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Spring Salad

Take young and freshly-cut spring vegetables, such as lettuces, young radishes, mustard and cress, and a few spring onions, if liked. Look them carefully over to see that they are clean and free from insects, and wipe them with a cloth, or if necessary plunge them into cold water for a moment, but on no account let them remain in it longer than is necessary to cleanse them. If they have been washed, dry them perfectly. The best way of doing this is to let them drain for a little time, then put a small quantity at a time into a dry napkin; shake this by the four corners till all the moisture is expelled. The goodness of a salad depends to a great extent upon the vegetables being perfectly dry. Tear them into small pieces with the hands; arrange them in the salad-bowl, so that the light and dark greens shall contrast prettily. Put the radishes and onions round, and garnish the dish with parsley or nasturtium leaves, beetroot, hard-boiled egg, etc. Send any good salad-sauce (see SALAD, MAYONNAISE SAUCE FOR) to table in a boat, and stir it briskly into the salad at the moment of serving. If it should be preferred, the salad-sauce may be dispensed with, and the salad prepared as follows. For a moderate-sized salad-bowl or salad, mix in the salad-spoon a spoonful of mustard, a spoonful of salt, and half a spoonful of pepper, and stir into these a table-spoonful of vinegar, and, if liked, a few drops of tarragon vinegar may be added. Work these lightly but thoroughly into the salad, then put in four table-spoonfuls of best Lucca oil, and stir the salad again for a few minutes. Serve immediately.