Olivier/Russian Salad

Salad Olivier is a traditional salad dish in Russian cuisine also known all over the world, it is also called Russian salad in some countries. In different modern recipes, it is usually made with diced boiled potatoes, carrots, brined dill pickles, green peas, eggs, celeriac, onions, diced boiled chicken (or sometimes ham or bologna sausage), tart apples and mayonnaise, with salt, pepper, and mustard added to enhance flavor, dressed with mayonnaise.
It is said to have been created by a chef named Olivier who ran The L’Hermitage restaurant in 19th century Moscow. Sine qua non of socialist celebrations, this salady Soviet icon actually has a fancy, bourgeois past. Olivie is a simple must on the New Year table. Variations of the salad traveled the world with White Russian émigrés. Mine is the basic recipe, you can always add some of the other ingredients listed above.

Ingredients:

• 1 large boiling potato, peeled, cooked, and diced
• 2 medium carrots, peeled, cooked, and diced
• 1 16-ounce can peas, well-drained
• 5 small dill pickles, diced
• salt and pepper
• 1,5 cups homemade mayonnaise, or more to taste
• Capers for garnish

Easy mayonnaise:

• 1 egg
• juice of one lemon
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 1,5 cups vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• white pepper
• salt

How To:

In a blender or food processor, blend together the egg, lemon juice, salt, and freshly ground white or black pepper, blending until well combined. With the motor still running, add the oil in a very slow, thin, steady stream and blend until the dressing is thick and smooth. Refrigerate.

In a large mixing bowl combine all the salad ingredients and season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss them thoroughly with the mayonnaise. Serve in a bowl. Garnish with Capers.

Bon Apetite!

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