Olivye Salad

Being originally from Belarus, which used to be part of the Soviet Union at one point, I grew up eating Olivye salad. Whenever we had get-togethers with friends and family a large plate of Olivye was always on the dinner table that was filled with an abundance of delicious food.

Now that I live in the United States this tradition still remains. Whether it's a birthday celebration, a holiday get-together, or just a casual dinner with friends and family Olivye is always a part of our dinner table. It's delicious and colorful and brings back childhood memories for me. 

Olivye is a popular Russian salad and it's enjoyed by many and not just those from Eastern Europe. You can now have this salad part of your party or casual dinner too. Below you will find my recipe for the Olivye with step-by-step instructions. Enjoy and please share with others so they can enjoy it too.

Olivye

Ingredients

• 1 large carrot
• 2 medium Idaho potatoes
• 1 medium white onion
• 1 medium Granny Smith apple
• 4 small sour pickles
• 1/4 lb. bologna (not sliced)
• 1 can sweet peas
• 2 jumbo eggs (hard boiled)
• fresh dill
• sea salt
• 8 tablespoons mayo (I prefer Hellmann's)

Instructions

1. Take two Idaho potatoes and one large carrot and wash well under running water. Place into a pot with water and boil until soft yet not falling apart, approximately 45 minutes after the pot starts to boil. When done cooking remove from the pot and peel off the skin with a small knife or with your fingers and discard. Then finely dice the potatoes and carrot and place into a large salad bowl.
2. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Gently place the eggs inside and let them cook for about thirteen minutes. When done cooking remove the eggs from the pot and let soak in cold water for a few minutes. Remove the shell and discard. Then finely dice each egg and add to the salad bowl with the potatoes and carrot. To save time cook the eggs at the same time you cook the potatoes and carrots. 
3. Take a medium white onion, peel off the skin, and finely dice. Do the same thing with the Granny Smith apple, washing it beforehand. You can try using other types of apples but I prefer Granny Smith for this salad. Place the diced onion and apple into the salad bowl with the other ingredients already in it.
4. Take a quarter pound of bologna (not sliced) and four sour pickles and finely dice. Add to the salad bowl. Usually bologna has pork in it. If you don't eat pork and can't find veal bologna you can substitute it with veal franks or chicken franks. Make sure to cook them first before adding to the salad.
5. Open a can of sweet peas, and drain. Then wash some fresh dill and finely chop it. Add both to the salad bowl.
6. Sprinkle sea salt on the salad and mix well. Then add eight tablespoons of mayo and mix well again. I prefer to use Hellmann's but any brand of mayo will do.
7. When it's time to eat, serve the Olivye salad with some freshly baked bread, crackers or toast. You can garnish the salad with fresh basil leaves and even some roasted sesame seeds.

Olivye

This recipe makes a large bowl of Olivye. You can easily serve at least 6-8 people. If you are worried about leftovers, don't be. This salad is so delicious that you'll have none left by the time the main course comes. But if you do have leftovers the salad will still be good for a few days.

A Big Bowl of Salad

I usually eat breakfast around eleven in the morning. It's basically close to lunch time, so what I have been eating lately are salads. I always eat a big bowl. It's filling, nutritious, and delicious. 

The ingredients can vary based on what I have at home or what I am in the mood for but these are the things that I usually put into the salad: apple, bell pepper, red radish, mini cucumber, celery, greens (lettuce, arugula or watercress), onion (red, white or sweet), cilantro (parsley or dill if no cilantro), canned tuna or canned salmon, dried cranberries, roasted sesame seeds or chia seeds, sea salt, squeeze of fresh lemon, extra virgin olive oil, and Hellmann's mayo. 

Sometimes I may add green cabbage and even a carrot. I can also add scallion and sprinkle some dried coconut as well. If I am in the mood for an egg I sometimes hard boil (or even soft boil) an egg and have it along with the salad. Gives me an added amount of protein and satisfies my cravings.

Black Bean Salad

I love Goya black beans. I make a salad with them that I enjoy eating with a soft boiled egg on the side. It makes for a nice and healthy breakfast.

To make the salad I first place the beans in a colander and rinse under cold water. Once done, I place them into a bowl and add the rest of the (chopped) ingredients—celery, mini cucumber, bell pepper, onion (Vidalia, red, white, or shallot), and fresh herbs (cilantro or parsley). To that I add chia seeds, sea salt, sumac, and olive oil. I also squeeze some lemon juice. Mix everything together and you have a salad that not only tastes great but is good for you too. And it's quite filling. 

Since I am the only one that usually eats this salad one can of Goya black beans makes for two portions, which means I enjoy it two days in a row. I don't make it all at once though. I prefer to make the salad fresh right before eating.