Colorful Potato Salad

Most potato salads are, how shall we put it politely, “aesthetically challenged”… They are pale and heavy, with way too much mayonnaise and in many cases, too much sugar.
Here is a lighter and more colorful version, inspired by a Russian potato salad, named “Olivier” after the Belgian chef who created it when working in Moscow. The original salad contained many rare and expensive ingredients, so later on more down to earth versions were created. The majority of these versions contain a large amount of cold cuts and canned peas and carrots, and even though they are more colorful than the average potato salad, they are still quite heavy.

The following version is much lighter and fresher looking. It doesn’t contain cold cuts, has less mayonnaise and a refreshing addition of mustard, fresh lemon juice and fresh dill. The canned peas and carrots are replaced with frozen ones, which have fresher taste and color – and better nutritional values. The result is colorful, light, fresh and easy to make.

The salad is perfect for brunch, served it as is, or with cold cuts, grilled meats, fish or seafood. If not serving immediately, keep the salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Serves: 6
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
6 medium size red skin potatoes, unpeeled
3 eggs, at room temperature
½ tsp vinegar + dash of salt
½ cup mayonnaise (I prefer Hellmann’s)
1 tsp heaped Dijon mustard
2 Tbs fresh lemon juice
1 tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ cups frozen peas and carrots, thawed and drained
1/3 cup chopped dill pickles (unsweetened), or capers
2 Tbs fresh dill, chopped

1. Place the potatoes in a pot and cover with water. Bring to the boil, lower the heat to medium and cook for about 15 minutes, until the potatoes are cooked, but still keep their shape. (Check with a skewer or toothpick). Drain and let cool to room temperature. Peel (the skin comes off very easily once they’re cooked) and cut into medium sized cubes. Place in a bowl.

2. Place the eggs in a small pot, cover with water and add the vinegar and salt. Bring to the boil, lower the heat to medium-low and cook for 8 minutes. Drain and cover with very cold water. Once the eggs are cooled, peel and chop them roughly, and add to the bowl with the potatoes.

3. Add all the rest of the ingredients and mix gently. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve at room temperature.