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

Crisp the lettuce leaves in cold water and dry in a napkin. Cut the shrimps in half and chop the truffles. Season with salt and pepper and mix them well. Make six nests of the lettuce leaves on the salad plate; sprinkle lightly with Spanish dressing. Mix truffles and shrimp with mayonnaise and pile on the nests. Garnish with stuffed olives. A favorite after theatre dish. CHICKEN SALAD {Ensalada Polluello) 2 cups cold cooked chicken i onion, minced fine i head crisp lettuce i cup mayonnaise Salt 2 hard-boiled eggs i teaspoon tarragon, chopped 2 beets Asparagus tips Dice the chicken meat, chop fine the firm inner leaves of the lettuce, and season with salt and tarragon. Mix the two and add the onion. Mix all lightly with the mayonnaise and garnish with sliced eggs, slices of beets, and asparagus tips. ORANGE SALAD {Ensalada de Naranjas) Oranges Powdered sugar in proportion Rum or kirsch to taste Slice juicy oranges with peel. Place in a fine glass dish, cover with sugar and moisten with rum or kirsch. Since Spanish oranges are exceptionally flavorsome and sapid, this salad is a favorite all the way from Cadiz to Barcelona. ICE SALAD (Ensalada Helada) Assorted fruits 1 pint lemon, or any desired fruit ice 1 pint of fruit ice is sufficient for 6 servings. Partly fill sherbet glasses with fresh fruit, melon in balls, and pile large spoonfuls of fruit ice on top. Melons and citrons were popularized in Spain by the invading Moors and many desserts and salads are made luscious by them. Columbus spread the fame of the Spanish melon by carrying its seeds on his first voyage to America. The Indians took them then as far from the coast as New Mexico, so we have inherited many of our finest melons from the Spanish. The nasturtium, flower, leaf and green seed is a standard garnish in Spain. So this iced fruit salad would be made all the more appetizing and decoratively Spanish by the addition of half a dozen nasturtium buds. (Sobremesas or Postres) SIGHS (Suspiros) 2 cups granulated sugar 4 egg whites % cup water 1 pound blanched almonds Grated rind l/i lemon Boil sugar and water until it forms a soft ball in cold water. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry and beat syrup slowly into them. Fold in blanched almonds, cut length-wise into fine strips. Mix in grated lemon rind. Drop by teaspoonful, not too closely together, on a baking sheet covered with oil paper. Bake in a moderate oven (350°F.) until delicately browned. PUFFS OF WIND (Buhuelos de Viento) 2 cups flour l/2 cup butter or olive oil Cold water 2 egg yolks l/2 teaspoon salt 1 egg Knead flour with salt and enough cold water to make a firm dough and let stand for J/2 hour. Put butter or oil in a frying pan over a low flame, and when it is warm put in the dough and work the fat into it thoroughly and quickly, without browning. Then remove dough to a bowl, and when it is cool work in the egg yolks and egg. Knead until dough is smooth and satiny. Form into small balls. Fry in deep fat, drain on brown paper, and brush over with a thick wine or flower syrup, then sprinkle with powdered sugar and cinnamon, or ground almonds. GYPSY'S EMBRACE (Brazo de Gitano) Yi cup flour Cinnamon Grated rind 1 lemon Powdered sugar 3 eggs Yi cup granulated sugar Ys teaspoon salt Yi cup flour