And plunge his fingers in the salad bowl 1
Serenely full, the epicure would say
Fate cannot harm me, I have dined to-day.”
For Salads tlie best oil, in small flasks, should be used, and
the best French wine vinegar. The quantity of oil must depend
on the quantity of Salad, but vinegar should be used very
sparingly.
Above all things the Salad should be fresh. In the country
it should be cut just before the gardeners go off work at twelve,
and again at six.
For a plain Lettuce Salad take one large Cos Lettuce or
two small ones. Pull the leaves off with your hand, reject any
that are bruised or discoloured, wipe any that are dirty, but
use all the clean leaves as they are. In rainy weather some
leaves may be muddy and may have to be washed and drained,
but avoid this if possible. Put the leaves into a basin, and drip
the oil over them till they begin to glitter, working them about
with the wooden spoon and fork, and turning them over and
over. This is what French people call “fatiguer la salade.”
Then add, drop by drop, a little vinegar ; from fifty to sixty drops
is ample for a large Lettuce. Turn the leaves over and over,
and then lift the salad into the salad-bowl with the fork and
spoon. You will find some water at the bottom of the basin
which must be thrown away. It would make the Salad sodden
and flabby if left with it, and this is the reason for the pre-
liminary mixing of the Salad in a basin. Scatter a teaspoonful
of finely -minced tarragon leaves over the Salad, and, if liked,
the same quantity of minced chives or Onion Threads. A little
salt and a dust of pepper✪ Plain Lettuce Salad can be added. Some people prefer a
Ravigote scattered over Salads ; that is, equal parts of finely-
minced tarragon, chives, bumet and chervil.
Many persons like a Salad plainly served in the bowl, and
the sauce handed in a boat. For this sauce put the very hard-
376
SALADS
boiled yolks of two eggs into a slop-basin, with a teaspoonful
of French mustard, a scanty saltspoonful of salt, a pinch only
of pepper, and a teaspoonful of minced shallot (if liked).
Bruise these with a wooden spoon, and work them to a paste
with a little salad oil. Add oil by degrees till your paste is
about the consistency of batter, then toss into it one by one the
raw yolks of two eggs ; continue the working, adding oil, till
you have about three-quarters of a pint of sauce thick enough
to coat the spoon pretty thickly. Add a dessertspoonful of
tarragon or other vinegar, and mix it thoroughly with the rest.
The sauce will become creamy at once. Dip a lettuce leaf in
and taste if your sauce wants a little more oil or vinegar.
Strain through a small tin strainer into the sauce-boat so as to
get rid of lumps and the little bits of onion. Set the boat
on ice till wanted. \Wyvern.'] Cream can be used instead of
the oil.
Madame’s Salad, — Put the yolk of a fresh egg into a
basin. Beat into it a teaspoonful of salt, a teaspoonful of
freshly-ground pepper, and a teaspoonful of French mustard.
Add the lettuce leaves and some garden cress, drop in oil till
the leaves glitter, add a small teaspoonful of vinegar. Ton
will probably want from two to three tablespoonfuls of oil.
Work the leaves about till they have absorbed all the dressing,
and lift the Salad quickly into the salad-bowl. If the lettuce
is quite dry the Salad may be mixed in the bowl.
Page 260 · 2 recipe records on this page
Presented as published in 1898. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
And plunge his fingers in the salad bowl 1 Serenely full, the epicure would say Fate cannot harm me, I have dined to-day.”
For Salads tlie best oil, in small flasks, should be used, and the best French wine vinegar. The quantity of oil must depend on the quantity of Salad, but vinegar should be used very sparingly.
Above all things the Salad should be fresh. In the country it should be cut just before the gardeners go off work at twelve, and again at six.
For a plain Lettuce Salad take one large Cos Lettuce or two small ones. Pull the leaves off with your hand, reject any that are bruised or discoloured, wipe any that are dirty, but use all the clean leaves as they are. In rainy weather some leaves may be muddy and may have to be washed and drained, but avoid this if possible. Put the leaves into a basin, and drip the oil over them till they begin to glitter, working them about with the wooden spoon and fork, and turning them over and over. This is what French people call “fatiguer la salade.” Then add, drop by drop, a little vinegar ; from fifty to sixty drops is ample for a large Lettuce. Turn the leaves over and over, and then lift the salad into the salad-bowl with the fork and spoon. You will find some water at the bottom of the basin which must be thrown away. It would make the Salad sodden and flabby if left with it, and this is the reason for the preliminary mixing of the Salad in a basin. Scatter a teaspoonful of finely-minced tarragon leaves over the Salad, and, if liked, the same quantity of minced chives or Onion Threads. A little salt and a dust of pepper can be added. Some people prefer a Ravigote scattered over Salads ; that is, equal parts of finely-minced tarragon, chives, burnet and chervil.
Many persons like a Salad plainly served in the bowl, and the sauce handed in a boat. For this sauce put the very hard-
boiled yolks of two eggs into a slop-basin, with a teaspoonful of French mustard, a scanty saltspoonful of salt, a pinch only of pepper, and a teaspoonful of minced shallot (if liked). Bruise these with a wooden spoon, and work them to a paste with a little salad oil. Add oil by degrees till your paste is about the consistency of batter, then toss into it one by one the raw yolks of two eggs ; continue the working, adding oil, till you have about three-quarters of a pint of sauce thick enough to coat the spoon pretty thickly. Add a dessertspoonful of tarragon or other vinegar, and mix it thoroughly with the rest. The sauce will become creamy at once. Dip a lettuce leaf in and taste if your sauce wants a little more oil or vinegar. Strain through a small tin strainer into the sauce-boat so as to get rid of lumps and the little bits of onion. Set the boat on ice till wanted. [Wyvern.] Cream can be used instead of the oil.
Madame’s Salad, — Put the yolk of a fresh egg into a basin. Beat into it a teaspoonful of salt, a teaspoonful of freshly-ground pepper, and a teaspoonful of French mustard. Add the lettuce leaves and some garden cress, drop in oil till the leaves glitter, add a small teaspoonful of vinegar. You will probably want from two to three tablespoonfuls of oil. Work the leaves about till they have absorbed all the dressing, and lift the Salad quickly into the salad-bowl. If the lettuce is quite dry the Salad may be mixed in the bowl.
Records on this page
Plain Lettuce SaladPotato Salad