Traces Of Russian Lettuce Do Not Lead To Russia

Video: Traces Of Russian Lettuce Do Not Lead To Russia

Video: Traces Of Russian Lettuce Do Not Lead To Russia
Video: POOTIS ENGAGE 2024, November
Traces Of Russian Lettuce Do Not Lead To Russia
Traces Of Russian Lettuce Do Not Lead To Russia
Anonim

There is hardly anyone who does not know Russian salad. The delicious combination of mayonnaise, boiled potatoes, peas, carrots, pickles, boiled chicken or sausage has pleased many connoisseurs of good food and saved many gluttons from hunger. It is a particularly popular appetizer both in Bulgaria and in many other countries around the world.

But Russian salad in fact, it is not said so in all countries - in most of them it is known as Olivier salad. And obviously there is a lot of debate about whether she is completely Russian.

The Russians are convinced that Olivier's salad is French, while the French call it strictly. Russian salad ”. And everyone is right: Olivier's salad was invented by French chef Lucien Olivier, who lived in Moscow in the late 19th century. Since then, she has undergone many changes that have completely ruined her.

The story of one of the most famous salads begins on the day when the youngest son in a family of French chefs decides to go in search of happiness in Russia. He also puts in his suitcases the recipe for Provencal sauce, invented by his father and kept in the deepest secret.

Russian caviar salad
Russian caviar salad

In Moscow, Lucien Olivier (because it's about him) opened the Hermitage restaurant on Trubnaya Square and became famous very quickly thanks to his salad with Provencal sauce. Partridge meat, potatoes, cucumbers, olives, lettuce, truffles… They are all seasoned with mayonnaise and soy sauce.

This exquisite mixture conquers the palate of Russian gourmets, who have so far been accustomed to consuming sauerkraut and pickles. All of Moscow is trying, albeit in vain, to get to the secret of the delicious salad. Because of the interest, the Hermitage restaurant is rapidly growing in clientele, and Lucien, overwhelmed with work, is trampling on her principle of being alone in the kitchen by hiring an assistant chef.

However, he turned out to be jealous and envious. He watched the chef around the clock and eventually got to the recipe. Then he left his teacher and went to work for the Moscow restaurant. There, however, he failed to accurately reproduce the culinary work of Lucien Olivier and the new salad was only half as original.

olive salad
olive salad

But it is this "simplified" version that will become popular among the population, quickly achieving great success. The dish will survive even the revolution of 1917, but due to food shortages, it will lose another part of its ingredients to eventually become the salad we know today.

Olivier salad is strongly woven into Russian culinary traditions. It is served on the occasion of all major family holidays and especially for the New Year.

Recommended: