The classic Olivier recipe and its variations

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

The classic Olivier recipe in our country is known to all housewives without exception, even beginners. After all, this is a salad, without which not a single celebration can do, it is present on the New Year's table, at birthdays. In addition, it is very simple to prepare it, anyone can cope with such a task. It is interesting that Olivier gained popularity just in Russia and the countries of the former USSR, having received its name in honor of the chef Lucien Olivier, who kept the Hermitage restaurant of French cuisine in Moscow in the 1860s. It is also known as Hussar, Winter, Russian or Meat salad.

History

The classic Olivier recipe was first published in 1894. Readers of the magazine "Our food" learned about it. However, since then the list of ingredients has changed several times. In the 19th century, cucumbers, hazel grouse, lettuce, lanspic, crayfish necks, potatoes, olives and capers were usually added to it. At least, such recommendations are contained in Alexandrova's book en titled "Guide to the study of the basics of culinary art".

They say thatthe original salad recipe consisted of the following ingredients:

• veal tongue;
• 2 grouse;
• 1/4 lb pressed caviar;
• 0.5 lb fresh lettuce;
• 25 boiled crayfish;
• 0, 5 cans of soybeans;
• 0, 5 cans of pickles;
• 2 fresh cucumbers;
• 1/4 lb capers;
• 5 hard-boiled eggs.

Separately for Olivier, a sauce was prepared from a mixture of mayonnaise made from two chicken eggs in French vinegar and a pound of Provence olive oil.

In Soviet times, the classic Olivier recipe became so popular due to its ease of preparation and the availability of ingredients. By the way, in Soviet times, many stubbornly called the salad "Winter", since its ingredients were available even in winter, when it was not so easy to prepare traditional "summer" salads.

Perestroika made certain changes to this salad. Boiled carrots began to be actively included in it, and fresh cucumbers and apples appeared among additional and optional components. Instead of beef, they often began to use chicken, calling such a salad "Capital". By the way, it was originally thought that "Capital" would be a cheaper version of Olivier, but over time, their cost first caught up, and then "Capital" became even much more expensive when chicken began to cost more than "Doctor's" sausage.

Olivier index

Interestingly, since 2009, the Russian media even began to count"Olivier index" to determine the level of consumer price inflation for food.

Experts believed that this "index" reflects the inflation rate more accurately than Rosstat data. The "Olivier index" is compiled with similar practices when, for example, the "Big Mac index" is calculated abroad.

Olivier salad often found itself in the center of incredible records. So, in 2012, the largest Olivier salad in the world was prepared in Orenburg, the weight of which was 1,841 kilograms. It had to spend more than five thousand eggs, 260 liters of mayonnaise, 500 kilograms of sausage.

Classic

The classic Olivier recipe includes fairly affordable ingredients that are almost always at hand. This is:

• 3 medium potatoes;
• 4 carrots;
• 5 chicken eggs;
• 350 grams of doctor's sausage or ham;
• 450 grams canned green peas;
• 6 pickles;
• 5 green onion shoots;
• bunch of dill;
• 250 grams of mayonnaise, best home made;
• ground black pepper and s alt to taste.

Cooking process

The classic Olivier salad recipe is as follows. Carrots and potatoes must be thoroughly washed, and then boiled in slightly s alted water until tender. Boil the eggs separately, being careful not to overcook the yolk. Thencut vegetables and eggs into small cubes with a side of about five millimeters. Cut ham or doctor's sausage into cubes of the same size. The recipe for the classic Olivier with sausage (you will find a photo of the salad in this article) will help you cook this dish quickly and without errors.

Mix all the ingredients after that in a salad bowl, add finely chopped green onions and fresh dill. Season with mayonnaise, ground black pepper and put our dish in the refrigerator.

Please note that if there are very large seeds in cucumbers, then they must be removed, and then cut into cubes of exactly the same size. We put them in a separate container. Drain the liquid from the jar of peas and also transfer it to a separate container.

Immediately before serving the dish, add green peas and pickles to the salad. After that, mix the salad again, taste for s alt, s alt and pepper if necessary. As you can see, anyone can handle the classic Olivier salad recipe.

Another salad option

During its existence, many classic Olivier salad recipes have appeared. Outwardly, they are very similar to each other, but still noticeably different, sometimes with unique flavors.

After all, during this time Olivier has become an indispensable attribute of any holiday table. In many families, not a single celebration can do without it. For this classic Olivier salad recipe, use:

• 400 grams of potatoes boiled in their skins;
• 150 grams boiledcarrots;
• 6 boiled chicken eggs;
• 300 grams of pickles;
• 300 grams of boiled sausage;
• 300 ml mayonnaise;
• canned green peas;
• a bunch of green onions;
• ground black pepper and s alt to taste.

