Russian salad
This salad is called 'Russian salad' in Turkey, Spain and India and probably in a few other countries where Russian tourists turn up regularly. In ex-Soviet countries, however, it is called 'Salad Olivier'. I don't know why. Although the list of ingredients varies, it commonly includes meat and eggs, but there's absolutely no need for them. Even my light, egg-free mayonnaise vegetarian version is almost a meal in itself. This is a heavy-duty salad.
To prepare the potatoes and carrots, first boil them whole with the skins on and then leave them to cool. This keeps the flavour and the vitamins in the vegetables. You'll still have to peel the carrots with a knife but the potato skins should come off easily using your fingers.
Ingredients
3 large potatoes
2 carrots
1 small onion
4 or 5 salted or pickled cucumbers
1 cup of cooked green peas
150-200g mayonnaise
Black pepper
Salt
Chop the potatoes, carrots and cucumbers into small cubes. Chop the onion finely. Gently mix all the ingredients together and you're looking at a bowl of Russian salad.
I find this salad goes rather well with buttered bread and neat
vodka.