Vinegret: Russian Beet Salad

A short little while ago I blogged about my favorite Russian potato salad. I told you it takes a lot of work to prepare the salad, but it's so worth it!

There is a variation to this salad called vinegret. What you basically do is add beets and sunflower oil and subtract mayonnaise, dill and Granny Smith apple.

Give this a try!

Ingredients (these are just some guidelines: feel free to add more or less depending on your preference)
2 potatoes
3 beets
5 carrots
1 can of peas
6 baby dill pickles
3 eggs
sunflower oil

Directions
1. Cook potatoes, carrots, and eggs. It is very important not to overcook the vegetables: you don't want the salad to turn into a mush. At the same time, however, using undercooked potatoes is a crime in my book :) [Note: I cooked potatoes and carrots without peeling them first; my mom, however, recommended peeling carrots first: she is absolutely right! Follow her advice.]
3. Separately cook the beets in their skins and then peel and cube: be careful to get your fingers stained with beet juice!
4. Once the potatoes, carrots and eggs are cool, peel and cube them.
5. Cube pickles, and add them to the potato/carrot/egg/beet mixture.
6. Add a can of peas and enough sunflower oil to mix everything together.
7. Season with salt and pepper, and if you want add finely chopped onion.
7. Let the salad sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving.