Russian Vinaigrette Salad Recipe

I am trying to keep some sort of make ahead food for those afternoons where I stare into a cupboard or refrigerator full of ingredient type food but I don’t want to make at the moment because I don’t want to heat up the kitchen on a summer day.

Or it is a random day that ends in a Y and I just want food to appear in my belly so I can get on with my day and do something important like give my best gal Lacey belly rubs until my arm falls off.

Helloooo, make ahead cold salad!

I found this recipe for Russian Vinaigrette written on a napkin in the back of my cupboard after an avalanche of reusable water bottles recently fell out of the cabinet and onto my head. Note to self: Clean out the cupboard. I wonder what other recipes I used to make but forgot are in there?

I asked a Russian student for the recipe after I tried it at an International student event at Ohio State because I liked it so much and I used to make it all the time. It is the perfect summer cold salad because you don’t have to worry about mayonnaise curdling in the sun or in a not so cool cooler.

Russian Beet Salad Recipe

Does anyone else think of Mad Men when you see a cold salad?

If you have fresh beets, potatoes, and peas you want to use in this recipe, peel, cook, and cool them before adding them to the salad.

Leftover, frozen, or canned beets, potatoes, and peas work too. I’m not usually a fan of the taste of canned vegetables but if that’s what you like go for it! In my opinion (which often gets me into trouble with strict real food folks) is canned or frozen vegetables are better than no vegetables at all.

Truthfully I tend to go with canned beets for this recipe because the fresh ones taste like dirt no matter how well I clean them. If you have a way to clean and cook fresh beets so they don’t taste like dirt I will be forever grateful!

Ingredients:

I cup of sliced/cube beets – I cut them into sort of squares because I’m too lazy to take a knife skills class.

I cup of sliced/cubed potatoes – same deal the sort of squares. I may be lazy but at least I’m consistent.

1 cup peas

¼ cup chopped raw onion

¼ cup green onion

1/8 cup sliced dill pickles

2 raw carrots, sliced

¼ cup dill

Salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon mustard (whatever type you like)

½ teaspoon sugar

3 tablespoons vinegar - I use white but other types work too

1/3 light tasting oil, basically anything except olive oil because it is a little heavy for this salad. I used peanut but you may use whatever type you like

Make it:

1.       If you are using fresh beets, potatoes, or peas cook the vegetables until they are tender but not mushy. Some people cook the carrots too but that part of the recipe is smudged on my napkin which makes me forget so I leave them crunchy. Either way is good. I’ll leave the carrots up to you.

2.       Cube the beets and potatoes or whatever comes close if your kitchen is like mine (but probably not. I’m sure yours is better.)

3.       Slice the carrots and pickles.

4.       Combine the beets, potatoes, peas, onion, green onion, pickles, carrots, and dill in a large bowl.

5.       Mix the salt and pepper into the salad and set it aside for a mo.

6.       Make the dressing by mixing the mustard, vinegar, oil in a separate bowl (I use the glass measuring cup I use for the vinegar.)

7.       Gently toss the salad with the dressing until all of the vegetables are coated and add one last kiss of salt and pepper if needed.

8.       Allow the salad to chill covered in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

9.       Serve it up yum!

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