To make several Sallads, and all very good is a traditional Stuart recipe for a classic dish of wild or farmed shoots that are boiled and served in a butter and vinegar sauce. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Stuart version of: To make several Sallads, and all very good.
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Original Recipe
To make several Sallads, and all very good (from Hannah Woolley's Queen-like Closet 1670)
45. To make ſeveral Sallads, and all very good.
Take either the ſtalks of Mallows, or Turnip ſtalks when they run to seed, or stalks of the herb Mercury with the ſeedy head, either of theſe while they are tender put into boiling Water and Salt, and boiled tender, and then Butter and Vinegar over them.
Modern Redaction
The Stuarts were notorious for the lack of vegetables in their diet. Mostly because they distrusted anything that grew in the ground, believing that it might transmit pestilence. Parsnips were a rare exception to this, valued because of their sweetness. However, they shared the Elizabethans' taste for 'sallets' (salads). The term was broad and could mean a mix of leafy greens nad meats or could be boiled greens or vegetables dressed in sauce.
The herb known as Mercury in this recipe is Mercurialis annua (annual mercury), a member of the spurge family common throughout Europe. At one time, it was commonly grown as a leafy vegetable. However, in the raw state the plant is poisonous. Though the toxin is destroyed and leached out by thorough boiling, it is best to avoid the plant. Common mallow stalks (and leaves) and turnip tops are quite edible though (you could also substitute purple sprouting broccoli, the commonest modern equivalent), so I have based this redaction on those plants.
Ingredients:
200g common mallow leaves and young stalks
350g flower stalks from turnips (or purple sprouting broccoli)
100g butter
4 tbsp white wine vinegar
freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
salt, to taste
Method:
Bring a pan of salted water to a boil. Add the stalks (do not add any leaves yet) and boil for about 15 minutes. Five minutes before they are due to be ready, add the leaves.
In the meantime, melt the butter in a pan, whisk in the vinegar and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Heat gently until thickened and take off the heat.
Drain the greens well, add to the pan with the sauce, allow to heat through and serve hot.
Note: This could also be made with Good King Henry stalks, Fat Hen stalks and Common Hogweed shoots, which would be well in period, but more suited to a more frugal household.
