The art of cooking

Place the torn lettuce in the bottom of a salad bowl, and removing the shrimps carefully from the bag in which they are put into the can, take from them any bits of shell or specks of black that may mar them, taking care not to break their form, and pile these high upon, the lettuce in the centre of the bowl. Put the yolks of eggs into a small bowl, drop in upon them, drop by drop, the salad oil, and beat these to a thick cream when the vinegar must be added, also the pepper and salt, and all stirred together until thoroughly blended. Pour this dressing over the shrimps, garnish around the sides and in the centre of the top, with the pale delicate inner leaves of lettuce and serve. This salad must not be mixed at all until it is served at table, as to stir it destroys the fine appearance of the shrimp, which are so delicate as to be easily broken. Notes — Mayonnaise dressing should invariably be stirred one way, 1 2d SALADS. as to reverse the current of the liquid causes it to curdle. If by accident curdling occurs, its smoothness may be recovered by dropping in the yolk of another egg, and paying strict attention to the rule of stirring. When fresh shrimps instead of the canned ones are used, a large saucepan of boiling water, in which has been placed salt, a little lemon -thyme, mint and bay-leaf should be prepared and the shrimps plunged into this, confined in a wire basket, and boiled until they change their color, the length of time for which depends upon the size of the shrimps. Lobster Salad. — One quart of brown stock, one half ounce of gelatine, one tablespoonful of vinegar, one sprig of parsley, one teaspoonful of pepper, two gills of cold water, whites of two eggs, one bay leaf, one lobster, one ounce of butter, one tablespoonful of cream, one-half teaspoonful of lemon-juice, two teaspoonsfuls of salt, one grain of cayenne, one head of lettuce, two tablespoonsfuls of salad oil, yolks of two eggs, one teaspoonful of Tarragon vinegar. The Aspic jelly required for the preparation of this salad, must be made the day before it is designed for use, in order that it may have time to become quite firm. It is to be prepared as follows : Put the stock into a copper or porcelain-lined saucepan, and make it hot over a quick fire. While this i& heating, soak the gelatine in half a gill of cold water. When the stock has come to a tepid degree of heat, put into it the tablespoonful of vinegar, parsley, bay-leaf and soaked gelatine. Whip up the whites of eggs in a bowl, and mix with it half a gill of cold water and a little pepper and salt. Pour this egg mixture into the stock and stir all together rapidly with an egg-whisk or two forks until the LOBSTER salad: 121 stock boils. Cover the saucepan closely and draw it aside from the fire, allowing its contents to simmer for ten minutes. Strain all through a clean towel into a bowl, and stand the jelly in a cool dry place to become firm- When the lobster has been boiled and becomes cold, twist off the head, which will be used in garnishing, and remove the coral, if possible, without breaking it. Place the coral upon a plate and stand it where it may be exposed to heat sufficient to dry it rapidly, but neither bake nor brown it* Remove also the meat from the tail and claws of the lobster, and cut it into convenient pieces. Melt the butter in a saucepan, stir into it the flour, and add to it by degrees a gill of cold water. When this is boiling let it cook for two minutes thereafter rapidly, and take it from the fire, add to it the cream, the lemon- juice, cayenne and a little pepper and salt ; also the pieces of meat from the lobster. When this is well mixed together it must be turned out upon a plate and put in a cool place, allowed to become quite cold. When cold, divide it into five portions and form each one into a cutlet about three inches long.