Recipes

[Beebee2]

Because of the Sochi Olympics, I thought of this recipe. The first time I had a version of this salad was in a French home, and then again in Krasnodar, Russia near Sochi. Both times it included chopped cooked beets, not included here. The history of this salad is complex and sometimes quite involved; the modern day version is often known as a Russian potato salad, simple and easy enough for anyone to make. You can substitute chicken or fish, or almost any meat for the ham in this salad. A lot of the older recipes call for canned peas (and that's what I remember), but Tatyanna uses either canned, frozen or fresh. And I think I'd use the frozen.

Tatyana’s Olivier Russian Potato Salad

4 med brown potatoes
3 large carrots
5 hard boiled eggs
1 c diced pickles
1 c peas
1 c diced ham
3 green onions
fresh dill
1/2 c mayo
1/2 c sour cream
1 T or to taste salt

Boil potatoes and carrots in their skins until fork tender. Let cool. Peel and cut into pea-sized pieces.

Cut all remaining salad ingredients into pea-sized pieces. Add salad ingredients to large bowl.

Chop dill and mix with salad. Sprinkle with 1 Tablespoon salt. Add mayonnaise and sour cream and gently combine with salad ingredients. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if needed.


Tatyanas

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnsWwHcpKiY

[Stepping stone]

This sounds good BeeBee2, I'll try it. Thanks for posting.

[Gooday]

I have had this and it is really quite good.

My 2nd cousin is married to a gal from the country of Georgia. She brings this dish to our family gatherings.

[Sabatini2]

Beebee, what a coincidence! Small world.

Just the other day while perusing the internet, I came across an entry from Smitten Kitchen about why some people are afraid to cook, & the featured recipe [that I'd never heard of] was 'Salad Olivier'!

In your post, you said that there are many different ways to prepare this dish, and on Smitten Kitchen, she said: "Now, before you say “I’ve had Salad Olivier and we made it with this and not that,” and also “You’re doing it wrong!” let me warn you that my mother-in-law says that you can put three Russians in a room and they will all make it differently–and they’ll all be right."

Thanks much for the timely 'Sochi' recipe! BTW, I envy your travelings.

why we're afraid to cook + salad olivier

[Vamp]

Sounds like a great recipe. I've seen Salad Olivier recipes using tuna or chicken in place of ham as well...I guess like American potato salad, there are many versions of this one, as Sabatini2 pointed out.

[sunshine45]

just made this the other day for a party, but our recipe has a few variations.....chicken instead of ham, no sour cream, no dill or carrots or onions......but we do add lots of black pepper and some of the pickle juice and a few squeezes of fresh lime. sometimes it is decorated with olives.

this makes a great appetizer or a main dish during the summertime. we serve it with pita bread, sliced pickles, onion, tomato, and lettuce.

[LoLa]

I've never heard of this, but it sounds interesting for sure! Thank you Beebee!