This appetizer is as Russian as French fries are French. I wouldn’t even call it a salad, but an appetizer.
My guess is that chefs name their creations in the same way that botanists name new plants: they meet in a bar and, after a few drinks, they make up the names of their creations or discoveries. At least this is how a college professor of mine explained the peculiarity of names like Fremontodendron californicum (after John Fremont, the third military governor of California) or Eriodictyon trichocalyx (probably for the fun of its unpronounceable name).
If you consider the eccentricity and witticism of some scholars and chefs, this theory doesn’t seem so far fetched.
Whoever invented this recipe must have liked the exotic appeal of naming it after a distant country, so far away from Italy that no Russian will ever object that this dish is totally unknown in his country.
Despite the double deception in its name, Russian Salad is one of my favorite appetizers.
Ingredients: A B V Gf Df
(serves 4)
- 3 medium potatoes
- 3 carrots
- 8 oz. of shelled green peas
- 2 eggs, boiled
- 1 Tbsp of apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. Evoo
- 2 Tbsp. mayonnaise* (see recipe)
- Salt
- Pepper
For the mayonnaise:
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- a few drops of lemon juice
- 1 cup of olive oil or sunflower oil
- a pinch of salt
Boil the eggs and let them cool down.
Wash and peel the potatoes and the carrots. Dice them into 1/4-inch cubes, and either steam them or boil them separately in salted water. It will only take a few minutes because they must be firm but not mushy.
Boil or steam the green peas in water until tender.
Spread the veggies on a platter to cool down, otherwise they will add moisture to your salad.
Meanwhile, make the mayonnaise.
Break the egg in the plastic beaker of your hand blender or in any other tall container with a small base. The egg must be at room temperature. If you forgot to take it out of the fridge in advance, put it in a cup of warm water for 15 minutes.
Add ¾ cup of your favorite oil (not extra-virgin because the flavor of the mayonnaise will be too strong), a pinch of salt, and beat at high speed for a few seconds with the hand blender. Add a few drops of lemon juice and the remaining oil, and whip for a few more seconds. Taste and adjust for salt or lemon. In a mixing bowl, dress the three vegetables with the vinegar and oil, dice the eggs, add them to the veggie mix, and delicately toss together with 2 Tbsp. of mayonnaise*.
Serve cold.
* If you are allergic to eggs or prefer a lighter version of this recipe, replace the mayonnaise with 3 Tbsp. of plain yogurt and omit the eggs.
