Ensalada Mixta

Mixed Salad with Tomatoes, Potatoes, Tuna, and Eggs.

My mother used to prepare this everyday salad for us several times a week, usually as a first course for lunch. Today, I often have it as a main course, especially during the summer when I want a light lunch. Numerous variations on this pleasing salad are found across Spain, with such additions or substitutions as preserved white asparagus or green bell peppers. If you see ensalada mixta on a restaurant menu, however, it is usually a simpler affair, made with only lettuce, tomato, and onion.

• Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 head Boston or romaine lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces 
• 3 tomatoes, peeled and cut into wedges 
• 4 scallions, including the tender green tops, cut crosswise into ½-inch-long pieces, or 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced 
• 4 small boiling potatoes, about 1 pound total weight, boiled, peeled, and cut into small chunks 
• 1 (3-ounce) can white albacore tuna in olive oil, drained and flaked 
• 12 green or black olives 
• ½ cup Sherry Vinaigrette 
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and cut into wedges 
• 6 anchovy fillets in olive oil 
  

Preparation

In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, tomatoes, scallions, potatoes, tuna, and olives and mix well.

Drizzle all but about a spoonful of the vinaigrette over the salad and mix gently with the ingredients.

Garnish the salad with the egg wedges and the anchovies, sprinkle the remaining vinaigrette on the eggs, and serve.

See Also

Spanish Salads: During the hot summer months, Spaniards look forward to their cuisine’s rich array of cold soups and salads. Salads range from uncomplicated combinations to more elaborate compositions. With the exception of the seasoned lettuce or escarole leaves that usually accompany roasted lamb or goat, salads are served before the main course

Ensaladilla Rusa (Spanish Potato Salad): This is a popular tapa recipe, made of vegetables and mayonnaise... It is served free in most bars in Spain, along with a beer or a glass of wine.