The weather has been beyond wonderful and far be it for a Cordovan to complain about having to water the garden! The sunshine has our container garden thriving with an abundance of lettuce, greens, and herbs. The warmer, summer weather is leading me to “no-cook” recipes for lighter, cooler meals.
Leftover halibut in the refrigerator led to a meal of chopped halibut, cream cheese, chives (and their blossoms), toasted and chopped pecans, and for pizazz, chopped candied jalapenos – all served on a mound of fresh lettuce. I tried a similar spread with salmon using shredded carrots, red onion, chopped celery from the garden, as well as toasted and chopped pistachios.
This had me wondering what salads and hot weather meal ideas I might find in my collection of Cordovan and Alaskan cookbooks on the shelf. My love for cookbooks is inherited from my Mama – maybe it could be called an addiction (insert Dixon smirk). There are some evenings I would rather read a cookbook than the newest fiction best seller.
The first one off the shelf was the 1955 edition of “Cordova’s Cookin,’” gifted to me by Lavon Branshaw, matriarch of the Branshaw family. This well-worn cookbook came to me complete with all Lavon’s notes on various pages. “Good! Makes 4 loaves” is written on the bread recipe by Violet Simpler, along with “a bit more” says the pencil marks beside the 12 cups of flour.
The salad section has 17 recipes and is the smallest chapter in this historical cookbook. Most of the salads are seafood based or involve canned vegetables and Jello, but keep in mind this is Cordova in 1955! Here are two recipes you might want to give a go:
Fish and vegetable salad
By Lora Dettinger ,11 years of age
Serves 6-8
Directions:
Flake 2 cups of cooked fish and chill.
Dice 1 cup of celery, 1 Tablespoon of pickles, 1 cup of sliced cooked beets, and 2 hard-boiled eggs.
Combine with ½ a cup of French dressing, and chill.
Right before serving, toss the fish, vegetables, and ½ cup mayonnaise together lightly.
Serve on lettuce leaves.
Tomato shrimp salad
By Dona Buck
Serves 8
Ingredients:
1 can tomato juice
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 package lemon Jello
¼ teaspoon paprika
1 small can of shrimp
Directions:
Heat tomato juice and add to Jello. Stir until dissolved.
Add shrimp, vinegar and paprika, mixing well.
Pour into individual molds.
Serve on lettuce and top with mayonnaise.
Spaghetti salad from a 1982 USFS Potluck
*In case you weren’t tempted by the 1955 classics, here is a 1982 salad perfect for a potluck or summer picnic. It needs to marinate for 24 hours, so make it ahead of time.
Directions:
Mix together the following ingredients and marinate for 24 hours.
1 pound cooked spaghetti
1 bottle Italian dressing
1 bottle Salad Supreme (Not sure they make this anymore, but it was a mix of crunchy bits)
1 clove garlic
1 cup chopped tomato
1 cup chopped cucumber
1 cup chopped green peppers
1 cup chopped green onions
Cheers! Here’s to good cooking!
