SALAD OLIVIER
This was sent in by a newsletter subscriber, Bess. “Please give credit to The Sneaky Kitchen, sneakykitchen.com Thanks; hope you can use this. Bess”
This salad was invented by a French Chef, M. Olivier, who served it in Moscow around 1860. Variations, sometimes called "Salade Olivier", "Russian Salad" or "Sour Russian Potato Salad", abound worldwide.
Salad Olivier
• 1 whole chicken breast, poached, or 2 to 2-1/2 cups leftover chicken, boned, skinned & cubed • 1-1/4 pound potatoes, peeled, boiled and cubed • 1 large sour dill pickle, cut into small dice, or 2 heaping Tbsp. sour dill pickle relish, drained • 1 cup fresh or frozen peas, cooked • 1small to medium onion, finely chopped • 1 large carrot, diced or 1 cup diced frozen carrot, cooked • 2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and coarsely chopped • 1 hard-boiled egg, sliced (reserve) • 1 heaping Tbsp. capers, drained • 3/4 cup reduced fat mayonnaise • 1/4 cup sour creamm reduced or whole fat • 1 Tablespoon prepared mustard, Dijon preferred • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice • salt to taste • 1/4 teaspoon pepper or more to taste • 1/2 teaspoon dried dill or1 teaspoon snipped fresh dill • several ripe black olives, cut in half • parsley sprigs • 1 large ripe tomato, cut into small wedges • Boston lettuce leaves, washed and dried, or spun in a salad spinner • Paprika
Drain the chicken and all vegetables well. Combine the cooked chicken breast, potatoes, carrots, peas, chopped onion and dill pickle, hard-boiled eggs and capers. Fold slightly to mix.
Combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, lemon juice, pepper, 1 teaspoon salt and dill. Pour over the salad and mix gently but thoroughly. Chill well.
To serve, mound the salad upon lettuce leaves on a large platter. Garnish with black olive slices, sliced hard-boiled egg, tomato wedges and parsley sprigs. Sprinkle with a little paprika.
Note #1: Preferably, poach the chicken breast barely covered with chicken broth, and for increased flavor, with 1 teaspoon salt, a slice of onion and a few celery leaves. Save the strained liquid for soup.
Note #2: Carrot is optional but tasty. 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon sugar added to the cooking water will improve flavor.
|