Insalata Russa (Russian Salad)
So-called ‘Russian salad’ (or Olivier salad as it is often known elsewhere) is a classic, even old-fashioned Tuscan favourite, appearing on family tables for basically every holiday from Easter to Christmas since the early 1900s as a side dish to important main dishes. This could also appear in Torino’s chapter, as it is a popular addition to Piemontese antipasto platters.
I have to admit, I have not been a fan of insalata russa, finding most versions of it unappealing – with more mayonnaise (and not the home-made kind) than overcooked vegetables floating in it – until I finally tasted one at a friend’s place in San Gimignano at Christmas – it was fresh and green, with just enough mayonnaise to hold the vegetables together. With just one mouthful I was convinced that insalata russa had the potential to be delicious.
When I researched old recipes for it, I noticed the ingredients were largely green vegetables (Artusi in 1891 includes diced beetroot and radicchio, so perhaps you could say magenta too) and a very small amount (‘qualche cucchiaino’ advises Ada Boni in 1929: a few teaspoons) of home-made mayonnaise, which I found perfect. Their recipes were also balanced with something acidic – pickles, lemon juice or vinegar (Boni calls for tarragon vinegar), which does a lot to pep it up. I like to add a spoonful of thick, plain yoghurt to the dressing (the only untraditional thing about this recipe) to cut through the mayonnaise and add some of that welcome acidity. How it reached the sticky, sweet, mayonnaise-filled mess you often find today I do not know, but please, let’s bring back the version from a century ago.
Ingredients 12
2 potatoes, medium, peeled and cut into 1 cm (1⁄2 in) cubes after cooking
120 g green beans, tops cut off, beans cut into 2–3 cm (¾–1¼ in) pieces
70 g peas, fresh or frozen
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
Handful fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
1 1⁄2 tbsp capers, if brined, drained; if preserved in salt, rinsed then soaked in clean water for 15 minutes, then drained
4 ‒ 5 cornichons, finely sliced
3 anchovy fillets, preserved in oil, chopped
Dressing
1 ‒ 2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp thick natural yoghurt, like greek yoghurt
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp red-wine vinegar
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Method 4
Rinse the and place them whole in their skins in a pot of cold water. Bring to the boil and cook until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork. A few minutes before taking the potatoes out, add the and .
Drain and let the vegetables cool. In the meantime, make the dressing by whisking the , , and together in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
When cool, peel the and cut them into 1 cm (1⁄2 in) cubes.
Toss the cooled, cooked , , and with the , , , , and . Stir through the , adjusting the seasoning to taste.
Emiko Davies' tips
Some additions to consider: one or two hard-boiled eggs, chopped or sliced; pickled onions (one of Nonna Lina’s additions); thin, raw slices of crunchy cucumber; steamed or boiled carrot (which I prefer not to include as I find it too sweet here).
