. They are ready when you can cross a knife through the potato without effort. This is not mash potatoes though 🙂 Let them cool down
  • I put the frozen salad in boiling water for 1-2 minutes so they became eatable again.
  • Boil the eggs with enough water (salt and vinegar). Around 10 minutes. Let cool down a bit under a bit of cold water. Then remove the shell (it shouldn’t be too difficult) and cut them in small cubes.
  • Peel the potatoes with your hand and cut them in little cubes (like the eggs)
  • In a glass try, mix the potatoes, vegetables, eggs and tuna. Let them cool in the fridge.
  • Once you get your mayonnaise, add it to the mix.
  • Optionally you can add some olives and decorate the top of the salad with slices of grilled peppers
  • Cool a bit in the fridge and ready to eat!

Mayonnaise Process:

  • Put in your hand mixer glass, the egg, salt, some lemon juice and a bit of oil to cover the mixer head.
  • Start mixing and it will become white. Then start adding the rest of oil bit a bit.
  • The mix shouldn’t be liquid neither solid. Something like heavier egg whites.
  • Taste it, very important. Add more salt? More lemon? Mine had a strong lemony flavour but remember you will add it to the salad.
  • Ready to use with the salad.