what's orange, green, and yellow and covered in mayo?

the answer is russian salad, or salade olivier...

sounds like a mangled mess of things that aren't meant to go together, but it all comes together in this fantastic rich salad, great for bleh weather (like now). it's much like a regular potato salad but richer, meatier, and not as potato-y.

[this one has no apples... not intentional, but i know how my russian friend Елена would riddle me with guilt for this sacrilege. sorry.]

often made with ham, gherkins, potatoes, boiled eggs, peas, and carrots in a mayonnaise dressing, some varieties use fish, chicken, tongue, seafood or other meats, and sometimes include olives, capers, and/or other horrid fancy stuff.

here's a recipe from my Елена's mom:

2 lbs (~1 kg) potatoes (around 3 or 4 medium-sized, boiled until soft, but not crumbling; cooled, peeled and cubed)
2 or 3 hard-boiled eggs (chopped)
1/2 lb (200 g) carrots (cooked, cubed, and drained)
1/2 lb (200 g) green peas (fresh or frozen, but cooked – not overcooked)
1 small onion (cubed)
1 granny smith apple¹ (cubed, make sure it doesn't turn brown by coating the cubes in a bit of lemon juice)
3-4 pickles (kosher-style, cubed; you can probably use sweet gherkins or ogorkis as well).
1/2 to 2/3 lb (200g to 300g) boiled/cooked meat (usually chicken or ham, cubed).
1 cup (250 ml) mayonnaise²
salt and pepper to taste

mix all this stuff up and then serve. fancy it up on a bed of lettuce.

¹you can experiment with other apples but apparently in old russia, they might whip you for this.
²avoid using salad dressing-type mayonnaise – it does NOT taste the same. and my friend's grandmother will turn over in her grave... you do not want this.