Make the mayonnaise. Whisk the yolk with mustard and lemon juice, pouring the vegetable oil drop by drop. When the mayonnaise is thick and has absorbed all the oil, season with salt and pepper and add more lemon to your taste.

Now stir in the Greek yogurt, mix thoroughly and set aside.

Now prepare all the vegetables, keeping them separate in different bowls.

Peel the potatoes and dice them. Do the same with carrots and zucchini. Clean the green beans, removing the ends, and dice them, too.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then salt it and cook the vegetables in batches, one after the other. Drain them with a slotted spoon, collect them in a colander and pass them under cold water to stop the cooking.

By cooking the vegetables separately, and cutting them into the same size, you will be able to cook them perfectly, avoiding mushy vegetables. I cooked the potatoes and the carrots for 5 minutes, the green beans for 7, the zucchini for 3 minutes and the frozen peas for 4: the exact timing, though, will depend on the size of your vegetables and on your personal taste. I like the vegetables to be cooked through, but still al dente.

Once all the vegetables are cooked and cold, collect them in a larger bowl. Add the diced gherkins, too.

Mash two of the three hard-boiled eggs with a fork until crumbly, then add them to the vegetables. You can keep the third egg aside to decorate the Russian salad, or crumble it too.

Now add the basil, tearing up the leaves with your hands, and the thyme leaves.

Add the yogurt mayonnaise, mix thoroughly and gently and season with salt and pepper, if needed.

Keep the Russian salad in the fridge for at least an hour before serving. It can be kept in the fridge, covered, for a day or two.