Salat Olivye (سالاد الویه) — Persian Chicken Olivier Salad

• 700 gYukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled (about 4 medium; waxy potatoes hold shape best)
• 3 pcsLarge eggs (for classic Olivier richness)
• 200 gFrozen green peas (or canned, drained; see substitutions)
• 250 gSmoked chicken sausage (halal-certified if needed; diced 8 mm)
• 180 gDill pickles (finely diced; about 4 medium)
• 15 mlPickle brine (1 tbsp, for balancing the dressing)
• 200 gMayonnaise (full-fat for best texture)
• 60 gPlain yogurt (optional but common in Persian-style versions to lighten)
• 5 gDijon mustard (1 tsp, optional for gentle tang)
• 6 gFine sea salt (1 tsp, plus more to taste (pickles vary in saltiness))
• 1 gGround black pepper (1/2 tsp)
• 200 gTomato (1 large, sliced for serving)
• 120 gLettuce leaves (washed and thoroughly dried; for lining the platter)
• 80 gPotato chips (plain salted; add at the table to keep crisp)

Instructions

1. 1

   Boil the potatoes: place unpeeled potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water by 3 cm. Bring to a boil, then simmer 25–30 minutes until a knife slides in with slight resistance. Drain and cool 20 minutes, then refrigerate 30 minutes to firm up for clean dicing.

2. 2

   Hard-boil the eggs: in a small saucepan, cover eggs with cold water by 2–3 cm. Bring just to a boil, cover, turn off heat, and rest 11 minutes. Transfer to ice water for 5 minutes, then peel. Chill 15 minutes so they dice neatly without crumbling.

3. 3

   Cook peas: bring a small pot of water to a boil, add frozen peas, and cook 2 minutes until bright green. Drain well and spread on a plate to steam-dry for 10 minutes. Excess moisture can thin the dressing, so aim for peas that feel dry to the touch.

4. 4

   Prepare mix-ins: dice cooled potatoes into 8–10 mm cubes. Dice eggs to a similar size. Dice smoked chicken sausage into 8 mm cubes. Finely dice pickles (4–6 mm) and press gently in a sieve for 2 minutes to remove excess brine while keeping their tang.

5. 5

   Make the dressing: in a bowl, whisk mayonnaise, yogurt, Dijon mustard, pickle brine, salt, and black pepper for 20–30 seconds until glossy and smooth. Taste and adjust salt carefully; pickles and sausage add salinity. The dressing should be thick but spoonable.

6. 6

   Combine gently: in a large bowl, add potatoes, eggs, peas, sausage, and pickles. Pour over the dressing and fold with a spatula for 45–60 seconds, turning from the bottom to avoid smashing potatoes. Cover and refrigerate at least 60 minutes for flavors to meld and texture to set.

7. 7

   Serve Persian-style: line a platter with dry lettuce leaves. Mound the chilled salad on top and smooth the surface. Arrange tomato slices around the edge. Bring potato chips to the table and serve alongside or crumble over individual portions right before eating for maximum crunch.