Russian salad

A familiar version combines diced boiled potatoes and carrots with peas, pickled cucumber and hard-boiled egg, bound with mayonnaise. Recipes vary, but the vegetables should be cooked until tender and cooled before mixing.

Boil small, whole potatoes in their skins for about 15–20 minutes, until a knife slips in easily. Drain, cool, then peel and dice them; cooking them whole helps stop them becoming waterlogged or breaking up.

Yes. Mix it, cover it and refrigerate it promptly; the flavours meld as it chills. Keep it cold until serving, and don’t leave it sitting out for more than two hours.

Keep it covered in the fridge and eat it within two days, especially if it contains egg or homemade mayonnaise. Use a clean spoon each time you serve it.

Serve it cold as a side with roast meat, grilled fish or cold cuts, or spoon it onto lettuce leaves for a light starter. It also works as a filling for sandwiches, though the mixture can make bread soggy if left to stand.

Use thick plain yoghurt, or mix yoghurt with a little mustard and lemon juice for a tangier dressing. The result is less rich than the classic mayonnaise version, so fold it in gently to avoid mashing the vegetables.