Olivier Salad — Ukrainian Holiday Potato Salad

Ingredients

• 4 potatoes + 2 carrots, boiled whole in skins, cooled, and peeled — flavor stays in
• 4 eggs, hard-boiled
• 1 cup peas
• 4 dill pickles, in small dice
• 1 cup diced ham, chicken, or omit entirely
• ¾ cup mayo + 1 tbsp mustard + 1 tbsp pickle brine
• Fresh dill, plenty

Method

1. The knife-work covenant: dice everything the SAME small size — potatoes, carrots, eggs, pickles, protein. Uniformity is what separates Olivier from lumpy potato salad.
2. Whisk the mayo with the mustard and pickle brine — brine is the quiet genius move.
3. Fold everything together gently with the peas and half the dill.
4. Chill at least 1 hour — Olivier must fraternize; it improves audibly overnight.
5. Serve mounded, dill over the top. Every family recipe is 'the correct one'; yours now enters the debate.