SALADS
Salads can be served as a side dish or as the main dish of a luncheon or afternoon tea. They are made of meat, fish, vegetables or fruits and served with a dressing. The greens used in salads should be washed well and served crisp and cold; vegetables should be washed well and placed in ice cold water until they are crisp; then wiped. Dressing should never be added to greens until just before serving, as they wilt quickly. Left-over meat and vegetables can be made up into a variety of pretty salads. Vegetables should be marinated separately and arranged on lettuce leaf or in salad bowl just before sending to table.
Marinate means to mix ingredients in French dressing until every portion of them is well coated.
A CHAPON
Remove a small piece from end of crust of bread and rub over with a clove of garlic, first dipped in salt and placed in bottom of salad bowl before putting in salad; this gives an agreeable flavor to the salad.
Lemon should be used as a garnish with fish salads, such as lobster, crab meat and tuna fish; a few minutes in ice cold water will make gay rosettes from 2″ sticks of celery fringed at one end; will convert radishes sliced in thin parallel rows and again sliced at right angles into spiney chrysanthemums, or make radish tulips of those that have been slit into 6 sections and skin cut back nearly to stem end with a sharp knife. Celery and lettuce are always ready for serving if they are cleaned immediately on arrival and kept rolled in a damp cloth or in waxed paper in refrigerator. Keep a pair of scissors in pantry to use in cutting up ingredients.
Beets slices cut into fancy shapes, cucumbers scored lengthwise, then cut into even slices, small green pickles cut into delicate slices, without detaching, and spread fanshape, thin strips of pimento, rings of shiny green peppers, little wedges of tomato, whites of hard-boiled eggs, cut into fancy shapes—all of these help to make pretty salads.
To dry lettuce, pat it with crumpled paper toweling or linen toweling; it absorbs water quickly and does not bruise leaves. Lettuce for salad should be well dried and cold.
Juice left-over from using canned fruits for salads can be made up into dainty desserts by adding gelatine in proportion of 1 tbp to 1 pt liquid. First soak gelatine in ¼ c cold juice, then add 1¾ c hot juice; turn into wet mold, chill and use as dessert. They may also be used in making fruit punch or fruitade.
APRICOT DAISY SALAD
Drain contents of can of apricots; cut with sharp knife each half apricot into 6 petals; form center with 2 or 3 raisins; serve on lettuce with French dressing or mayonnaise; garnish with stem of parsley.
ASPARAGUS SALAD
Drain and rinse stalks of canned or fresh asparagus; cut rings from bright red or green pepper ⅓″ wide; place 3 or 4 stalks in each ring; arrange on lettuce leaves; serve with a French dressing to which has been added ½ tbp tomato catsup.
ALEXANDRIA SALAD
Cut 2 bananas into balls or slices; also make small balls of cream or cottage cheese and roll in chopped nut meats; place a slice of pineapple on crisp lettuce leaf; place on it 3 slices or balls of bananas, and on top of them a ball of cheese; serve with French dressing or mayonnaise.
AIDA SALAD
Cut bananas in 2 or 4 pieces, lengthwise; place a piece in center of crisp lettuce leaf; then slice thin, or separate in sections oranges and place on each side of banana so as to radiate from it; chopped nuts can be sprinkled over banana; serve with fruit salad dressing.
BANANA-DATE SALAD
½ lb dates, 3 bananas, juice ½ lemon.
Wash dates; dry in oven 3 min; remove seeds; cut lengthwise in quarters; chill; cut bananas in slices and squeeze over them juice of lemon to keep them from discoloring; add dates and 4 tbp salad oil; mix together lightly; serve on romaine or lettuce with mayonnaise or fruit salad dressing.
BOLIVIA SALAD
To 1½ c cold boiled potatoes diced, add 3 hard-boiled eggs finely chopped, 1½ tbp finely chopped red peppers and ½ tbp chopped onion, arrange on nests of lettuce leaves; serve with mayonnaise dressing.
MIXED FRUIT SALAD
½ c shredded pineapple, ½ c chopped nut meats, ½ c orange pulp, ½ c grapefruit pulp, ½ c halved maraschino cherries, 1½ c sliced bananas.
Mix fruit and nuts; chill; serve with fruit salad dressing.
RED APPLE SALAD
10 cts worth little red cinnamon candies, 4 apples, ¾ c water.
Boil candies in water for 5 min; peel apples; cut in eights; put a few quarters at a time into boiling syrup—piercing them with a broom straw; when done remove to waxed paper; cook balance of apples; they will be a delicate rose color and have a delicious flavor. Chill well and then serve on crisp lettuce leaves with mayonnaise and a slice of cream cheese or a ball of cream cheese on each side of quarter of apple.
MACARONI-HAM SALAD
1 pkg macaroni, 1 round tbp salt, ½ c vinegar, 1 c chopped celery, 1 medium-sized onion chopped fine, ¼ lb cooked ham, ¼ lb chopped meat nuts.
Boil macaroni in salted water until done; drain; cool; add other ingredients; mix thoroughly; garnish with stuffed olives or pickled beets. The nut meats can be omitted if desired. Tongue or chicken can be substituted in place of ham. Any cold meat can be made up into this salad.
