Salad Olivier - an indispensable accessory of the holiday, especially Christmas table for many. There are many recipes for this salad, and most of them are very far from the original, invented by a French chef in the mid-nineteenth century. Since then, the salad was a real hallmark of Russia - in many countries it is even called "Russian salad".

History courses

In the sixties of the XIX century in Moscow in the French restaurant French   "Hermitage" working chef Laurence Olivier. It was he who invented the salad, which later became a cult not only in Moscow, but throughout Russia, and even in the countries of the former Soviet Union. Among the ingredients are: grouse, veal tongue, pressed caviar, crayfish, pickles, capers, eggs, fresh salad, soy-Kabul. Dressing-mayonnaise sauce served. However, the salad recipe is kept in the strictest confidence: no matter how tried gourmets determine what added French chef salad, their attempts were unsuccessful.

The first mention of salad relate to 1894, and in 1897 salad recipe was published in the book "Guide to the study of the foundations of the culinary arts" PP Alexandrova. It is believed that this recipe has been simplified considerably: the language or pressed caviar it was not, but there were potatoes.

The new birth salad has endured under Soviet rule. Salad recipe has undergone significant changes: cervical cancer disappeared, hazel grouse, roe, tongue, capers and even lettuce. Now a salad made of potatoes, green peas, boiled eggs, pickled or pickled cucumbers, boiled chicken with mayonnaise dressing. Sometimes a salad added boiled carrots. Over time, instead of boiled meat started to use boiled "Doctor's" sausage, and salad with chicken meat is called "Capital". All the ingredients diced and dressed with mayonnaise.

Because all of the products for the preparation of salad were available not only in the season of fresh fruits and vegetables, but in winter, the salad was known as "winter." Over time it became very popular, and especially loved to cook for the New Year. So it happened that along with the "herring under a fur coat" salad was one of the main festive dishes.

Million prescriptions

Probably, every Soviet family had its own recipe Olivier. Someone added to salads only pickles, some preferred salty, someone put fresh. Some added to the salad finely chopped fresh or pickled tomatoes, others put an apple (usually "Antonovka"), and some are decorated with cranberries dish.

Perhaps, the same components Olivier are just eggs, potatoes, green peas and mayonnaise, the other ingredients can be varied endlessly. It is interesting that this compound, recognized today the classic, has little in common with the original recipe. However, in this form of roads salad million people in the former Soviet Union, because, probably, and attempts to recreate the original recipe did not succeed.

Variations of salad so much that it is almost impossible to determine at what point the salad loses the right to the original name and becomes the new dish. If you wish, you can find recipes salad with fruit and nuts, lamb and pork, smoked sausage and duck. Moreover, there is even a recipe Olivier without mayonnaise. Perhaps only without potatoes creative chefs have not yet learned to do, but it is possible that somewhere there are recipes.

So, the most common salad with sausage. Sausage should always be cooked without fat, with a delicate flavor. If desired, you can replace ham. It is also possible to replace meat chicken, baked, boiled or roast beef Beef - Meat Guide , language. Some even make a salad with fish, shrimp or squid, and even though such variations are tasty, they can hardly be called the same way as meat and salad.

The beauty salad combined flavors. Potatoes, eggs and peas rather neutral, making pickles piquant acidity, carrots - sweetness and sausage completes the composition salty taste. In general, the salad has a mild taste, without excessive sharpness. Improvising, do not disrupt this harmony. But it is possible to complement a salad other flavors, such as sweet and sour apple or celery tender, salty mushrooms or spicy cheese. Add to the salad sometimes beans, beets, asparagus, olives, pepper.

As for the onion cooks do not get tired to argue: Is it appropriate to the sharp taste of salad? Many believe that it is better to prepare a salad with no onions, green or others add finely chopped onion, while others tend to compromise: onions, scalded with boiling water, and therefore are not sharp, but rather sweet.

Secrets of cooking

Olivier salad is delicious and hearty despite the fact that it is accepted to cook a lot, and the traditional measure of this salad is considered not pan salad bowl and even a bowl, you can eat very small portions. Therefore it is better to cook a little Olivier, but do it according to the rules.

• Firstly, all the ingredients must be refrigerated. Eggs, meat and vegetables boiled in advance is recommended that they are completely cooled down.
• Second, cut salad ingredients should be as finely as possible. Of course, this cutting takes time, but it becomes very tender salad: flavors are intertwined, creating a gastronomic harmony.
• Third, for refueling, use high-quality mayonnaise. Do not skimp on the sauce. It is best to cook your own mayonnaise or buy ready-made sauce from trusted manufacturers. As part of the sauce should be the egg yolks and vegetable (preferably olive) oil. Lean and "light" varieties of mayonnaise will not work - trying to make Olivier dietary dish Dietary food: what goes with what and why   still will not be successful, but the taste will suffer.

Maria Bykov

Related Articles

Salad "Mimosa": extraordinary tenderness

Salad "Caesar": a dish with a secret

Herring under a fur coat: Christmas Salad

Salad of squid - a storehouse of nutrients