JELLIED SALADS

New Zealand Listener, Volume 13, Issue 335, 23 November 1945, Page 22

JELLIED SALADS

HESE are a change from ordinary salad meals, and have the advantage of being prepared beforehand, so that there -is much less to do at the mealtime. After a day out, it is very comfortable for a housewife to have only the new potatoes to cook when she returns home. The dessert can be all ready too --a goog custard and stewed or fresh fruit, perhaps; or a simple trifle made with the stale sponge cake soaked in, fresh fruit juice and a good custard poured over it, with chopped walnuts sprinkled on top. If the evening has turned chilly, or the family longs for something hot as well, begin with a cup of hot thick soup, which would also have been prepared beforehand and which can be heated while the potatoes are cooking. It saves a lot of work if this evening meal is served on the veranda or porch, when the weather is warm enough. The soup can be brought out in a big jug, and poured into the cups. The idea is simply to make a nicelyflavoured savoury jelly, and in it set flaked fish, sheep’s tongues, minced ham; left-over poultry; or green peas, slices of tomato or hard-boiled. egg, or what not. You have scope for ingenuity and even artistry in arranging the mould so. that when turned out the appearance will be charming. Arrange slices of hardboiled egg and slices of tomato at the bottom of the mould-or asparagus tips and a few green peas-and pour a little of the jelly over; then stand the mould in cold water to set quickly. On top of this, when set, arrange the other ingredients, either in layers or as a mixture, and pour over the rest of the jelly. You can also coat the whole of the inside of the mould with clear jelly and | set egg-slices, etc., all round. There was a fashion-which is really most effective -for setting pansies (stalks removed) or violets or daisies at the bottom of a mould; dip the flower-heads in the gelatine mixture and then press them against the sides of the mould, In America they specialise in different shaped moulds for these savoury meals -ring moulds, for instance, which allow the centre of a fish or meat jellied mould to be filled with vegetables of a contrasting colour; star-shaped moulds; or crescents; or even a fish, curved round a little.. Probably we shall get these made in New Zealand now the war is over. Remember that. one ~~ dessertspoon (%4oz.) of powdered gelatin will set a breakfastcup (12 pint) of liquid. If you set it in a refrigerator you need a little ‘less gelatin, or the jelly will be too chewy instead of soft and shivery. Crayfish Salad (American) Dissolve 1 tablespoon of powdered gelatin in % cup of hot water, Add this to 2 cups of your favourite mayonnaise, stirring well. Have ready mixed in a bowl the chopped crayfish (about %lb.), 2 chopped-up hard-boiled eggs, 2 tablespoons capers, 1 tablespoon minced onion--and a few chopped olives, if obtainable. Add the mayonnaise to this,

mixing thoroughly. Set in a mould. To serve, turn out on a bed of lettuce, and surround with small lettuce leaves and wedges of tomato. Cucumber in season. Jellied Fish Dissolve 142 dessertspoons of powdered gelatin in 4% cup of hot: water; add 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 dessertspoon vinegar, a teaspoon of salt and then a cup of cold water. (Use a breakfast cup, ¥% pint). Pour a little of this liquid into a mould or basin, and stand in cold water to set quickly. When it is firm, arrange slices of hard-boiled egg upon it, for a decoration. Then just cover with a little’ more of the liquid and let it set, or nearly so. Meanwhile mix together 2 cupfuls of flaked, cooked fish, a desertspoon of chopped pickles (gherkins or cucumbers are the best for this) and a few chopped capers. Now fill the mould with layers of flavoured fish and slices of hard-boiled egg. About 2 eggs altogether should suffice. Pour over all the now-thickening gelatin liquid and leave the mould to set. Serve with lettuce and salad dressing. The cold liquor in which the fish was, cooked may be used instead of the cold water. Luncheon Sausage in Jelly (Coupon-Saver) You can use veal-broth or clear stock for the jelly, flavoured with onion and Worcester sauce and allspice, or peppercorns and parsjey, and allowing a dessertspoon of powdered gelatin, dissolved in a little hot water, to each breakfastcup. Or you can make it with water-put into a saucepan 14 pint cold water, a small chopped onion, a dessertspoon Worcester sauce, a few cloves, peppercorns (or some pepper), a little salt, a dash of nutmeg, a dessertspoon of chopped. parsley, and boil up for 5 minutes. Then strain and stir in 2 dessertspoons of powdered gelatin dissolved in 4% cup of hot water. Leave till cool, but not set. Then pour a little into a round mould (a cake-tin will do) and stand in cold water to set. Arrange slices of hard-boiled egg, strips of beetroot, or anything decorative, on this; then pour more cold jelly over, and let set. Then arrange slices of luncheon sausage round the side of the mould, and fill the centre with layers of sausage; slices of hard-boiled egg, and tomato or anything you fancy.. Pour the rest of the liquid over all, and ledve to set. Vary this recipe by using rabbit and bacon; veal and ham and so on. Mock Oyster Salad 2 (Coupon-Saver) Prepare and cook a set of rains. Mash while hot with a tablespoon of oyster soup powder, If not available, use any other flavoured soup powder preferred, Season with nutmeg, pepper and salt. Keep warm (by standing the basin in hot water) while you make the jelly. Melt 3 or 4 ounces of good shortening (butter is best) in a saucepan, stirring in 2 tablespoons of oyster soup powder (or whatever flavour you used with the (continued on next page)

(continued from previous page) brains). Gradually add % pint of hot milk, and a dash of nutmeg. Then stir in the brains. Dissolve 2 dessertspoons of powdered gelatin in 42 cup of hot water, and carefully stir into the mixture. Set in either one big mould, or in individual ones. Serve with lettuce or cress. |