CRAB RICE SALAD

INGREDIENTS

4-5oz canned crab meat
6oz long grain rice
1 green or red pepper shredded
Salt & pepper
1 clove garlic cut
3oz black olives stoned
2oz button mushrooms thinly sliced
1oz walnut kernels coarsely chopped
Dressing:-
Juice of 1 small lemon
3 -4 tbsp olive oil
Salt
Fresh ground pepper 

METHOD

Turn out the crab meat and flake with a fork. Boil the rice until tender (approx 12 minutes) drain, rinse with a little hot water and drain again. Spread the rice on a baking sheet and leave in an airy place to dry. Shred and blanch the pepper. Combine the ingredients for the dressing. Rub the cut garlic round the serving dish. While the rice is still warm season it well with the salt and pepper and mix with the dressing. When the rice is quite cold, stir in the crab meat, shredded pepper, olives and raw mushrooms. Fork up well to mix thoroughly. Scatter the walnuts over the top to serve.

CHICKEN & CHERRY SALAD

INGREDIENTS

31b roasting chicken
Salt & pepper
2oz butter
½ pint chicken stock
1 tbsp wine vinegar
4 tbsp oil
1 tbsp mixed chopped fresh herbs (parsley, mint, & thyme)
1 1b red cherries stoned
Tarragon or salad dressing of your choice
2 lettuce hearts

METHOD

Preheat oven to 400f or gas mark 6. Season & rub ½ oz butter inside the chicken, rub the remaining butter over it. Place the chicken side up in a roasting tin with 1/4 pint of the chicken stock, cover with buttered paper and roast for approx 1 hour. After the first 15 – 20 minutes, when the flesh should be set but not coloured, baste and turn on one side. Baste and turn again after another 15 – 20 minutes and finish off with the breast side up again, removing the buttered paper for the last few minutes of roasting. The chicken should be well browned on all sides. Pour in the remaining stock, boil it up well, strain and reserve. Carve chicken and arrange meat round a serving dish, mix the vinegar and salt & pepper and whisk in the oil. Remove the fat from the chicken juices and add these with the herbs to the oil and vinegar. Mix the cherries with the salad dressing. Arrange the chicken on a serving dish. Split the lettuce hearts and fill with the cherry mixture and place in the centre of the chicken to serve.

CHICKEN & AVOCADO SALAD

INGREDIENTS

3 1b roasting chicken
1 onion peeled
1 carrot peeled
Bouquet garni
1 tsp salt
6 peppercorns
1 head of celery
4oz walnuts
½ pint boiled dressing or mayonnaise
2 avocado pears peeled, stoned, and quartered
4 tbsp French dressing
1 tbsp chopped parsley and chives mixed
1 tsp chopped gherkin. 

METHOD

Put the chicken in a pot and cover with hot water. Add the onion, carrot, bouquet garni and seasoning and simmer gently for approx 1 hour or until tender. Leave to cool in the liquid. Wash & trim the celery and cut into sticks 1 – 1 ½ inches in length, soak in ice cold water for about 1 hour, then drain and dry. Remove the skin and bones from the chicken, cut the flesh into neat finger size pieces and mix with the celery and walnuts, pour the boiled dressing or mayonnaise over them and toss to coat well. Turn the chicken salad onto a serving dish and surround with with avocado pears. Mix the French dressing with the herbs and gherkin and spoon at once over the avocados.

ROQUEFORT & WALNUT SALAD

INGREDIENTS

2 lettuce hearts only
3 slices of white bread
1 ½ oz Roquefort or other blue cheese (crushed)
6 large walnuts
8 tbsp French dressing 

METHOD

Wash and dry lettuces, chill until crisp.  Cut crusts from bread and toast until golden brown, when cold cut each slice into four and spread with the crushed Roquefort.  Just before serving mix lettuce, walnuts and Roquefort toasts with the dressing

CERLERY, APPLE & WALNUT SALAD

INGREDIENTS

1 large head of celery
2 Cox’s apples
Handful of walnuts
French dressing
Parsley chopped to garnish 

METHOD

Trim and wash the celery, cut into 2 inch lengths, then cut down wards into sticks. Leave in ice cold water to crisp for 30 minutes, then drain and dry thoroughly. Put the celery in a bowl with the apples cored and sliced but not peeled and the walnuts. Mix with enough French dressing to moisten well. Leave to stand for 30 – 60 minutes and scatter with chopped parsley just before serving.