Olivier Salad
The Quirky Foodster Team
Ingredients
- Potatoes, boiled and diced — 3
- Carrots, boiled and diced — 2
- Peas, cooked — 150 g (5 oz)
- Pickles, diced — 3
- Cooked chicken or bologna sausage, diced — 300 g (10.5 oz)
- Hard-boiled eggs, diced — 4
- Mayonnaise — 240 g (8.5 oz)
- Salt and pepper — to taste
- Chopped dill, to garnish
Method
- Combine the diced potato, carrot, peas, pickle, chicken or sausage, and egg in a large bowl.
- Fold in the mayonnaise, coating everything evenly.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Chill for at least 1 hour, ideally overnight, for the best flavour.
- Garnish with chopped dill before serving.
Introduction: A creamy salad of diced potato, carrot, peas, pickles and meat bound in mayonnaise, Russia's most iconic and beloved festive salad.
Cultural Background: Olivier salad, named after the 19th-century chef who created it, is an absolutely essential dish at Russian New Year celebrations, its rich, satisfying combination making it one of the most recognised and cherished dishes in the country.
Tips: Dice all the ingredients uniformly small for the classic, well-balanced texture. Chill for as long as possible, as the flavours develop and meld significantly over time.
Variations: Use boiled beef in place of chicken or sausage for a more traditional version. Add a little Dijon mustard to the mayonnaise for extra depth.
Storage: Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheating: This dish is served cold and is not reheated.
FAQs:
Q: Who created Olivier salad?
A: Lucien Olivier, a chef of Belgian-French origin working in 19th-century Moscow, after whom the dish is named.
Q: When is Olivier salad especially important?
A: New Year celebrations, where it's considered an absolutely essential dish on Russian festive tables.
- Potatoes, boiled and diced — 3
- Carrots, boiled and diced — 2
- Peas, cooked — 150 g (5 oz)
- Pickles, diced — 3
- Cooked chicken or bologna sausage, diced — 300 g (10.5 oz)
- Hard-boiled eggs, diced — 4
- Mayonnaise — 240 g (8.5 oz)
- Salt and pepper — to taste
- Chopped dill, to garnish
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