You've probably tasted a tasty Russian salad at some point in your life and wondered if the name of this dish has anything to do with Russia. The answer is yes, but with an unexpected twist. The Russian salad, also known as Russian salad or Olivier salad, is a dish with a fascinating history and multiple regional variations.
Where does it really come from?
Invented in Russia by the French chef Lucien Olivier, this salad has evolved in surprising ways according to each region's culinary tradition. Regardless of the version, it always includes a delicious mix of potatoes and other cooked vegetables with mayonnaise.
Ensalada rusa peruana
Es una exquisita ensalada perfecta para acompañar un asado o cualquier carne, es una ensalada muy fresca pero consistente donde sobresalen los tonos dulces de las zanahorias y remolacha, la consistencia de las papas, los aromas y sabor del cilantro junto a la mayonesa, la mezcla de condimentos y por último el aporte del atún.
Chef Olivier created the original recipe around 1860, based on similar recipes that existed long before. For example, the Anglo-Italian chef Charles Elmé Francatelli, in his 1845 cookbook, *The Modern Cook*, described a *Russian salad* with ingredients like lobster, anchovies, tuna, crab, shrimp, olives, and capers, all seasoned with mayonnaise. A true seafood feast on a plate!
In 1856, Urbain Dubois and Émile Bernard included in their cookbook *Cuisine classique* another version of the Russian salad, called *salade russe*, which already incorporated the iconic cooked potatoes along with beets, celery, cucumbers, pickles, capers, anchovies, radishes, and, of course, mayonnaise.
A couple of years later, Spanish cook Mariano Muñoz also mentioned this salad in his book *La cocina moderna*, demonstrating that this delicacy was already famous in culinary circles of the time and in various parts of the world.
A salad that needs no introduction
The Russian salad needs no introduction due to its delicious flavor. It appears as a side dish in almost all traditional recipes. It is so well known that sometimes it’s not considered necessary to explain its preparation.
In Peru, the Russian salad has found a very special home. The Peruvian version includes potatoes, green beans, beetroot, carrot, peas, and lemon, all mixed with mayonnaise.
This version has become a star of Peruvian cuisine, accompanying dishes like baked chicken, fried chicken, roast meats, and serving as the main side for both baked turkey and roasted pork loin at Christmas dinner.
It's impossible to imagine a Peruvian Christmas celebration without this colorful salad!
