Olivier Salad – Potato Salad
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Olivier salad, not your ordinary potato salad, has a noble beginning shrouded in a somewhat mysterious veil. For over a century, it has firmly established itself as a culinary treasure in the former Soviet Bloc and beyond. In Armenia, it’s the salad that anchors the New Year’s table, made by the bowlful on December 31st and set down next to vinegret. The firm, slightly chewy shrimp, soft potatoes, colorful peas, and the salty tanginess of pickles make this salad a standout dish. It’s perfect for elegant dinners, casual weekly meals, and potluck-style get-togethers alike.
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Chronicles of Salad Olivier
Lucien Olivier (1838–1883) was a chef trained in classic, French haute cuisine. It is unclear whether he was French or Belgian born; there is very little material available on his life. He spent his career in Moscow. In any event, Salad Olivier as it was known, became the signature dish of the Hermitage Restaurant.
The salad became so popular that ever dinner in the restaurant included it. The original recipe involved grouse meat, crayfish tails, and truffles. The most respected chefs in town tried to re-create the dish, but it never came out as well as at “The Ermitage”, possibly because of the unique flavor of the mayonnaise, whose secret Olivier never divulged.
A Few Things Worth Knowing
Grocery and Pantry List
Time Required:
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Recipe Steps at a Glance
This Olivier salad recipe can be broken down into the following steps:
Step-by-step: How to Make
Step 1: Prepare the vegetables
Wash and scrub the potatoes and carrots, leaving the skins on. Place the potatoes in a pot and cover them with cold water. Lay the carrots on top since they cook faster and need easy access. Bring the water to a boil, add a tablespoon of salt, and check for doneness after 15 minutes. The vegetables should be firm but easy to pierce with a paring knife. Remove and cool before peeling.
Hard-boil the eggs for 12-15 minutes, then transfer them to cold water to stop cooking and make peeling easier.
Prepare the shrimp by shelling and deveining. Boil a pot of water with a pinch of salt and optional aromatics like bay leaf, black peppercorns, zest, or ginger. Reduce the heat to a simmer, add the shrimp, and cook until pink and slightly firm, about 3 minutes. Drain, cool under cold running water, and refrigerate until ready to use.
Step 2: Chop vegetables for the salad
Place frozen peas in a colander over the boiling vegetables, cover, and steam for 3-4 minutes. Then, immediately submerge them in ice-cold water to retain their bright green color. Alternatively, steam or microwave separately for 4-5 minutes.
Peel and cube the potatoes and carrots. Chop the pickles and eggs, then mix them with the potatoes, carrots, and peas.
I use the Cuisinart Vegetable and Fruit Box Chopper with “large dice” and “small dice” blades—large for potatoes and small for carrots.
Finely dice the pickles and eggs. Chop green scallions and parsley for a refreshing finish.
Step 3: Putting the salad together
Whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, and a touch of horseradish if desired. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a large salad bowl, combine diced potatoes, carrots, and peas. Add the chopped pickles and mix well. Fold in the minced eggs gently. Cut the shrimp into small pieces and mix them in as well. Lastly, add the chopped herbs. Toss the salad with the dressing and serve.
Best Way to Serve
Tips and Wisdom from Cafe Osharak
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Armenian potato salad?
In Armenian homes, the potato salad on the holiday table is most often Olivier: diced potatoes, carrots, peas, pickles, and eggs folded into a creamy dressing. It came into the Eastern Armenian kitchen through Russian cooking during the Soviet era and became a fixture of the New Year’s spread, usually next to vinegret. My version uses shrimp, a nod to the crayfish tails in the original recipe.
Is Olivier salad the same as Russian salad?
Yes, it’s the same family of salad under different names. It’s named for Lucien Olivier, the chef who created the original at Moscow’s Hermitage restaurant in the 19th century. Outside Russia it’s often called Russian salad (ensaladilla rusa in Spain), in Iran it’s spelled olivieh, and you’ll also see Olivie and Oliver. Recipes vary from country to country, but potatoes, pickles, and a mayonnaise dressing tie them together.
More Armenian Festive Table Dishes
Olivier Salad is the festive table’s most reliable presence – the salad every Armenian family makes for New Year’s, the one requested by name. These are its companions on the same celebration table.
More Recipes to Try from Cafe Osharak
Ingredients
- 750 gram potatoes peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes
- 100 gram carrot peeled and diced into 1/4 inch cubes
- 2 large eggs
- 100 gram 1 cup frozen peas (ideally petits pois)
- 100 gram dill pickles diced
- 100 gram shrimp
- 2 tablespoon herbs parsley, scallions, dill
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon mustard
- 1 teaspoon horse radish
- 1 tablespoon pickle brine or lemon juice
- salt pepper
Instructions
Prepare the Vegetables
- Wash and scrub the potatoes and carrots, leaving the skins on. Place the potatoes in a pot, cover with cold water, and lay the carrots on top. Bring to a boil, add a tablespoon of salt, and check for doneness after 15 minutes. The vegetables should be firm but easy to pierce with a paring knife. Remove and cool before peeling.
Steam the Peas
- Place frozen peas in a colander over the boiling vegetables, cover, and steam for 3-4 minutes. Immediately submerge them in ice-cold water to retain their bright green color. Alternatively, steam or microwave separately for 4-5 minutes.
Hard-Boil the Eggs
- Hard-boil the eggs for 12-15 minutes. Transfer to cold water to stop cooking and make peeling easier.
Prepare the Shrimp
- Shell and devein the shrimp. Boil a pot of water with a pinch of salt and optional aromatics like bay leaf, black peppercorns, zest, or ginger. Reduce to a simmer, add the shrimp, and cook until pink and slightly firm, about 3 minutes. Drain, cool under cold running water, and refrigerate until ready to use.
Chop vegetables for the Salad
- Peel and cube the potatoes and carrots. Chop the pickles and eggs, then mix them with the potatoes, carrots, and peas. Chop green scallions and parsley for a refreshing finish.
Assemble the Salad
- Whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, salt, pepper, and a touch of horseradish if desired. In a large salad bowl, combine all the salad components. Toss with the dressing and serve.
