The art of cookery

Cooked spinach, asparagus, and many other green vegetables may be dressed with cream dressing, seasoned with salt and pepper, and served cold as salads. CLASS 3. MIXED SALADS. Oysters and clams, when served raw as relishes, can scarcely be called salads with strict propriety, but for the sake of convenience they are placed among mixed salads, as are also various other relishes and salads that cannot be legitimately classified as either fruit or vegetable salads. Raw Oysters.— Wash the shells of the oysters in cold water, then pack in broken ice till well chilled. Serve on the half shell — from three to five grouped on a plate — and garnish with two or three lemon points. Clams and other shell fish that are eaten raw should be served in the same manner. Raw oysters are sometimes cut in pieces, mixed with celery, dressed with mayonnaise or French dressing, and 276 The Art of Cookery. served as a salad. But as neither the oyster nor celery is improved by such inharmonious combination, an oyster salad is not likely to commend itself to popular favor. Shrimp Salad. — Put the prepared shrimps — either fresh or canned — in a bowl of broken ice until chilled. Remove the ice and water, put over the shrimps about two tablespoonfuls of French Dressing No. 2 to each cup of shrimps, and place on ice until ready to serve. Arrange dainty cups of crisp lettuce leaves by placing together in the form of a cup three or four mediumsized lettuce leaves. Place from three to five shrimps in each lettuce cup, and serve with French Dressing No. i. Lobster Salad. — Prepare and serve lobster in every respect like shrimps, mixing in each lettuce cup some of the diiferent portions of the lobster. Mayonnaise dressing may be served instead of French, if preferred, with either shrimp or lobster salad, and water cress may be used in place of lettuce. Salmon Salad. — Pick the cooked salmon in pieces suitable for serving. With two cups of prepared salmon mix two cold, hard-boiled eggs chopped fine. Dress with mayonnaise dressing, and serve in lettuce cups or garnished with cresses. Any cold boiled, baked, or broiled fish may, with an admixture of hard-boiled eggs, be served in a similar manner as a salad. And, if lacking in flavor, a spoonful of capers, or a little finely minced pickle, may be added. Lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, and cress can be indiscriminately mixed with fish and shell fish of all kinds in Salad- Making. 27 7 the preparation of salads, and are admirably adapted to the purpose. Celery and fish are so inharmonious in flavors that they should not be used in that connection. Chicken Salad No. i. — Put four cups of cooked chicken, freed from skin, bones, and coarse pieces, and cut into dice, in an earthen bowl, and pour over it half a cup of French Dressing No. 2. Set in a cold place for an hour, drain through a sieve, mix with it three cups of white, tender celery cut in dice, and add, and mix lightly through it, a cup of oil mayonnaise dressing. Place in the salad bowl — heaping in the center — spread half a cup of mayonnaise dressing over it, sprinkle a spoonful of capers upon the dressing, and garnish with curled celery and water cress ; or with olives, lemon points, hard-boiled eggs, or lettuce.