Ensalada Rusa

Ensalada rusa translates from the Spanish as “Russian salad.” Said to be created in the 19th century by chef Lucien Olivier at the Hermitage, a French restaurant in Moscow, the dish, which in its original form contained lavish ingredients such as caviar, was wildly popular and eventually made its way into the cuisines of other countries. Spain, in particular, took a liking to it, and the salad now is a fixture in tapas bars throughout the country. It also is much loved in many Latin American countries. A mayonnaise-based dressing is standard in ensalada rusa, potatoes are a must and beets are common. Some versions even include hearty ingredients, such as tuna or hard-cooked eggs. We like carrots in ours and, for easy prep, we opt for store-bought cooked beets. The salad is delicious at room temperature or even chilled.

Good

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

1. Add the potatoes to a large saucepan, cover with about 2 inches water and add 2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a simmer over medium-high and simmer until a skewer inserted into the potatoes meets just a little resistance, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the carrots and cook until the potatoes are tender and the carrots are tender-crisp, about 3 minutes. Drain in a colander.

Step 2

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon vinegar, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Add the warm potato-carrot mixture and the scallions. Stir, then let stand until cooled to room temperature.

Step 3

3. In a small bowl, toss the beets with the remaining 1 teaspoon vinegar and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Gently stir the beets into the potato-carrot mixture. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving dish, top with the parsley and drizzle with additional oil.

Step 4

Don’t let the potato-carrot mixture cool too much before tossing it with the mayonnaise mixture. It still should be quite warm when dressed so the vegetables better absorb the seasonings. When mixing in the beets, do so with a light hand to prevent them from turning the entire salad pink.