Emma Miller
Olivier is an invariable dish on the New Year’s table in many families. If you are a fan of Olivier, you have a chance to make the salad even tastier.
Olivier is a New Year’s salad that many people associate with the holiday. Quite a simple, but tasty and filling dish, many had a taste and for many years entered the holiday menu of our mothers and grandmothers. But, as the chefs assure us, Olivier is a salad with which you can and should experiment.
Can cucumbers be substituted for cucumbers in Olivier?
Yes, you can. If you’re making Olivier and you’re trying to figure out what to add to the salad instead of cucumbers, which you didn’t have on hand, you can use any pickled mushrooms. Chefs advise choosing mushrooms with a firm structure. For example, butter mushrooms will not do, because they are quite soft. But beech mushrooms or porcini will look great in the salad. Of course, the mushrooms will change the taste of the salad and it will not be the Olivier that you are used to, but it will be delicious.
Can I replace the potatoes in the Olivier?
If you’re trying to lose some weight and don’t know what to add to Olivier instead of potatoes, feel free to use topinambur. It is less caloric and not so dangerous for your figure.
You can also either reduce the number of potatoes in the salad or not use them at all. Olivier without potatoes will not be as hearty as the classic version but will be no less tasty.
Some chefs advise using celery or boiled rice instead of potatoes. However, if you are still a classicist, just replace some of the potatoes with meat stuffing. The flavor of the salad will remain the same, but the caloric content will be significantly reduced.
Can I replace the eggs in the Olivier salad?
If you want to cook a Lenten version of Olivier and do not know what to add instead of eggs – feel free to use salted mushrooms. Of course, the mushrooms will give the salad a new taste, but the dish will only benefit from this. Chefs recommend using pickled mushrooms for the Lenten version of Olivier.
Is it possible to cook Olivier without sausage?
Of course, you can. If you’re making an Olivier and you don’t know what to add instead of sausage, feel free to use chicken breast, ham, or meat from chicken shanks. Smoked chicken thighs are great for Olivier. They will give the salad a smoked flavor and aroma and the dish will play with new colors.
You can also add veal, pork, turkey, or even rabbit to the Olivier. Keep in mind that for Olivier, you can use both boiled meat and baked. In either case, it will be very filling and delicious.
If you are a supporter of the classic variant and after a number of experiments decided to return to a more familiar recipe – buy a good sausage. If you don’t know what kind of sausage you can use for Olivier, get a quality expensive sausage without added fat. For Olivier, “Doktorskaya”, “School”, “Milk” and any other sausage in a natural casing are perfect.
What to add to the Olivier instead of peas
If you are cooking Olivier and do not know what to add instead of peas – feel free to use any beans. Chefs recommend using boiled beans. If you are going to use canned beans, note that they must be without tomato sauce.
You can also use canned corn or capers instead of peas. But keep in mind that these products taste very different from the canned peas we are accustomed to, hence they will change the taste of the salad as well. Corn will give the dish sweetness, and capers will make it slightly salty.
