Every year on the thirty-first of December ... No, we don’t go to the bathhouse. We are preparing Olivier for the New Year festive table. Perhaps the preparation of this salad, so popular in our country, can be called a tradition. But despite the same name, each mistress has her own recipe, usually passed on by the older generation. Olivier with ham is probably the most popular option. Ham gives a richer taste than cooked meat or sausage, and it is very inexpensive.
Olivier with ham: classic recipe
So, for the preparation of a classic olivier we take the following products:
- ham - 300-500 grams (depending on whether you like a large amount of meat component in the salad);
- cucumbers (if you pickled or pickled, then take them a little, four, because ham is a rather bright product to taste, and they will interrupt each other);
- eggs (four pieces, pre-boil);
- potatoes (three to four medium-sized tubers);
- a can of canned green peas (try to take made in the summer, so the peas will be soft, canned directly from the garden, and not restored);
- carrots - two pieces of medium size;
- mayonnaise.
The question of the need for carrots can be left open, since half of the people like to add this vegetable to olivier with ham, and half can not stand. Everything is quite individual here. The classic recipe includes it, but you focus on your own feelings.
Cooking: easy and simple
Boil eggs, potatoes and carrots (did you decide to add it?). Cook vegetables directly in the peel, so they will retain the taste, and the potatoes will not fall apart. Hard boiled eggs. We clear everything and cut into cubes. Size is a purely individual matter, but usually they recommend a centimeter per centimeter. In general, try to keep proportions. If you cut everything in different sizes, the general view of the salad will not be very beautiful. Wipe the cucumbers with a paper towel to avoid unnecessary liquid. If you are preparing a salad in the summer or want to avoid excessive salt in your food, use fresh cucumbers. Olivier with ham with them will turn out easy, but at the same time more fresh. Dice the ham (it can be any, even chicken, the main thing is that there is no excess fat), remove the fat, if any. Mix all the ingredients, salt (gently, since ham and cucumbers already contain salt), pepper, add mayonnaise. Spread in a salad bowl with a slide, and on top you can decorate with finely chopped green onions - so the salad will become a bright decoration of the table.
Show your imagination!
Well, what can you add new to Olivier? That is probably what many people think. And completely in vain! We have already said that the meat component can be of any kind. Left over chicken after dinner? Feel free to cut into a salad. Want to make the dish more refined? And there is a solution. Boil beef or pork tongue (beef is preferable, as it is less fat) and replace them with ham. The salad will become tender and more wholesome. If you want, add crispy green apples. This will certainly surprise guests, but the dish will become the most popular at the holiday.
What to refuel?
Mayonnaise can be made by yourself, and it is very simple. You will need the products that everyone has in the refrigerator: vegetable oil (you can take olive oil, but be prepared for the sauce to end up bitter) - a glass, mustard - 1/2 or a whole tablespoon, eggs (yolk) - 2 pieces, vinegar 3% - 3 tablespoons, sugar and salt to taste. Just put all the ingredients in a bowl and beat with a mixer until the mixture turns white and thick. Not one store sauce compares to homemade mayonnaise.
It is undesirable to give a salad dressed with mayonnaise to children, after all, this is a rather fat sauce, and it can negatively affect the digestive system. For children, the salad can be seasoned with sour cream or unsweetened yogurt. There is another option: yogurt is mixed with soy sauce. This dressing will make the salad easier.