Festive cake-salad
Description
An easy-to-prepare dish. "Olivier" salad must be present at every celebration in my home—my husband and son are big fans of this hearty salad. That's why I always try to figure out how to present it beautifully so it doesn't look plain on the festive table. I suggest making the salad layered, in the shape of a cake, and then decorating it nicely. To speed up preparation, you can mix each ingredient with mayonnaise, salt, and pepper separately in individual bowls, then quickly assemble the "cake" and serve. Cook deliciously, serve beautifully. Serve chilled.
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
1. Boil and peel the potatoes and carrots. Then cut all the Olivier salad ingredients into cubes. Cucumbers and olives can be mixed together.
- 2
Step 2
2. We will shape the layered salad-cake using a removable ring from a baking pan (be sure to wrap it in plastic wrap!). Place the potatoes as the first layer, season with salt and pepper to taste, and spread with mayonnaise.
- 3
Step 3
3. Place a layer of half the cucumbers with olives, then half the carrots, and spread with mayonnaise.
- 4
Step 4
4. The next layer — half of the chopped eggs and peas, spread with mayonnaise. Press down each layer firmly so the cake doesn't fall apart!
- 5
Step 5
5. The central place is occupied by ham (I'm using half ham and half boiled sausage; set aside a few thin slices of ham for decoration). Spread with mayonnaise.
- 6
Step 6
6. Then layer the remaining ingredients. Lightly season each layer with salt and pepper, and spread with mayonnaise. The top layer should be cheese grated on a fine grater.
- 7
Step 7
7. Let the salad chill in the refrigerator for a couple of hours, then carefully remove the detachable ring.
- 8
Step 8
8. Let's proceed to decorate the cake. Spread mayonnaise on the sides and arrange chives as grass.
- 9
Step 9
9. And finally, we'll decorate the top of the cake as we like. Here's how mine turned out—it's hard to believe this is just a regular Olivier salad, isn't it? Pretty, isn't it? :)