ASPIC JELLY WITH EGG SALAD
3 c stewed tomato, fresh or canned, 1 onion, 3 stalks celery, 1 bay leaf, 1 clove, ¼ green pepper, 1 tbp sugar, ½ tsp dry mustard, 1 tsp salt, 2 tbp gelatin, ½ c cold water.
Cook tomato with seasonings; strain over gelatin which has been soaked in cold water; place half of a boiled egg, cut side down in each of half a dozen molds; cover with jelly; let cool and serve on crisp lettuce leaves with mayonnaise. This is a very pretty salad and easy to make.
FISH SALAD
1 lb boiled fish, 2 tbp oil, 2 tbp vinegar, 1 tsp dry mustard, ½ tsp salt, 1 c chopped celery, lettuce, ¼ c mayonnaise.
Flake fish while hot, if possible; toss up with oil, vinegar, and seasonings; cool; add celery and mayonnaise; dip a large spoonful onto leaf of curly lettuce; garnish with strips of pimento and mayonnaise if desired.
SPINACH SALAD
1 pt boiled spinach, 2 tbp oil, 1 tbp vinegar, ½ tsp dry mustard, salt, pepper.
Add seasoning to oil and vinegar; mix with spinach; pack lightly in 6 moulds to cool; place a slice of cold ham on young lettuce leaves and on each slice turn a mould of spinach; garnish with slices of cold boiled egg. Serve with French or Mayonnaise dressing.
LETTUCE SALAD
Lettuce, like all salad greens, should be served very fresh and crisp. Separate leaves, wash in cold water; drain; place in clean towel or cheesecloth bag; put in cool place, preferably on ice, until ready to serve; outside leaves are not attractive to serve whole; they may be shredded and used as foundation for more fancy salads. When lettuce is to be served as “Hearts of Lettuce” salad, select a very solid head; cut into sections, usually quarters; soak in ice cold water until chilled; before serving, shake carefully to remove water.
Lettuce should be dressed at the table or immediately before serving, as it becomes limp and wilted soon after dressing is added. Serve with Roquefort dressing, Russian dressing, French dressing or mayonnaise dressing.
PEANUT BUTTER SALAD
Split bananas in half lengthwise; spread each strip with peanut butter; arrange on crisp lettuce leaves; serve with mayonnaise. Chopped nuts may be sprinkled over fruit instead of peanut butter if desired.
BUTTERFLY SALAD
1 can sliced pineapples, 1 small bottle stuffed olives, 8 dates, 1 red pepper.
Cut each slice of pineapple in half and turn cut edges out on a crisp leaf of lettuce; cut olives in slices and place on pineapple for butterfly spots; place date in center for body; slice red pepper in thin slices and place one at top of date for feelers; mayonnaise can be placed at side of dish or in separate little dressing containers.
LOBSTER SALAD
Cut cold boiled lobster into small pieces; marinate with French dressing; put on lettuce leaves; cover with mayonnaise; garnish with lobster claws, olives, hard-boiled eggs and capers; celery can be cut in small pieces and mixed with lobster.
CRAB MEAT SALAD
Mix desired quantity of crab meat with ⅓ as much chopped celery; sprinkle with salt and pepper; stir mayonnaise in lightly; serve on lettuce with Tartar dressing; garnish with thin slices of lemon and sprigs of parsley.
ROYAL SALAD
1 large grapefruit, 2 oranges, 2 pears, 1 green pepper.
Peel grapefruit and oranges cutting as you would an apple, deep enough to remove white skin underneath; separate into sections, discarding the membrane; peel pears, if fresh ones are used; cut into same size pieces as the orange sections; slice green pepper very thin; arrange fruit alternately in boat-shaped leaves of Romaine (can be laid on lettuce leaves); decorate with strips of green pepper between sections; serve with mayonnaise dressing; canned grapefruit or pears may be used.
EGG AND BEET SALAD
4 medium-sized boiled beets, 2 hard-boiled eggs, 1 head of lettuce.
Dice beets and place in salad bowl lined with lettuce leaves; around edge put a row of thin slices of hard-boiled eggs; pour over mayonnaise or boiled dressing.
PEACH AND ORANGE CUP
For 6 persons allow 3 large oranges, 1 c of sliced peaches; cut oranges in halves, remove pulp, discarding membrane; mix peaches and orange pulp; add peach syrup and chill thoroughly; scallop edges of orange halves with scissors; just before time to serve, fill orange cups with mixed fruit; sprinkle grated cocoanut or nuts over top, and tea-room mayonnaise dressing; garnish with maraschino cherry.
RUSSIAN VEGETABLE SALAD
Mix 1 c each cold, cooked cubed carrot, potatoes, peas and beans; marinate with French dressing; arrange on lettuce leaves in 4 sections; covering each section with mayonnaise dressing; garnish 2 sections with small pieces of salmon, 1 section with finely chopped whites hard-boiled eggs; 1 section with grated yolks of eggs; place small sprig of parsley in lines dividing sections.
