—Procure three bunches of sound, fresh watercress; clean, and pare off the stalks, wash well, then dry in a cloth, place it in a salad-bowl, seasoning with half a pinch of salt, just a little pepper, and two wooden salad-spoonfuls of vinegar; mix well, and serve. Watercress salad does not require any oil.
1073. Potato Salad.
—Peel ten medium-sized, sound, freshly cooked potatoes; cut them into small slices, lay them in a salad-bowl, and add a finely chopped onion and a teaspoonful of chopped parsley. Season with a pinch and a half of salt, one pinch of pepper, half a gill of vinegar, and three tablespoonfuls of sweet oil, then mix thoroughly and gently with a spoon and fork, without breaking the potatoes. Wipe the bowl neatly with a napkin, and send the salad to the table.
1074. Herring Salad.
—Take three medium-sized, smoked herrings, lay them on the corner of the stove for half a minute on each side, then tear off the skin, cut off the heads, and split them in two; remove the bones, and cut them up into small square pieces. Place them in a salad-bowl with half a hashed onion, two hard-boiled eggs, cut in pieces, a cold boiled potato cut the same, and a teaspoonful of chopped parsley. Season with half a pinch of salt, one pinch of pepper, three tablespoonfuls of vinegar, and two of oil. Mix well together, and decorate with a small, cooked beet-root cut in slices, also twelve capers; then serve.
1075. Japanese Salad.
—Mince three medium-sized truffles very fine, also two large, cold, boiled potatoes; put the whole into a bowl, and season with half a pinch each of salt and pepper, and the third of a pinch of nutmeg; pour half a glassful of champagne over all, and let rest for two hours, then add eighteen whole cooked mussels ([No. 379]), a teaspoonful of chopped chives, and the same quantity of chopped parsley. Mix all well together, then dress the salad into a bowl, decorating it with six small, white lettuce-leaves and six fillets of anchovies; then serve.
A pinch of salt represents 205 grains, or a tablespoonful.
Half a pinch of pepper represents 38 grains, or a teaspoonful.
A third of a pinch of nutmeg represents 13 grains, or half a teaspoonful.