The European cookbook for American homes (from Italy, Spain, Portugal and France)

Wash fresh, crisp lettuce leaves, dry thoroughly and place in the salad bowl. Pour the dressing over them and toss lightly but thoroughly so that each leaf is coated. Garnish with slices of the eggs and rings of the pepper. Salads are not as popular in Spain as they are in France, but they make a much gayer appearance, and this is not only due to the colorful peppers and olives. Centuries back, when Spain was greatly influenced by oriental invasion, especially by the Moors, the country adopted an oriental plate or table dish unrivalled anywhere in size, brilliance and gaiety of design. The Moorish plate is wide, deep and generously rimmed, thick but light; ideal for salads. Roomy, cheerful, appetizing, it glints with arabesques in gold, silver and copper, dances with folk festivals fired into the glaze, riots with fruits, flowers, lambs, unicorns and Goyaesque grotesqueries. Since Spanish plates are now cheap in imitation and even the originals in antique stores are not expensive, no salad-lover should be without one. TOMATO SALAD (Ensalada de Tomate) 4 large ripe tomatoes 2 dozen pickled onions 2 cups mayonnaise dressing Arrange on large flat salad dish, first a ring of sliced tomatoes around the edge, then a ring of onions inside of that, another of tomatoes and the mayonnaise in a mound in the center. GREEN PEPPER SALAD {Ensalada de Pimiento Verde) 6 green peppers 1 onion 3 tomatoes Spanish dressing Blanch the peppers, remove the skins and seeds and cut in halves. Peel and slice the tomatoes and onion, the latter in very thin slices. Arrange on salad plate and serve with dressing. STRING BEAN SALAD (Ensalada de Habas Verde) 3 cups cooked string beans Small cucumber pickles Spanish dressing 1 lemon 1 teaspoon minced parsley Chill the beans. Marinate them in the Spanish dressing and garnish with small cucumber pickles and thin triangles of lemon dipped in parsley. LIMA BEAN SALAD (Ensalada de Habas) 1 lettuce heart 2 cups cooked peas 2 cups cooked lima beans 1 Spanish onion Vinaigrette dressing Line salad bowl with the crisped and slightly salted lettuce. Drain beans and peas, slice onion and toss all lightly in the dressing. Place on lettuce leaves. GREEN PEA SALAD (Ensalada Habas Verde) 1 cup lettuce, chopped 1 sweet onion French dressing 1 cup cooked peas 1 cup cooked lima beans Wash and dry lettuce. Toss it in some of the dressing. Slice onions thinly. Drain peas and beans. Marinate vegetables in dressing for 5 minutes. Serve in nests of the prepared lettuce. VEGETABLE SALAD (Ensaladas de Vegetals) 2 cooked potatoes 2 cooked beets 1 small onion 2 medium-sized tomatoes Spanish dressing 3 cooked carrots 1 cup cooked string beans Dice potatoes and onion, mix with dressing and put in the center of the salad dish. Slice beets and tomatoes, and edge the platter with them, placed alternately, with a little space between. Cut carrots lengthwise in strips, cut beans lengthwise once, and lay them in the spaces between the tomatoes and beets, so they shoot out in rays from the potato salad center. Sprinkle Spanish dressing over all. MIDNIGHT SALAD (Ensalada de Noche) i head lettuce Salt and pepper 3 cups cold cooked shrimps Spanish dressing i cup cooked truffles i cup mayonnaise dressing Stuffed olives