Romanian traditional holiday dish

Beef salad

Although it bears a French name, this salad is entirely Romanian. The French prepare something similar but with a different sauce and only with vegetables, while the Romanians add to it beef or chicken breast. The French call their mixture Macedoine. The Germans mix as well meat, pickles and boiled vegetables and they call it Berliner. The Slavs call it A la Russe and they don't add meat at all. So, here is the original pure Romanian Salad de Boeuf (even Romanians use the French name).

We cook this recipe for all our winter and spring holidays (Christmas, New Year, Easter).

Things You'll Need

· 500 g beef or chicken breast

· 7-8 potatoes

· 1/2 celery

· 4 carrots

· 2-3 parsnips

· 1 can peas (300 g)

· 7-8 pickled cucumbers (depending on the taste and how sourish you want it, you can put more or less )

· 500 ml mayonnaise (keep 3-4 spoons for decoration)

· 2 teaspoons mustard (depends on the taste)

· salt

· pepper

· mushrooms are an extra option

Instructions

Step 1

Wash the meat really well and boil it. After cooking let it cool, then chop it and put it in a strainer to make sure that all the juices are gone. We do not need extra liquids in this salad.

Step 2

Boil the carrots, the potatoes, the parsnips and the celery root. After this let them cool down and cut them into little cubes. Put the peas in a strainer. Cut the pickled cucumbers and squeeze them well with your hands. They need to have as little water in them as possible, otherwise the mayonnaise will turn too fluid.

Step 3

Once everything is strained, put them all in a mixing bowl; then add the mayonnaise, the mustard, salt and pepper. Mix them together, making sure you do not mash the ingredients.

Step 4

Place the mixture on a large plate and level it to look like a birthday cake. Spread the remaining mayonnaise and use your imagination to decorate it. Use as decoration pieces of hard boiled egg whites, olives, parsley, boiled carrots or pickled cucumbers. Let it sit in the fridge for at least an hour.

It can be served as an appetizer or side dish




ENJOY !!!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!