DRESSING A SALAD

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12323, 18 December 1925, Page 5

DRESSING A SALAD

Not the least important part of -a salad is the dressing, and as a rule this is not mixed with, it until shortly before the salad is to be eaten.

On the' Continent, vinaigrette, a simple dressing of oil and vinegar, with seasonings, is largely used, but English people are ever faithful to the more expensive mayonnaise. This dressing, as many a good cook has discovered! to her sorrow, if not kept cool, or if the oil is added too quickly, curdles.

A good plan when making it is to cut a small wedge from the cork of the oil bottle, just large enough to allow the oil to come out drop by drop. If, however, it should curdle, the fault can sometimes be remedied by putting a fresh yolk of an egg into another basin and adding the mayonnaise very "slowly to ■ it, stirring all the time.

None hut the best quality oil should ever be used for dressings, and it should be fresh. Oil that .has been kept for some, time is inclined to be rancid. Cream is a' very good' substitute, and even sour cream makes an excellent dressing. Of vinegars, the French wine varieties, if obtainable, are certainly the best as regards quality and flavour. The white of hard-boiled eggs, chopped or cut into fancy shapes, is useful for garnishing a salad, and when this is desired it is advisable to use the yolk in the dressing. , Rub it through a sieve, add seasoning of Salt, pepper/ and mustard, equal quantities of oil, cream, and vinegar (the mixture should be as thick as cream), and a sprinkling of castor sugar, if a sweet mayonnaise is preferred.

A ■'"coating” dressing, which is quite inexpensive - and. specially-suitable for a fish, salad, is made with mashed potato. While hot, add to it a little oil and vinegar, seasoning of salt, pepper, and made mustard, and enough milk to make rather a soft mixture, and use straight away. A good! mayonnaise sauce'without oil is made with the yolk of two eggs, one teaspoonful of cornflour, half a teaspoonful of made mustard, one tin of unsweetened condensed milk, half a gill of vinegar, salt, and'cayenne. Divide the whites and' yolks of the eggs, put the latter in a basin and whisk a little. Blend the cornflour with a' little water, and add it to'the eggs with the milk. Whisk TveU. over a pan of boiling water until thick and. creamy. Mix the mustard, salt, cayenne and vinegar in another basin, and add the result generally to the creamy mixture. Season well and allow to cool. ■lf - this is not stirred very rapidly, and the oil added gradually, the sauce may curdle. All the ingredients should be added gradually—“ Women’s Weekly."