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Russian potato salad (Insalata russa)

The origins of this northern Italian recipe are just as mysterious as its name. A popular belief is that the salad originated in Russia and was invented by chef Lucien Olivier in Moscow in the 1800s. Others claim the name has been translated from Insalata Rossa (red salad) as a result of the red colour from using beetroot.

Insalata Russa getting spooned from a bowl in a dinner party setting

Credit: Sileo Media

  • serves

    6-8

  • prep

    15 minutes

  • cook

    20 minutes

  • difficulty

    Easy

serves

6-8

people

preparation

15

minutes

cooking

20

minutes

difficulty

Easy

level

Ingredients

  • 1 kg potatoes, peeled
  • 400 g carrots, peeled
  • 150 g green beans
  • 150 g peas
  • 100 g cooked or canned beetroot, diced
  • 300 g good quality mayonnaise
  • Extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle
  • White wine vinegar, to taste
  • Kala namak (optional)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Fresh chives or dill, chopped, to serve
Chilling time: 2 hours

Instructions

  1. Dice the potatoes, carrots and beans into small, generally uniform pieces.
  2. Steam or gently boil the potatoes, carrots, beans and peas separately until cooked, but not too soft, as you want to ensure they hold their shape. Rinse gently in cold water, drain well and pat dry.
  3. Transfer the cooked vegetables and also the beetroot into a large bowl. Stir through the mayonnaise, coating the vegetables generously, reserving 2-3 tablespoons of the mayonnaise.
  4. Add a few glugs of olive oil and a splash of vinegar. Sprinkle over some kala namak to create an eggy flavour. Season with pinches of salt and pepper.
  5. For presentation, transfer the potato salad into a bowl lined with plastic wrap. Press the vegetables down firmly. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
  6. Once ready to serve, unmould the salad onto a large serving platter. Evenly spread the reserved mayonnaise over the surface of the salad. Garnish with fresh chives or dill.

Recipe and image from Nadia Fragnito's Natale: Recipes for a Vegan Italian Christmas, photography by Nadia Fragnito and Sileo Media.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.


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Published

By Nadia Fragnito
Source: SBS



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