Russian Salad

Those are the basic ingredients for the Russian salad that Russians call Salad Olivier. A can of pees (100 g), a boiled carrot, two small or one big boiled potato, 4 boiled eggs, salted pickles (home made in my case), 2 slices of sweet onion and 200 g of ham (or Mortadella type of sausage, or crab meat, of boiled beef tongue, or fish, or - in this case - typical Russian sausage called Doctor's - don't ask me why they gave this name to the sausage in the Soviet Union).

I know that the previous picture did not look appetizing. But here is the other one after I peeled everything. Look better, right?

You can cut carrot in cubes like everything else. But I think that cubes gives the salad an overwhelming taste. This is my way of doing it.

You might be wondering what is this tool on the board. This is potato slicer. This tool is very popular not only in Russia but also in Czech Republic, Austria and all other places where they make potato salad. Works well! And cuts potato exactly the size of the smallest ingredient that you cannot cut - the pees.

Half way done

I have to confess, I cut eggs smaller than the pees. They "cement the salad.

Last touch - some black pepper (if you like it). Please, add mayonnaise only before you serve the salad on the table. Fresh addition of mayonnaise will give it a fresher taste.

Apart from the Russian salad that Russians call Salad Olivier there will be those dishes on my New Year table. Upper raw: 1. Seledka pod shuboi (Russian sower herring "under the fur"), 2. Pirozhki (Russian pasties - mixed meat, cabbage, chicken, mushrooms, etc), 3. Pickled cabbage; Center: 1. Vinegret (Russian beetroot salad), 2. Salad Olivier (Russian Salad); Bottom raw: 1. Kholodetz (Frozen stew from three kinds of meat), 2. Seledka (Russian sower fish with marinated onion), 3. Salted mushrooms. Bon Appetit!