Ensaladilla Rusa is a popular tapas in Spain, and it is one I enjoy a great deal in particular.
Ingredients:
1 lb potatoes – diced
1 large carrot – diced
4 oz fresh peas – shelled
3 oz green beans – cut into ½ inch pieces
1 small onion, finely diced
1 small red pepper, finely diced
5 small gherkins, sliced
2 tablespoons baby capers – rinsed if in brine
10 anchovy-stuffed olives
1 hard boiled egg, thinly sliced
6 fl oz mayonnaise
1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Garnish:
1 large tomato – thinly sliced
Fresh parsley – chopped
Prepare a mixing bowl just large enough to hold all the ingredients by lining with cling film leaving sufficient spare at the top to cover the salad
Preparation:
Put the prepared potatoes and carrots into a saucepan of lightly salted water, bring to the boil and simmer until done. Add the peas and beans to a pan of boiling salted water, bring back to boil and simmer until tender. Drain and place the potatoes, carrots, beans and peans into a mixing bowl. Add the onion, red pepper, gherkins, baby capers, anchovy-stuffed olives and egg slices and carefully stir to combine.
Place the mayonnaise, lemon juice and mustard into a separate bowl and whisk until thoroughly combined. Spoon the mayonnaise into the bowl and mix until all the ingredients are coated in the sauce.
Sprinkle with black pepper and toss.
Transfer the salad to the prepared bowl, smooth the top, cover with the cling film and refrigerate until required.
Peel back the cling film at the top and turn out onto a serving plate. Remove the cling film from the salad and discard.
Arrange sliced tomatoes around the outside of the dish and sprinkle with chopped parsley.