Istrian recipe: FRENCH SALAD

INGREDIENTS (for a small amount of salad):
2 eggs
2 small potatoes
1-2 carrots
340 g gherkins
250 g garden peas (from the tin)
salt
mayonnaise (a few spoons, just enough to “glue” the whole mixture together)


In Istria and the whole of Croatia we call this pickled mixture French Salad. However, in France they have never heard of anything this and my Dutch friend who lived in Germany calls it Russian salad. Regardless of how you call it, no wedding, first communion, annual village patron day or any other occasion in Istria would be celebrated without a French salad on the table. It is usually served as a cold starter with a few slices of Istrian or Dalmatian ham (similar to Parma and Serrano hams) and a few slices of a good quality local cheese. Occasionally it is also served alongside roasted or barbecued meats.

HOW TO PREPARE IT:

French salad is another Istrian recipe without quantities and you do it according to your taste.

Boil eggs, potatoes and carrots and let them cool down. Dice all the ingredients (except peas) into more or less equal pieces. It’s up to you whether you like bigger or smaller pieces. In my opinion, the smaller the pieces the better taste. But that’s just an individual preference… Put all diced ingredients together in a bowl, sprinkle with a little bit of salt and add mayonnaise until you have a homogeneous mass.

I wouldn’t recommend too many potatoes as they make the taste of this colourful mixture a little bit boring. If you put in slightly more gherkins – which I like – the taste will be slightly sharper and sourer. Serve with a selection of cheeses and hams or grilled or roasted meats.