Cassell's dictionary of cookery

Sardines, Canapees of. — Take some slices of roll, and cut them neatly into oval or octagon shapes. Toast them slightly, or fry them in oU or butter till they are of a nice yellow colour. Take some sardines, and strip them from the bones. Lay one- half of them aside, and pound the other to a smooth paste with the yolks of three or four hard-boiled eggs and some butter. Add mustard, pepper, chives, minced parsley, tarragon, and a little vinegar. \VTien these ingredients are thoroughly incorporated, spread the paste over the prepared slices of roll. On the top lay the other half of the sardines, cut into small strips; and place on each croquette little slices of pickled gherkins, and here and there a shelled prawn. Sardines, Fresh..— Clean the sardines, and press them gently -with a soft cloth till they are quite dry. Broil them on a gridiron over a clear brisk fire, and when they are done enough on one side turn them upon the other. Sprinkle a little salt over them, and serve very hot. Time to broil, two minutes each side. Sufficient, six or eight for a small dish. Sardines, Spinach, with. — Boil the spinach. Before doing this let it lie in water for a little while, and rinse it several times in fresh water. Put it into boiling water with a minced onion and plentj' of salt, and let it boil gently, xmcovered, for eight or ten minutes. Drain and chop the spinach. Take a few sardines, remove the skin and bones, then mince the fish, and stir them among the vegetables. Take a good-sized piece of butter, and melt it in a stewpan, dredge in as much flour as it will absorb, and add a little water or broth, together "with salt and pepper. Stir it to a thick sauce, then stir the spinach in. Send to table when quite hot, garnishing the dish with hard-boiled eggs sliced. Sardines, To Serve.— Knives made on purpose to open sardine boxes maybe purchased of the dealers. "When the fish are to be served, open the box, lift out as many sardines as are needed, wipe them lightly, and arrange them neatly on a small dish. Garnish with chopped parsley and capers, and pour a little fresh saladoil over them. On no account use the oil which is in the box. Send bread and butter to table with them. Sardonic Salad {see Saxon Salad, sometimes called Sardonic Salad). Sassafras. — An agreeable beverage is made in North America by infusing sassafras bark or sassafras wood, and a similar beverage was once very commonly sold at daybreak in the streets of the metropolis, under the name of saloop. A few saloop vendors are still to be seen plying their vocation. The leaves of sassafras contain so much mucuage that they are used for thickening soup. Sassafras (Invalid Cookery). — The simple infusion of sassafras is a useful preparation in some complaints, and sassafras tea is often found to be of great service in the case of aged persons suffering from chronic rheumatism. A few chips of the wood are frequently added to common tea. Sassafras is a cheap and agreeable beverage, and when China tea, taken late in the evening, prevents sleep, sassafras may be substituted.