Perfect Okroshka

With kvass or kefir? With mineral water or beer? Could you even use sparkling wine? With sausage, meat, chicken, or none of them? With sour cream or mayonnaise? Everyone has their own idea of perfect okroshka. I have mine too, of course.

In my view, okroshka is unquestionably a pareve dish. It is made by the basinful. Then anyone who wants to can abuse the food however they like.

for the dressing—mustard, mayonnaise or sour cream, depending on whether you are serving it at a dairy or meat meal (see below)

Prep:

Boil the potatoes and three eggs, then cut them into small cubes, as you would for Olivier salad. Dice the cucumbers and radishes the same way and add them. Chop the herbs as finely as you can. Boil the fourth egg and set it aside for garnish—or don't set it aside, if you prefer.

Dressing:

- for a meat meal: just before serving, stir a little mayonnaise (literally one heaping teaspoon) and half a spoonful of whole-grain mustard into the okroshka, right in the bowl. If you have horseradish root, finely grate a tiny amount—about the size of a fingernail.

Pour in the kvass, stir, add salt, and place half a boiled egg on top.

- for a dairy meal: everything is the same, but replace the mayonnaise with sour cream.