Spanish Ensaladilla Rusa

This mega fortifying, nutritious salad has all bases covered with eggs, tuna, carrots, olives, potatoes and a creamy dressing.

📝 Ingredients

• 500 g / 2 large waxy potatoes like red potatoes (boiled, peeled and diced)
• 1 carrot (boiled, peeled and diced)
• 4 eggs (boiled, peeled and chopped)
• 50 g / 2oz pickles (gherkins) (not sweet, chopped)
• 50 g / 1/4 cup green olives (chopped plus 4 green olives for garnish)
• 2 tbsp capers
• 160 g / 5 oz Albacore tuna in olive oil (drained and oil reserved for dressing)
• 1/2 shallot (diced)
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp salmon or trout caviar (for garnish)
• 1 tbsp chopped chives (for garnish)
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 egg
• 150 ml / 2/3 cups neutral tasting oil (like vegetable oil plus the reserved olive oil from the tuna (strained))
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp white wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 125 ml / 1/2 cup good quality mayonnaise
• 2 tsp white wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp water (to loosen the dressing)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Boil eggs and unpeeled potatoes and a carrot, cool. Peel 3 eggs, 2 potatoes and 1 carrot and dice, then put everything in a large salad bowl.
2. 2Dice pickles (gherkins), olives and 1/2 shallot, add to the same bowl together with the capers.
3. 3Take the tuna out of the jar and reserve the oil for the dressing. Flake the tuna into large flakes and add to the salad bowl.
4. 4To make the homemade mayo use an immersion blender and a tall and narrow container. Combine the egg yolk and 1 whole egg, vegetable oil, reserved and strained olive oil from the tuna jar (approximately 1-2 tbsp), Dijon mustard, white wine vinegar and salt in the container. Insert the immersion blender and process for a few seconds while moving the blender around until the ingredients turn into a thick mayonnaise. (For an easy version simple whisk together a store bought mayonnaise, white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard and water until smooth.)
5. 5Add the dressing to the salad and mix gently taking care not to mash the ingredients together. They should hold their shape, then taste and add salt if needed.
6. 6To serve as a tapa, arrange a portion of the salad on a small serving plate and top with the remaining boiled egg cut in half, then top each half with 1/2 tbsp of the salmon caviar. Sprinkle with chopped chives if desired.