The fowls for this purpose should be young and fine. You may
either boil or roast them. They must be quite cold. Having removed
all the skin and fat, and disjointed the fowls cut the meat from
the bones into very small pieces, not exceeding an inch. Wash and
split two large fine heads of celery, and cut the white part into
pieces also about an inch long; and having mixed the chicken and
celery together, put them into a deep china dish, cover it and set
it away.
It is best not to prepare the dressing till just before the salad
is to be eaten, that it may be as fresh as possible. Have ready
the yolks of eight hard-boiled eggs. Put them into a flat dish,
and mash them to a paste with the back of a wooden spoon. Add to
the egg a small tea-spoonful of fine salt, the same quantity of
cayenne pepper, half a jill of made mustard, a jill or a wine-glass
and a half of vinegar, and rather more than two wine-glasses
of sweet oil. Mix all these ingredients thoroughly; stirring them
a long time till they are quite smooth.
The dressing should not be put on till a few minutes before the
salad is sent in; as by lying in it the chicken and celery will
become tough and hard. After you pour it on, mix the whole well
together with a silver fork.
Chicken salad should be accompanied with plates of bread and
butter, and a plate of crackers. It is a supper dish, and is
brought in with terrapin, oysters, &c.
Cold turkey is excellent prepared as above.
An inferior salad may be made with cold fillet of veal, instead of
chickens.
Cold boiled lobster is very fine cut up and drest in this manner,
only substituting for celery, lettuce cut up and mixed with the
lobster.