Vegetarian Cook Book

To the dressing of salads one must give utmost care and attention, as upon its excellence the success of the dishes principally depends. While rules for dressings are innumerable, there are, after all, only a few really good ones. The French dressing and the mayonnaise are most generally known, the former being the simplest and most commonly used of all dressings. And it is quite the favorite for lettuce, cresses, chicory, and other vegetable salads. As the salad wilts if allowed to stand in the dressing, it should not be added till just at the moment of serving, and it is for this reason that it is frequently made at the table. One of the most difficult things to prepare is a perfect mayonnaise; but once the knack is acquired, failure afterwards is rare. One essential point is to have all the materials cold. Chill in the refrigerator both the bowl and oil an hour or more before using. In warm weather it is advisable during the mixing to set the bowl in a larger one of cracked ice. This dressing, if covered closely, will keep several days or longer in the ice-box. Keep in a cold place till wanted, as it liquefies as soon as mixed with other ingredients. To tone down the taste of the oil, and thus make more delicate salads, one may add to the dressing, just before it is used, a little cream beaten stiff and dry. This dressing is used vsdth nut and fruit salads, and may be used with potatoes, tomatoes, celery, and other vegetables. Most cooked vegetables intended for salads are moistened with a French dressing and allowed to stand an hour or more, or until well seasoned, in a cold place. To this process the term "marinate" is applied. Just before serving, pour off all the marinade that is not absorbed, and add the mayonnaise to the vegetables. A mistake frequently made in preparing salad dressing is that of using too much acid. The acid flavor should not predominate. VEGETARIAN CHICKEN SALAD Protose, chopped, % pound. Celery, chopped, 2-3 cup. Onion, grated, 1 small teaspoon. Nuttolene, chopped, ^^ pound. Lemons, juice of 2. Salt. Mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons. Mix all together, adding mayonnaise dresssing last. Serve on lettuce. VEGETARIAN SALMON SALAD Carrots, grated, 1 cup. Radishes, grated, y^ cup. Onion, grated, 2 teaspoons. Eggs, hard-boiled, 2. Nuttolene, 1-8 pound. Mayonnaise dressing. Parsley. Celery salt. Salt. Force the nuttolene through a fine colander; mince the hard-boiled eggs and parsley. Mix all the ingredients well, and serve on lettuce leaf with a garnish of a small portion of the minced egg and parsley. Pecan meats may be used in the place of nuttolene. EUSSIAN SALAD Tomatoes, 2. Carrots, 4. Onion, %. Celery stalk, 1. Watercress, 2 sprigs. Mayonnaise, 1 pint. Salt. Cook and dice the carrots; chop the onion fine; chop the watercress ; cut the celery in one-inch lengths and split very fine. Mix all with the mayonnaise. Serve on a bed of lettuce and garnish with sliced tomatoes. NUT CERO SALAD Nut cero, ^^ pound. Celery, minced, 2-3 cup. Eggs, hard-boiled, 2. Lemons, 2. Radishes. Salt. Mince the celery and eggs, and put with the diced nut cero ; add the lemon juice and salt to taste. Marinate for one hour, and then serve on a lettuce leaf, garnished with the radishes cut in various shapes. GELATINE SALAD