Boil the potatoes and carrots with their skins on (in separate pots or sequentially) until soft. Hard-boil the eggs.
Let everything cool completely (it is best to cook ahead of time). Peel the vegetables and eggs.
Olivier Salad (Russian Salad)
- Total time - 2 hours 30 minutes
- Prep - 30 minutes
- Cooking and chilling - 2 hours
- Servings: 10
- Country: Russia
Similar to Okroshka, Olivier Salad requires all ingredients to be cut into small, uniform cubes. It is important to boil the vegetables with their skins on to preserve flavour and texture.
The original Olivier salad contained grouse or veal tongue, but the modern version is simpler, using cooked chicken or quality ham.
Ingredients
Basic Ingredients (boiled and diced)
- 4 pieces potatoes (medium, in skin)
- 2 pieces carrots (medium, in skin)
- 4 pieces hard-boiled eggs (peeled)
- 250 g cooked chicken or high-quality ham
- 4 pieces dill pickles (firm)
Additional Ingredients
- 150 g canned peas (drained)
- for garnish fresh dill (or parsley)
- 250 ml mayonnaise (preferably homemade)
- to taste salt and black pepper
Instructions
Step 1: Cooking and Chilling
Step 2: Dicing the Ingredients
Dice the cooled potatoes, carrots, eggs, pickles, and meat/ham into the smallest, most uniform cubes possible (pea-sized).
Place all diced ingredients and the drained peas into one large bowl.
Step 3: Mixing and Seasoning
Add the mayonnaise to the bowl. The amount of mayonnaise depends on your preference; the salad should be creamy but not swimming.
Carefully mix so that all ingredients are evenly coated. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 4: Chilling and Serving
Cover the salad and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (ideally 3-4 hours) to allow the flavours to meld.
Serve chilled, garnished with herbs (dill or parsley).