Lettuce Salad.—Take two good sized heads of the broad- or long-leaved varieties of lettuce; separate the leaves; wipe them carefully to remove all grit; break or tear each leaf apart (do not cut lettuce); put them in a salad-bowl; add oil, pepper, and salt, and a teaspoonful of chopped herbs; toss lightly. Now add the vinegar, toss again, and serve immediately.—For proportions see [Plain Salad Dressing].
Lobster Salad.—Take two live hen or female lobsters; boil them thirty minutes; drain. When cold, break them apart; crack the claws, and if the tail fins are covered with eggs remove them carefully. Take out the sand pouch found near the head, split the fleshy part of the tail in two lengthwise, remove the small long entrail found therein. Adhering to the body-shell may be found a layer of creamy fat, save this, and also the green fat in the body of the lobster (called Tom Alley by New Englanders) and the coral. If celery is used, tear the lobster into shreds with forks; if lettuce, cut the lobster into half inch pieces; place the salad herb in a bowl, add the lobster and the fat; and pour over it a rich mayonnaise; garnish with the claws and heads, tufts of green, hard-boiled eggs, etc. The lobster eggs may be separated and sprinkled over the mayonnaise. The coral is used for coloring mayonnaise, and also butter, which is then used in decorating salmon and other dark fish, used in salads.
Melon Salad.—The best way to eat a melon is unquestionably with a little salt, but melons are very deceptive, they may look delicious, but from growing in the same field with squashes and other vegetables they often taste insipid. Such may be made quite palatable in salads. Cut the melon into strips; then remove the skin; cut the eatable part into pieces, and send to table with a plain dressing.
Mint Salad.—This is an egg salad with the addition of six leaves of mint chopped fine, serve with a plain dressing, and with or after cold roast lamb.
Orange Salads.—Peel and slice three oranges that have been on ice. Remove the seeds, arrange the slices in a compote, cover with powdered sugar, and add two tablespoonfuls each of maraschino, curaçoa, and brandy. Let it stand an hour in the ice-box before serving. Or, arrange in a dish a neat border of cold boiled rice. Peel and divide into sections three Florida oranges; put the oranges in the centre; dust powdered sugar over all, and set the dish in the ice-box. Just before serving pour over the salad two wineglassfuls of arrack. A plain salad dressing is served with orange salad in some places in the East, but would not suit the American palate.
Oyster Salad.—Boil two dozen small oysters for five minutes in water enough to cover them; add a little salt and a tablespoonful of vinegar; drain and cool. Put into a salad-bowl the centre leaves of two heads of cabbage lettuce, add the oysters whole, pour over them a mayonnaise; garnish with oyster-crabs, hard-boiled eggs, and, if liked, a few anchovies cut into fillets.
Pigeon Salad.—Wild pigeons are at times so plentiful that they can be purchased for 75 cents per dozen. They are usually served broiled, roasted, or in pies; but pigeon salad is a very dainty dish. Take equal parts of celery and roasted pigeon; arrange neatly, with mayonnaise; garnish and serve.
Pineapple Salad.—Peel and dig out the eyes of two very ripe pineapples. Take hold of the crown of the pine with the left hand; take a fork in the right hand and with it tear the pine into shreds until there is nothing left but the core, which throw away. Place the shredded fruit lightly in a compote. Take half a pint of white sugar syrup; add to it a wineglassful of arrack, a tablespoonful of brandy, and one of curaçoa. Mix and pour over the pines. Set in ice-box. When cold, serve.
Potato Salad.—Cut up into slices two quarts of boiled potatoes while hot; add to them a teaspoonful each of chopped onion and parsley; pour over them a liberal quantity of plain salad dressing. If the potatoes should then appear too dry, add a little hot water, or better still, soup stock; toss lightly so as not to break the slices; then place the salad on ice to become cold. Serve by placing a leaf of lettuce on each small plate, and add two tablespoonfuls of the potato to the lettuce, for each person. Cold boiled potatoes do not make a good potato salad.
Prawn Salad.—These dainties can always be obtained in Fulton Market, cooked and shelled. Take one quart of prawns and one quart and a pint of cut celery; put the celery in a bowl; add the prawns; garnish neatly and serve with a mayonnaise.