I was reading Alissa Timoshikina’s cookbook “Salt & Time: Recipes from a Russian Kitchen” and spotted a recipe for Olivier Salad, which is more commonly known throughout the world as Russian Salad.  (I remember eating it once in Buenos Aires.)  I made a batch in part to use up some roast turkey breast meet.  I made it twice, first with the recommended dressing of a 50/50 mixture of crème fraiche and Greek yogurt, and the second time with the traditional mayonnaise. Carol and I both liked it much more with mayonnaise.  Depending on how hungry you are, this will make 2 or 3 servings.  You want to buy waxy potatoes for this so that they will hold together as cubes.

This is a good way to use up some leftover turkey from Thanksgiving

8 oz. red or white potatoes

1 medium carrot

1 hardboiled egg

5 oz. frozen peas

¼ large cucumber (or the equivalent in dill pickles)

8 oz. chicken or turkey breast, poached or roasted, and diced

Half a small bunch of dill, chopped

1/3 cup mayonnaise

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat up a pot of salted water.  Peel the potatoes and cut them into quarters.  Peel the carrot and cut it into large chunks.  Boil the potato and carrot chunks until cooked through, which will likely take different amounts of time.  Fish each out when cooked and cool.  Cut into even cubes and put in a large mixing bowl.

Boil some water and soak the frozen peas in it briefly.  Drain, cool, and add to the mixing bowl.

Peel the hardboiled egg, dice it, and add it to the mixing bowl.

Add the diced chicken or turkey, dill, and mayonnaise to the mixing bowl.  Season with salt and pepper and mix well.  Adjust the seasoning and add more mayonnaise if needed.