ENSALADILLA RUSA / SPANISH RUSSIAN POTATO SALAD (GF)
Made with fresh ingredients.
Portion served: 500gr. including piquitos (breadsticks)
Contains: Tuna Fish, Eggs, Potatoes, Carrots, Gherkins, Peas, Pitted olives, Red Roast Peppers, Mayo.
Despite the Russian name, ensaladilla Rusa has become as Spanish as you can get, and is an important dish in Spain’s culinary history. In fact, towards the end of the Spanish Civil War merely speaking of Russia was forbidden, and people renamed the popular dish Ensaladilla Nacional, the national salad!
But let’s back up. As its name implies, ensaladilla Rusa has its roots in Russia— in Moscow to be exact. It was here that Belgian chef Lucien Olivier invented this classy version of a potato salad, while working in the exclusive Hermitage Restaurant. Unfortunately, the secretive Olivier took the original recipe to his grave, but food historians think that it was topped with expensive ingredients such as venison and perhaps even caviar.
Today, Russian Potato Salad is served all over the world, but it doesn’t much resemble Olivier’s wealthy man’s version. In Spain, your typical ensaladilla rusa recipe includes potatoes, peas, and carrots, and it is typical to add tuna as well. In the south they sometimes add shrimp and hard boiled egg, and of course served with crunchy little breadsticks called picos!
Once you try this salad you won’t be able to stop eating it, it’s addictive!
It keeps perfectly in the fridge for about 4 days.
