Olivier salad — Russia

Olivier salad is a cold, diced salad built on boiled potatoes and carrots, hard-boiled eggs, pickled cucumbers, peas, and a cooked meat such as ham or bologna-style sausage, all bound together with a generous amount of mayonnaise. Every ingredient is cut into small, even cubes, which gives the salad its recognizable texture. It is said to have been created in Russia by a chef of Franco-Belgian background, Lucien Olivier, who ran a restaurant in Moscow in the 19th century; the exact makeup of his early version is not well documented, and the dish sold today reflects decades of home adaptation more than any single fixed formula. It is known abroad under names such as Russian salad, while in France the closest dish is usually just called a vegetable macedoine. To prepare it, potatoes, carrots, and eggs are boiled separately until tender, then cooled and diced. Pickled cucumbers, peas, and the chosen cooked meat are cut to a matching size, and a finely chopped onion is often added for sharpness. Everything is combined in a large bowl and folded gently with mayonnaise, salt, and pepper until evenly coated, then chilled before serving so the flavors settle together. It appears widely at festive tables in Russia and neighboring countries, particularly around New Year celebrations, and is usually eaten as a starter or side rather than a main course. Home versions differ in the meat used, the ratio of vegetables to mayonnaise, and small additions like apple or dill, without any single recipe being treated as the one to follow.