Salad olovieh sounds like a very old-fashioned dish, and it is, but it’s really moreish and versatile. You can serve it at brunch or for a BBQ party or as a sandwich filling. I think using herby, slightly tart fermented cucumber pickles is what makes this salad taste much fresher than a regular mayonnaise-based potato salad. Use shop-bought Iranian khiyar shoor or any Middle-Eastern, Turkish or Polish whole cucumber/gherkin pickles made without sugar. Polish cucumber pickles work really well in this salad and are available from most Polish delis and supermarkets. Do shred the chicken breast instead of chopping it because shredded chicken gives a very nice texture to the salad. I like to use rotisserie chicken breasts because they are very flavourful (and you don’t even need to cook the chicken). If you prefer, poach a chicken breast with a stick of celery, a carrot and a quartered onion, a few peppercorns, half a bay leaf and salt and use it instead.
Ingredients
Serves 4-6
- 1 rotisserie chicken breast, skinned and shredded
- 2 medium baking potatoes
- 1 medium carrot
- 150g pickled cucumbers, preferably Iranian
- 2 hard-boiled eggs
- 100g cooked peas
- 5 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice or ½ tbsp white wine vinegar
- White pepper
Method :
Boil the potatoes (in their jackets) and the carrot in salted water. Allow to cool completely. Peel and dice or grate the potatoes. Dice the carrot, pickles and eggs. Mix well with the shredded chicken and peas. Mix the mayonnaise with the lemon juice or vinegar and white pepper and pour over the chopped ingredients. Mix well. Add more mayonnaise or some olive oil if the salad looks too dry. Chill in the fridge for at least two hours. Serve piled in a bowl or on a lettuce-lined plate and decorate with more mayonnaise, peas or pickles if you wish. Enjoy!
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