Salata de boeuf

I first encountered salata de boeuf when we visited some  friends over the Christmas holidays, and were treated to a generous spread of Romanian delicacies.

From the name, I assumed salata de boeuf would include beef – and I have found recipes online that list beef, chicken or frankfurters as ingredients.

According to Dan, his family have never made it that way – and their version works for us. It calls for fresh mayonnaise – which can be whipped up in a food processor in about thirty seconds. But if you’re concerned about raw egg, store-bought mayonnaise works fine too.

Salata de boeuf
(serves 6)

• 5 or 6 potatoes (about 700g)
• 2 carrots
• 1 parsnip
• 3 eggs
• 1 small tin petit pois
• 2 large dill pickles
• 1 cup mayonnaise (homemade, if possible)
• 1 Tb Dijon mustard
• salt and pepper
• vegetables, herbs or olives to decorate (optional)

1. Boil the potatoes, carrots and parsnips until tender. Cool, peel and dice.
2. Hard-boil the eggs. Cool, peel and dice.
3. Drain the peas and pat dry with paper towel.
4. Dice the pickles, then squeeze to remove the excess liquid.
5. In a large bowl, combine the diced vegetables, egg, peas and pickles.
6. Fold the mustard into the mayonnaise, then add to the vegetables. Stir to combine, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
7. Decorate the top, if desired. Cover with clingfilm and refrigerate for a few hours before serving to allow the flavours to mingle.

Family score: 6.75/10

Tags: carrots, dairy-free, eggs, gluten-free, parsnips, peas, potatoes, vegetarian