Salată de Boeuf is the Romanian counterpart to the Russian 'Olivier Salad'. The key to success is diligently chopping all ingredients into very small, uniform cubes and using high-quality homemade mayonnaise.
Traditionally, beef is used (hence 'boeuf'), but chicken or turkey is more common in modern recipes. The salad is prepared a day in advance to allow the flavors to meld, and it is beautifully garnished before serving.
Boil the meat in salted water until tender (beef longer than chicken). Let it cool completely.
Boil the potatoes, carrots, and parsnip (or celery) in their skins or peeled in salted water until tender but not mushy. Let them cool completely.
Rinse the peas or briefly blanch them (if frozen) and let them drain.
Dice all cooked ingredients (meat, potatoes, carrots, parsnip) and pickled gherkins (drained and patted dry) into the smallest and most uniform cubes possible (approx. 5 mm). Uniformity is key to the salad's texture.
In a large bowl, combine the diced meat, vegetables, pickles, and peas.
Mix the mayonnaise with the mustard. Add approximately 3/4 of the mayonnaise to the salad. Season with salt and pepper. Mix gently so that the cubes are not crushed but are bound by the mayonnaise.
Transfer the salad to a serving dish or plate, press it down, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.
Before serving, spread the remaining mayonnaise over the surface of the salad and decorate with slices of olives, pickles, eggs, or roasted red pepper as desired.