Russian Salad With Creamy Mustard Vinaigrette

Preparation

Put the potatoes into a small sauce pot. Add enough water to cover and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over a medium high flame, cover and lower the flame to medium low and cook until the potatoes are just tender. Test after about 10 minutes if they are very small.  Drain and cut into quarters. Set aside

Meanwhile, make the dressing: In a largish bowl, beat the cider vinegar and Dijon mustard together. Add sea salt and a grind or two of black pepper to taste. Slowly beat in the olive oil a little at a time until the vinaigrette is well emulsified and creamy looking. Add the Greek yogurt and beat until well blended. It will resemble mayonnaise. If the dressing seems too thick, add the water 1 teaspoon at a time. Stir in the minced shallot and set aside.

Put the diced carrots into a small sauce pot. Add a pinch of salt and just cover with water. Bring to a boil over a medium high flame, cover and lower the flame to medium low and cook 5 minutes.

Add the frozen peas. Top up with a little hot water if needed. Bring back to a boil – this will take a minute as the icy peas will bring down the temperature in the pan. Cover and cook 2 minutes more or until the peas are bright green and soft. Drain and set aside.

Add the diced beets to the dressing in the bowl. Stir to mix. They will turn the dressing pink. Add the potatoes, carrots and peas. Toss to mix. Let the salad sit for 10 minutes before serving for the flavors to develop.

Ann's Tips and Tricks

If roasting the beets takes too long for you, avoid using vinegary pickled beets as a substitute, use vacuum packed beets instead. They have a far more mellow flavor

Use waxy baby potatoes like Yukon Gold, fingerlings or Red Bliss. Idaho and Russet potatoes are too starchy and flaky to hold their shape in this kind of salad.