Olivier Salad – A Russian Classic

Oliver salad – a Russian Classic

history

Salad Olivier, known around the world as “Russian salad,” is loved in Russia so much, that no celebration could be imagined without it. It has become a true food symbol for Russia.

This is a salad that is so easy to prepare, that even the amateur chef can prepare without a cook book. The recipe includes: dice boiled potatoes, carrots, eggs, pickles, sausage, add a can of green peas, chopped onion, dill, mix everything and dress with mayo. The Russian “masterpiece” is ready to enjoy. Fast, inexpensive and tastes wonderful!

The original recipe created by Lucien Olivier appeared in the 1860’s, today’s recipe unfortunately is not the same as the one created by Olivier. It would be interesting to hear his comments about today’s “Olivier salad”.

. The Olivier salad was born in the “Hermitage” in Moscow at a time when Russia was fascinated with everything French. Olivier was young when he first arrived in Moscow, but he had a dream – a dream to become a famous chef. It was perfect timing – success was guaranteed.

This all happened in the “Hermitage” with its gorgeous interiors along with the dainty French cuisine a truly upper crust restaurant. It was a gathering place for the cream of Russian society, middle class and the intelligentsia of the time. The zest of his cuisine came from the recipe he had brought along with from France, a family recipe of mayonnaise sauce.

It was the Olivier salad that came to the rescue when the popularity of the “Hermitage” started wane. Olivier had created a “true masterpiece” in the culinary arts with this new salad..

The “Hermitage” popularity grew again when the news of this magically wonderful dish got spread all through the Moscow grapevine. The populous returned again which garnered more years of life to the restaurant. The ingredients of this salad became the apple of his eye, most could recognize the major components but nobody could recreate the salad itself. It was because of this he would prepare this salad alone behind closed doors.  The Frenchman kept this recipe secret even to his death.

According to recollections of frequenters of “Hermitage” the original recipe of salad Olivier went like this:

“Fillet of two hazel-grouses, one veal tongue, a quarter pound of black pressed caviar, half a pound of fresh lettuce, 25 boiled crayfish, half a can of pickles, half a can of soy beans, 5 boiled eggs. For the sauce: mayonnaise, prepared on French vinegar with two eggs and one pound of Provence (olive) oil”.

Even though the salad outlived its creator many a chef would not give up hope in perceiving his secret. They would continue to pursue in coming closer to the perfection that he created in this salad. It was long until very top home in Moscow had this creation sitting at the dinner table.

A crushing blow came to the masterpiece during WW I and the revolution of 1917. The entire country was thrown into depression and sudden famine. The only way to procure food was through food cards which were distributed among the people. Luxuries just became out of the question.  Later on at the time of NEP (New Economic Policy) when the situation in the country got better, the salad was recalled. It’s recipe though was remade in compliance with Soviet culture of that time, and became a mix of boiled potatoes, onions, carrots, pickles, apples, boiled meat or even sausage, green peas, boiled eggs and factory-made olive mayo.

After surviving the horrors of World War II, Russians changed their attitude the Olivier salad. It became a symbol of restoration, prosperity and sufficiency. The salad was prepared only on holidays, because even such common products as green peas and mayonnaise were hard to get  back then.

With loss of hazel-grouses, caviar and other expensive ingredients, salad Olivier left fine cuisine for a folk one. This salad gave the lead to many other popular Soviet salads. Nevertheless, “the true Olivier” always appears in the most beautiful salad bowl, as it became an unbreakable national symbol of celebration.

Ingredients:

1lb of bologna
1 can (15 oz) of sweet peas
3 middle size potatoes
4-5 middle size carrots
5-6 eggs
1 bunch of green onions
1 bunch of fresh dill
5-6 middle size cucumbers (pickled with salt not with vinegar, that is important)
Ground black pepper
Salt by taste
Mayonnaise by taste

Preparation:

1. Boil carrots and potatoes in advance and make sure they cool till room temperature when you start making the salad. Prepare hard-boiled eggs in advance; let them to cool down to room temperature as well. Wash green onions and dill.

2. Skin boiled potatoes and dice them into small cubes.

3. Skin boiled carrots and dice them into the cubes of the same size you diced potatoes into.

4. Put diced carrots and potatoes into big bowl.

5. Add peas into the bowl with the other contents.

6. Dice the boiled eggs into the same size pieces as carrots and potatoes.

7. Dice bologna, add to the bow.

8. Dice pickled cucumbers. It is important to take cucumbers pickled with salt not with vinegar.

9. Chop green onions and dill, add to the bowl.

10. Mix everything, season with ground black pepper and add a small pinch of salt. Add mayonnaise and mix everything again. Put salad to the bowl you want to serve it in

Enjoy: