326 FRENCH COOKERY OF VEGETABLES 



more delicate if the oil is omitted, and cream used in 

 its place. The French recipe for mixing is one part 

 vinegar to two parts oil, and if the vinegar is very 

 strong even a smaller quantity is required. 



The great mistake made by many English cooks 

 is to cut a Lettuce into too small pieces. In France 

 a leaf is divided into three or at most four parts, 

 washed, and then well drained in a wire basket, and 

 only dressed at the moment of serving. Cooked 

 vegetables, on the other hand, should be dressed some 

 time in advance to allow the vinegar to penetrate. 



A good Potato salad is made with a mayonnaise 

 and a sprinkling of capers, but care should be taken 

 to boil the Potatoes in their skins and only peel them 

 afterwards, so that the flavour is not lost in the 

 water. 



A fancy salad, once the rage in Paris, was invented 

 by Dumas fils and is described in his famous comedy 

 " Francillon," produced at the Comedie-Fran^aise, 

 and wherein truffles play an important part. But 

 beyond being rather costly it was not interesting. 

 Fancy salads have always been a favourite dish 

 with the French, and besides the mayonnaise of 

 vegetables, called Salade Russe, a popular salad is La 

 Malgache. This deserves a minute description, as if 

 once known in England it will be surely as popular 

 on one side of the Channel as on the other. Boil four 

 or five Kidney Potatoes in their skins, peel them and 

 cut them in slices, not too thick, and put them in a 

 salad bowl. Boil also a large Celery root after having 



