If there’s something every citizen of Milan – no matter what age – has in common, it’s their devotion to Peck, a famous local marketplace. Peck has always been a fixture in the city, especially around Christmas, where people go to shop for gifts as well as to buy appetizers for Christmas day. It was once a bit of a fad, and even if you could only afford one little tartlet per person, having a tray of Peck goodies was synonymous with the holiday season. That’s why today, Peck has become the place to grab a cappuccino and a delicious breakfast, find specialties from all over the world, or pick up a panettone and some single-origin coffee. But the deli, with all of its salumi lined up in a row, is still there just like it was 50 years ago.
Since 1883, Peck’s kitchen has been renowned for perfectly executing the traditional recipes served during holiday lunches and dinners. At the counters, specially decorated for the season, you’ll find Peck’s famous pâté, Russian salad, vitello tonnato, lobster with pink cocktail sauce, stuffed turkeys, zampone, tortellini, and many other dishes that always bring the flavor and magic of Christmas to the table. Here’s the recipe for their Russian salad. Make sure to follow it step-by-step for the best results.
Russian salad recipe
Ingredients for 2 lbs.
3/4 lb. potatoes, 7 oz. carrots, 1.5 oz. oil-packed tuna, 1 oz. gherkins, 2 tsp. salt-packed capers, 2 oz. peas, 2 cups mayonnaise, fine salt
Instructions
Peel the carrots and potatoes and steam them, ensuring they stay slightly crunchy. This cooking method is ideal for preserving the nutritional value and flavor of the vegetables and for achieving the perfect firmness. Place the carrots and potatoes in ice water, then leave them to chill in the refrigerator on a paper towel. Cut the carrots and potatoes into equal-sized small cubes. Drain the gherkins from their brine, squeeze them out and dry them well, and cut them into equal-sized cubes. Drain the capers, squeeze them out well, and dry them.
Immerse the frozen peas in salted boiling water and blanch them for a minute; then drain them, cool them in ice water, and dry them. Drain the tuna from its oil. Cut the tuna into small cubes the same size of the vegetables. Gently combine the ingredients in a large bowl. Pour in the mayonnaise and gently mix it with the other ingredients. Season with salt to taste, if necessary.