Beetroot salad with prunes and walnuts (Salat iz svyokly s chernoslivom)

1. Boil the beetroot in their skins until tender or roast them in foil, cool, peel and grate on the coarse side of the grater.

2. Soak the prunes in hot water for 10 minutes to soften, then drain and cut into strips.

3. Toast the walnuts in a dry frying pan for 2-3 minutes until fragrant, then chop coarsely (set a handful aside for garnish).

4. Crush the garlic to a paste with a pinch of salt and stir it into the mayonnaise until smooth.

5. Mix the beetroot with the prunes, walnuts and garlic mayonnaise; chill for 30 minutes.

6. Sprinkle with the reserved walnuts when serving.

Tip: A simple yet festive Russian salad: the earthy sweetness of beetroot, the deep fruitiness of prunes and the crunch of walnuts make a lovely harmony – with less mayonnaise, or half sour cream, it's lighter.