Salat Olivier

Salat Olivier is a chilled salad of diced potato, carrot, peas, egg and meat, bound together with mayonnaise. It is a standard dish on Russian holiday tables, usually made in a large bowl and served cold alongside other dishes.

What it really is

The potatoes, carrots and eggs are boiled until tender, then cut into small, even dice together with the meat and the pickles. Peas are added, and the whole mixture is folded through with mayonnaise and seasoned with salt. The meat is usually boiled sausage, ham or chicken, and the proportions vary from cook to cook, so the salad can be lighter or much richer depending on how much mayonnaise goes in.

Olivier is a mayonnaise salad, not a green one. It has no lettuce or leaves. Its colour comes from the carrot, peas and egg, and its texture from the cut potato.

How it's served

• Chilled, straight from the fridge, in a bowl or spooned onto small plates.
• As part of a cold table, eaten with bread or alongside other salads, often at celebrations.
• Topped with extra peas, egg or herbs, depending on the cook.

How to write it on the menu

• Name the meat and say which one you use, since the salad usually contains sausage, ham or chicken.
• Flag the egg, which is in the salad and in the mayonnaise.
• Say that the dressing is mayonnaise, and whether it is made in-house or bought in.
• State that it is served cold, and whether it is a starter or a side.