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Salads are classified into two groups--i.e., the raw, such as lettuce,
endive, radishes, cucumber, celery, etc., and the cooked, such as
those made from cooked vegetables, eggs, cooked cold fish, poultry,
and meat. The raw materials should be washed most carefully and well
cleaned before mixing, and the utensils for cutting and mixing, as
well as the basins or bowls used, should be clean and dry. Every
salad, no matter how plain and simple it may be, should be made to
look inviting and tempting. The method of draining or drying is a very
easy performance so long as the salad leaves, whatever they may be,
are almost free from moisture. This is effected best by putting the
leaves, which should be broken, not cut with a knife, into a wire
basket and drying them well, or else putting them into a cloth lightly
folded and shaking well until the outer moisture of the leaves is well
absorbed. The salad then is ready for mixing.
Any cold boiled vegetables left over from dinner are useful as giving
variety to salads, and help to make a good accompaniment to cold meat
served to luncheon. Thinly sliced cold potatoes--new ones for choice,
green peas and string beans, are especially good for this purpose, and
even Brussels sprouts, carrots, and turnips may be used on occasion in
small quantities. More substantial salads, prepared with cold meat or
fish, form appetizing luncheon or breakfast dishes. Those made with
chicken, lobster and salmon respectively are most widely known, but
fillets of flounder, cold ham or beef, or lamb make very good salads,
and even the humble herring, and dried and salted fish, may be used
with advantage in this way.
The meat or fish should be cut up into cubes or convenient small
pieces, and piled up in the center of the dish or salad bowl on a
layer of seasoned, shredded lettuce. Over this should be poured half
of the dressing. Round this should be arranged the green constituents
of the salad, cut up rather small, garnished with slices of tomato
or beets, cucumber and hard-cooked egg. The remainder of the dressing
should be poured over this, and the top of the meat or fish pyramid
may be ornamented with a few sprigs of endive or parsley.