Ensaladilla Rusa (Spanish Tuna and Potato Salad)

Ingredients

• 600 g potato, peeled and cut into 2 cm cubes
• 2 carrot, peeled and finely diced
• 150 g frozen peas
• 3 egg
• 200 g canned tuna, drained
• 200 g mayonnaise
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 60 g green olives, sliced
• 2 pickled gherkin, finely diced
• 1 red bell pepper, roasted and cut into strips
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• ½ tsp black pepper
• salt to taste

Method

1. 1.

   Boil the potatoes and carrots — Put the potato cubes and diced carrot in a large pan of cold salted water, bring to a boil and simmer for 12-15 minutes, until a knife slides in without resistance but the cubes still hold their edges. Drop the frozen peas in for the last 2 minutes.

2. 2.

   Hard-boil the eggs — Meanwhile, lower the eggs into a small pan of boiling water and cook for 9 minutes for firm yolks. Cool them under cold running water, then peel.

3. 3.

   Dress the vegetables while warm — Drain the vegetables well and spread them out on a tray. While still warm, sprinkle over the red wine vinegar and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil with a pinch of salt, then leave for about 30 minutes to cool and dry out. Wet potato is what turns an ensaladilla soupy.

4. 4.

   Fold in the tuna and mayonnaise — Chop two of the peeled eggs and flake the tuna. In a wide bowl, fold the cooled vegetables together with the tuna, chopped egg, gherkins, half the olives, the mayonnaise and the remaining olive oil, using a spatula and a light hand so the potato stays in pieces rather than turning to mash. Season with black pepper and salt.

5. 5.

   Chill until it firms up — Cover and chill for at least an hour. The salad needs the time: the mayonnaise firms up and the vinegar works its way into the potato.

6. 6.

   Garnish and serve cold — Spread the ensaladilla into a shallow dish and smooth the top with the back of a spoon. Slice the last egg into rounds and lay them over, then scatter with the remaining olives, the strips of roasted pepper and the parsley. Serve cold, with bread.