Asparagus (d’asperges).—Scrape the end of each head with the back of a knife, and tie them in small bundles of 1 doz. heads each, cut off all the part of the asparagus which cannot be eaten, put them into a panful of fast-boiling water, with plenty of salt, and in about 10 minutes they will be done. Drain them, and leave them to get cold, then dispose them on a dish previously rubbed with a little shallot, and pour over them the following sauce: Strain the yolks of 2 eggs into a basin, mix with them a teaspoonful of salt, and then, without ceasing to stir, pour in, drop by drop, 4 tablespoonfuls oil and 1 of French white vinegar, adding the vinegar at intervals during the process of pouring the oil. Lastly, stir in a little pepper; garnish the dish with slices of hard-boiled eggs.
Beetroot (de Betterave).—(a) Take a well-washed beetroot, either bake it in the oven, or put it into a saucepan of boiling water and boil for 1-2 hours, according to size; when cold, peel and slice it, arrange the slices in a dish, and pour over the dressings.
(b) Arrange the slices of beetroot with alternate slices of hard-boiled eggs, pour over them a mixture of ¾ oil and ¼ plain vinegar, duly flavoured with pepper and salt; garnish the dish with small button onions, and with sprigs of chervil and tarragon.
(c) Slice a cold boiled or baked beetroot, arrange it in slices overlapping each other, pour over a mixture made with cream, a very little vinegar, pepper, and salt; garnish the dish with horseradish and hard-boiled eggs, whites and yolks separate.
Cabbage (de Chou).—(a) Wash the greens well, and take off the outside leaves. Tie them in small bunches, and boil in plenty of fast-boiling water, drain them in front of the fire, and serve cold with a mixture of 3 parts oil, 1 of vinegar, pepper and salt to taste, poured over them.
(b) Take some cold boiled Brussels sprouts, and put them into a dish previously rubbed with garlic or shallot, pour over them a salad mixture made with 3 parts oil and 1 of vinegar, pepper and salt to taste; garnish with pickled beetroot and minced sweet herbs.
(c) Chop up some greens or cabbage, and serve as in (b); garnish with slices of sausage and pickled gherkins.
Carrots (de Carottes).—Slice some cold boiled carrots, arrange them in a dish with a dressing made with cream and lemon juice, or oil and vinegar, with pepper and salt; garnish the dish with hard-boiled eggs shredded, with minced parsley and capers, and chopped olives.
Cauliflower (de Chou-fleur).—(a) Boil a cauliflower in salted water till tender, but not overdone; when cold cut up neatly in small sprigs. Beat up together 3 tablespoonfuls oil, and 1 of tarragon vinegar, with pepper and salt to taste; rub the dish very slightly with garlic, arrange the pieces of cauliflower on it, strew over them some capers, a little tarragon, chervil, and parsley, all finely minced, and the least bit of dried thyme and marjoram powdered. Pour the oil and vinegar over, and serve.
(b) Pick off the flower from 1 or 2 cold boiled cauliflowers, dispose them in a dish, and pour over them some dressing made of cream and lemon juice, or oil and vinegar with pepper and salt to taste; garnish with minced parsley, powdered sweet herbs, capers, and, if liked, anchovies and stoned olives.