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Tangy Russian Salad

This dish is inspired by the classic Russian salad, and includes peas, carrots, potatoes, eggs, cooked ham, and a bright lemony dill mayonnaise dressing.
In this version, the warm cooked potatoes are gently mashed and allowed to soak up some tangy dill pickle brine before being dressed with the remainder of the salad ingredients.

Ingredients

  • 4 medium-sized Yukon Gold potatoes, washed and boiled to tender in salty water
  • 1/3 cup dill pickle brine
  • 4 small carrots, small dice
  • 1.5 cups frozen peas
  • 6 eggs, hard-boiled and cut in quarters
  • 6oz cooked ham, medium dice
  • ½ cup cornichons, small dice
  • ½ cup dill pickles, small dice
  • 3 Tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
  • 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • Zest of ½ lemon
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • Salt & freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  • Boil potatoes in salty water until tender.
  • When potatoes are fully tender, allow to cool at room temperature and remove the skins.
  • Gently break the potatoes down into large chunks and allow the large chunks of warm potato to sit in the 1/3 cup of dill pickle brine.
  • Cook the carrots in the boiling water for roughly 10 minutes and remove and drain.
  • Cook the frozen peas for a few minutes in the boiling water and remove and drain.
  • Hard-boil the eggs and remove the shells under cold running water.
  • Cut the peeled eggs into quarters and set aside.
  • Gently combine the cooked ham with the potatoes, carrots, peas, hard-boiled eggs, cornichons, and dill pickles.
  • In a small bowl, mix together the fresh dill and parsley with the mayonnaise.
  • Mix in the lemon zest and lemon juice.
  • Taste mayonnaise and season with salt & freshly-ground black pepper.
  • Coat the ingredients you prepared earlier in this lemony dill mayonnaise.
  • Refrigerate Russian salad until ready to serve.
  • Serve cold.

Notes

You can store this in the fridge for a few days.
It is a perfect item to make in advance of a summer BBQ or dinner party where you have been asked to bring a cold side dish.
If you prefer a drier Russian salad, you don’t need to use the entire amount of mayonnaise. Any leftover dressing you have can be used to make some tasty tuna fish sandwiches.