INDIA SALAD
Arrange 2 slices of tomato on small lettuce leaves or bed of shredded lettuce; on 1 slice pile shaved celery; on the other slice finely cut watercress; garnish with radish or stuffed olives; serve with French dressing.
CUCUMBER MOLD SALAD
1 cucumber, ½ c vinegar, 1¼ c boiling water, 2 tbp lemon juice, ⅓ c sugar, 2 tbp gelatine, ½ c cold water, 2 tbp chopped green pepper, green vegetable coloring.
Peel cucumber; chop fine; season with salt and pepper; pour on vinegar which has been warmed; let this stand for 30 min; drain off liquid; add to boiling water; add lemon juice and sugar; pour this on gelatine, which has been soaked a few minutes in cold water; add green coloring; when cool, strain through cloth onto the chopped cucumber; add chopped green pepper; place in wet mold to chill; unmold; arrange chicken, cold meats about it and criss cross in a lattice effect with stripes of green pepper; serve on a piece of cup lettuce.
TOMATO-JELLY SALAD
2 tbp lemon gelatine, 1⅔ c strained tomato juice, ¼ c vinegar, 1 tsp salt, ⅛ tsp pepper, ⅛ tsp cloves, 1 tsp onion juice, ¼ tsp paprika.
Heat tomato juice to boiling point; pour over gelatine; stir until thoroughly dissolved; add vinegar and seasonings; pour into moulds; serve with mayonnaise on lettuce leaves.
HALIBUT SALAD
Chop fine 1 lb cooked halibut, 1 green pepper chopped fine; season with few drops of onion juice, 2 tsp lemon juice, ½ tsp paprika, 1 tsp salt; add ⅓ c thick cream which has been beaten until stiff, and 3 stiffly beaten egg whites; put into buttered timbale moulds; cook in oven until firm; when quite cold remove from moulds; arrange on salad dish; garnish with mayonnaise.
CREAM CHEESE-CURRANT
1 pkg cream cheese, 2 tbp cream or milk, ½ c red currant jam or jelly.
Stir cream cheese in bowl, gradually adding liquid; beat until mixture is fluffy; set in ice box for few minutes to chill; place large spoonful on bed of lettuce leaves which have been dipped in French dressing; shape it as nests; in the hollow, place a heaping tbp of currant jam or jelly.
WALDORF SALAD
Mix equal parts of diced apple and celery; fold in boiled or mayonnaise dressing; serve on lettuce leaves or in red apple shells; garnish with chopped walnuts.
AMERICAN BEAUTY SALAD
1 c orange skinned, 1 c tart apple peeled, 1 c pineapple, fresh or canned, 1 c celery, all cut in small pieces.
Mix and place in small moulds; pour over each mould lemon jelly, cooled but not stiffened, colored with a few drops of beet juice; when firm, turn out on lettuce leaves; serve with salad dressing.
CHEESE AND APPLE SALAD
Place thick circles of raw apple on lettuce leaf; soften cream or cottage cheese with cream and pile on to apple; garnish with tart red jelly and salad dressing.
FRUIT SALAD
Alternate slices of tart apple and pineapple or orange; garnish with red cherries and use French dressing.
STRING BEAN SALAD
Marinate 2 c cold string beans with French dressing; add 1 tsp finely chopped onion; place on lettuce leaves; garnish with radish or stuffed olives, sliced; on top of each individual salad place a radish cut to represent a tulip.
HAM SALAD
2 c diced cold ham, 1 tbp chopped pickle, 1 tsp chopped onion, 2 hard-cooked eggs, 1 tbp chopped parsley.
Mix ham, onion, parsley, pickle, chopped eggs together; marinate in French dressing; chill; garnish with lettuce and strips of pickle; serve with mayonnaise dressing.
COMBINATION SALAD
1 cucumber, 3 tomatoes, 1 green pepper, 1 onion, lettuce.
Peel cucumber; let stand for a while in ice water; slice cucumber, tomatoes and pepper; shred lettuce; sprinkle with sugar, pepper and salt; pour mayonnaise over all.
MAYFLOWER SALAD
2 tbp chopped parsley, 2 tbp chopped red pepper, 1 tsp chopped onion, 2 chopped hard-boiled eggs, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper, ¼ tsp paprika, 5 tbp salad oil, 2 tbp vinegar.
Mix thoroughly ingredients in order given; serve on crisp lettuce leaves on individual salad plates; garnish with olives or radish.
INDIVIDUAL EGG SALAD
Boil hard 1 egg for each person to be served; add to French dressing 1 tbp vinegar, 1 tbp chopped parsley, 1 tbp onion juice or grated onion; when eggs are done remove shells; pour dressing over them while hot; let chill for about 1 hr; garnish and serve.
GOLDEN SALAD
Place slice of pineapple in nest of shredded lettuce; place a halved canned peach or apricot, cavity side down in center of pineapple; radiate orange sections around this; cover with golden dressing.
POTATO SALAD
4 potatoes boiled in skins; remove skins; cut up fine; add 1 c celery cut fine; ½ tsp salt, 1 tsp grated onion. If not celery use 6 potatoes and 1 tsp celery seed; chopped parsley or green pepper; green pepper gives a good flavor and attractive appearance; serve on crisp lettuce leaves.