Olivier Salad
On two occasions each year it is fundamental to have this salad. And that's for every Easter and New Year's, those can simply not go without it!
The Olivier salad, also known as Russian salad or more commonly known as French salad in the Balkans, has an interesting origin story. It was invented in the 1860s by a Belgian chef, Lucien Olivier, who worked at the renowned Hermitage restaurant in Moscow, Russia.
Chef Olivier created this salad as a signature dish, but he kept the recipe a closely guarded secret. The original recipe was said to contain ingredients like grouse, veal tongue, caviar, lettuce, crayfish tails, and a special dressing, among other items.
However, after Olivier's death in the early 20th century, the recipe was never fully disclosed. As a result, variations and adaptations of the salad emerged over time, particularly during the Soviet era when ingredients were often scarce, leading to different interpretations using more accessible and affordable ingredients.
And despite there being a lot of different variations of this salad, with ham, apples, etc., none comes close to this one!
But despite its evolution and variations, the Olivier salad remains a beloved and popular dish, enjoyed in various forms across different cultures, with each household having its own version of this classic salad. And I hope you will take this recipe as make it a part of your own tradition as well!
Hard boil the eggs, then peel off the shells, separate the egg yolks from the whites and chop the egg whites roughly.
Peel potatoes and carrots and dice them into same size pieces.
Cook the potatoes and carrots in salted water for 3 minutes. Now add in the peas to the potatoes and carrots and cook until the vegetables are cooked, for about 7-10 minutes, then rinse with cold water and drain well.
Combine egg whites, cooked vegetables and diced gherkins in a bowl.
With a fork mash the egg yolks, add them to the salad together with mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, chopped dill and vinegar, then combine well and refrigerate for an hour.
Olivier Salad
Ingredients
Instructions
- Hard boil the eggs, then peel off the shells, separate the egg yolks from the whites and chop the egg whites roughly.
- Peel potatoes and carrots and dice them into same size pieces.
- Cook the potatoes and carrots in salted water for 3 minutes. Now add in the peas to the potatoes and carrots and cook until the vegetables are cooked, for about 7-10 minutes, then rinse with cold water and drain well.
- Combine egg whites, cooked vegetables and diced gherkins in a bowl.
- With a fork mash the egg yolks, add them to the salad together with mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, chopped dill and vinegar, then combine well and refrigerate for an hour.