By the way, the last two ingredients are optional. In the classic Olivier salad recipe, they can be ignored, because it contains a lot of s alty ingredients, which include s alted doctor's sausage, pickled cucumbers, and s alted mayonnaise. Therefore, s alt this salad only after tasting it, after you have added all the ingredients.

Olivier with sausage

For the classic Olivier salad recipe, boil the potatoes in their skins, wait until they cool, then peel and cut into small cubes.

Do the same with carrots. Boil it, cool and peel, and then cut into small cubes. Eggs are hard boiled and cut into cubes.

Cucumbers are advised to peel and cut into small cubes. Finely chop the onion and cut the boiled sausage into cubes. Pay attention to its quality in the store so that its quality is adequate.

In a deep bowl, mix chopped vegetables with mayonnaise and green peas. At this stage, you just need to try the salad for s alt, add it if necessary.

Chicken Olivier

The recipe for a classic Olivier (this is often noticeable in the photo of dishes) often includes not only sausage, but also chicken. The main thing in cookingcarefully observe the number of products and their combination. Many people also cite this salad as a classic recipe for Olivier salad with pickles. Take these components:

• chicken breast;
• 4 medium potatoes;
• large carrots;
• onion;
• 3 chicken eggs;
• fresh cucumber;
• 5 pickled cucumbers;
• canned peas;
• 4 tablespoons of mayonnaise;
• ground black pepper and s alt to taste.

How to cook chicken olivier?

To prepare this salad, pre-boil carrots and potatoes, wait for them to cool. Note that in order for the vegetables to turn out tasty, they need to be put in boiling s alted water and cooked until fully cooked.

Peel potatoes, eggs and carrots, cut them into cubes of approximately the same size, they should resemble a small pea in their parameters. Mix all ingredients in a deep bowl. We put finely chopped onion there.

Peel and fresh cucumber, also cut into cubes. We cut the pickled cucumber with the same cubes, add them to the rest of the salad ingredients.

Boil chicken breast in slightly s alted water, then cut into layers, strips and cubes. Send the peas there and mix thoroughly.

Remember, if you do not plan to serve the whole salad immediately, then cover it with a film or pour it into a container for longer storage, and therefore put it in the refrigerator.

We dress the salad with mayonnaise, put pepper and s alt. Just before serving, mix again and add s alt if necessary.

According to the classic Olivier recipe with pickles, it is recommended to serve the salad with the help of the so-called culinary ring, where the salad is placed and then tamped. After that, a few more spoons are poured on top. To decorate Olivier, it is recommended to decorate with fresh herbs.

Another cooking option

The classic Olivier recipe with cucumber is often prepared not according to the winter, but according to the summer version. In this case, the main ingredients are chicken, fresh cucumbers and apples, but pickles are completely abandoned. Piquant sourness to this classic Olivier salad recipe with cucumber is given by apples. The salad has a very pleasant and light smell, many even think that it smells like summer.

For its preparation you will need:

• fresh chicken breast or 3 smoked drumsticks;
• red onion;
• sour apple;
• cucumber;
• 2 medium potatoes;
• 2 chicken eggs;
• half can of canned peas;
• a bunch of green onions;
• mayonnaise (by the way, it can be replaced with a sauce prepared on the basis of natural yogurt and mayonnaise, taken in equal proportions);
• s alt to taste.

The secret to another delicious salad

The recipe for the classic Olivier with peas and cucumber is not much different from all the previous ones. All ingredients that require heat treatment must beboil. Potatoes are boiled in their skins, chicken breast must be in slightly s alted water, and eggs must be hard-boiled.

All prepared foods are cut into neat cubes of approximately the same size. It is recommended to first remove the skin from the chicken breast, in which case the meat that you will use in the salad can be called dietary, because it is the skin that contains many harmful substances, excess fats.

Peel the potatoes and chop the eggs with a knife. Cut the skin off the apple and cut out the core. Cut it into cubes. Grind fresh cucumber as much as possible, which is used in this recipe instead of the more familiar pickled cucumber.

Cut the onion into four equal parts and chop finely. Send all chopped products to a deep salad bowl, mix them there. Drain the liquid from the canned peas and add them to the salad as well.

S alt and mix again. After that, spread on a plate, sprinkle with finely chopped fresh onions on top. That's it, the salad is ready.

Salad decorations

In the traditions of domestic cooking, much attention is paid to decorating Olivier salad. It is believed that on special occasions it must be served in a crystal salad bowl, Olivier is laid out in a slide in it, and parsley is sprinkled on top.

Some craftsmen manage to build original appliqués using boiled beets, tomatoes, peeled apples, lettuce, parsley, dill, Bulgarianpeppers, boiled carrots, cheese, red cabbage, black currants, egg whites, dark grapes, black peppercorns.

This is a great chance to show your culinary imagination.