RUSSIAN SALAD, THE PERFECT TAPA

The russian salad is probably the quintessential recipe when the heat hits, reigning over homes, bars, and beach bars in Spain during the summer. However, its origin is vague and not widely known.

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The theory attributing the russian salas to Russia is based on the somewhat un-Russian figure of Lucien Olivier (1838-1883), a Belgian chef of French origin who became famous in Moscow for serving a salad at his restaurant, El Hermitage, which he opened around 1860. In his restaurant, Olivier served exquisite dishes from French culture, and the waiters were dressed as 'mujiks' or peasants.

In 1883, Lucien Olivier passed away, taking the secret of his dish with him since he never wrote down the recipe, and none of his assistants saw how he prepared it. His restaurant, The Hermitage, closed in 1905. The mayonnaise was imitated using olive oil, tarragon vinegar, mustard, and Mogul or Kabul sauce (which could be similar to soy sauce).

The Olivier (Russian) salad became so famous that many countries, including Spain, began to make their own version. The more expensive ingredients were removed and replaced with cheaper alternatives depending on the country where it was prepared. In Spanish cuisine, these ingredients were replaced with carrots, tuna, potatoes, peas, etc., making it one of the country's most famous tapas, ranking as the fourth most sold, behind tortilla, croquettes, and patatas bravas, becoming the perfect tapa.

The story doesn't end here. Another version says that long before Olivier conceived this salad, the Russian salad recipe was already published in 1845 in the book The Modern Cook by Charles Elmé Francatelli, an Italo-British chef who was the head chef to Queen Victoria. His Russian salad recipe included lobster, anchovies, tuna, crab, shrimp, olives, capers, and mayonnaise, but the true origin of this wonderful dish remains a mystery.

Russian salad