Ensalada Rusa Criolla

Steps

1. 1

   Hard-boil eggs

   • Place 5 large eggs in a medium pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch (2.5 cm).
   • Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, then remove from heat and cover with a lid.
   • Let sit undisturbed for 10-12 minutes.
   • Transfer eggs immediately to the ice-water bowl prepared earlier.
   • Once completely cool (about 5 minutes), gently peel each egg under cold running water, starting at the wider end.
   • Pat dry and set aside—peel them just before chopping when ready to combine.

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   Ready when: Whites are completely opaque, yolks are bright yellow with no gray ring; eggs are cool to the touch

   Tip: Add ½ teaspoon baking soda or salt to the boiling water to make peeling easier; starting from the wider end breaks the membrane underneath.

2. 2

   Boil potatoes until tender

   • Bring a large pot (at least 6-quart / 6-liter capacity) of salted water to a rolling boil.
   • If potatoes are large, halve or quarter them into roughly 2-inch (5 cm) pieces.
   • Add unpeeled red potatoes to the boiling water and maintain a steady boil for 12-15 minutes, depending on size, until a fork easily pierces the thickest piece.
   • Drain in a colander and spread on a rimmed baking sheet to cool for 5 minutes.

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   Ready when: Fork easily pierces the thickest piece; potatoes are no longer steaming

   Tip: Leave skins on during boiling—they help potatoes hold their shape and prevent waterlogging. Peel them after cooling when you're ready to cut.

3. 3

   Cook peas and carrots

   • In a separate medium pot (3-quart / 3-liter capacity), bring salted water to a boil.
   • Peel 3 carrots and cut them into ½-inch (1 cm) cubes.
   • Add carrots to boiling water and cook 4 minutes.
   • Add 1.5 cups (200g) frozen peas and cook 2-3 more minutes until peas are bright green and both vegetables are tender-crisp but still hold their shape.
   • Drain in a fine-mesh strainer and immediately rinse under cold water to stop cooking.
   • Set aside to cool.

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   Ready when: Carrots are fork-tender and peas are bright green; both are cooked through but still firm

   Tip: Cooking vegetables separately prevents them from becoming mushy and lets you control texture precisely.

4. 4

   Prepare remaining ingredients

   • Drain the jar of roasted red pimientos (about 200g / 7 oz) and pat thoroughly dry with paper towels to remove excess brine.
   • Dice them into roughly ½-inch (1 cm) pieces.
   • If using green olives, pit them if not done already and slice them (about ½ cup / 75g total).
   • If using white onion, finely dice about ¼ of a medium onion to make roughly 50g (¼ cup).
   • Set all prepared ingredients in small bowls or on the cutting board, ready to combine.

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   Ready when: All vegetables are prepped and organized

   Tip: Patting pimientos completely dry prevents excess liquid from watering down the creamy dressing.

5. 5

   Combine salad ingredients

   • Once potatoes are cool enough to handle, use a sharp knife to peel away the thin red skin—it should slip off easily.
   • Cut peeled potatoes into ½-inch (1 cm) cubes and place in a large mixing bowl (at least 4-quart / 4-liter capacity).
   • Add the cooled carrots and peas, the diced pimientos, and diced onion if using.
   • Dice the 5 hard-boiled eggs and add them to the bowl.
   • Gently toss everything together using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, being careful not to break apart the potatoes or eggs.
   • The mixture should look colorful and well-distributed.

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   Ready when: All salad components are evenly distributed without clumps of a single ingredient

   Tip: Use a light, gentle hand when folding. Overmixing will break down potatoes and eggs into mush instead of maintaining a chunky texture.

6. 6

   Mix in dressing

   • In a small bowl, combine ¾ cup (180g) mayonnaise with a pinch of salt and ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (or to taste).
   • If the mayo feels very thick, whisk in 1 tablespoon (15ml) red wine vinegar to loosen it slightly and add a subtle tang.
   • Whisk until smooth.
   • Pour the dressing over the salad in the large bowl and gently fold it in using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, turning the salad from the bottom up.
   • Stop folding as soon as all pieces are evenly coated.
   • Do not overmix.

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   Ready when: All salad components are evenly and lightly coated with creamy mayo dressing

   Tip: Add vinegar in small amounts—you can always add more for extra tang, but you cannot remove it once added.

7. 7

   Chill and serve

   • Cover the salad bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
   • The salad tastes even better if it sits for a few hours, as flavors meld.
   • Serve cold straight from the refrigerator, or let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving if you prefer it less cold.
   • Just before serving, give it a gentle stir and taste for seasoning.
   • Adjust salt and pepper as needed—chilled food often needs slightly more seasoning than expected.

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   Ready when: Salad is cold and flavors have mingled (minimum 30 minutes of chilling)

   Tip: If the salad becomes dry or starts to look separated after chilling, stir in an extra spoonful of fresh mayo or squeeze fresh lime juice to refresh it.