An Excellent Salad
"The yolks of two hard eggs well beat up, with some salt and mustard, one spoonful of vinegar, one spoonful of salad oil. Chop up some Tarragon (Chervil - and add it all to the sauce. and then cut up the Lettuce into large pieces and the whites of the egg cut up - Before the Salad is cut up you must mind to stir up the sauce. with the herbs in it, and then stir it all well together"
Note on the Original Text
The recipe is written in the informal, flowing prose style common in handwritten cookbooks of the mid-19th century. Instructions are direct, assuming the cook's familiarity with basic preparation and seasoning. Spelling is generally modern, though capitalisation and punctuation may seem idiosyncratic by today's standards. Some ingredients, like tarragon and chervil, were prized for their aromatic qualities, while the use of 'salad oil' referred to whatever mild, available oil could be obtained, usually imported. Quantities are loosely specified, reflecting both the flexible ratios of the time and the cook's practical knowledge.
Title
Recipe book of Charles Ellice, Colonel, 24th Regiment (1856)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Charles Ellice, Colonel
Era
1856
Publisher
Colonel Charles Ellice
Background
A charming manuscript cookbook chronicling the culinary escapades of Colonel Charles Ellice during his globe-trotting military career, featuring recipes from Highland butter to yeastless bread, spicy curries, and even a dash of Victorian medicine—all penned alongside evocative ink sketches and a personal index.
Kindly made available by
McGill University
This charming salad comes from the mid-19th century manuscript cookbook of Colonel Charles Ellice. Compiled between 1856 and 1881, often while Ellice was stationed in India, the book reflects the mobile and cosmopolitan life of a British military officer abroad. Recipes like this—simple, resourceful, and flexible—allowed home cooks and officers to make use of ingredients available to them, whether on a Scottish estate or in colonial barracks. Ellice's handwritten recipe collection includes not just culinary delights but also medical remedies, capturing daily life and domestic practices of upper-class Victorian Britain as shaped by travel and empire.
Back in Ellice's day, this salad would have been prepared with basic kitchen tools: a knife for chopping herbs, eggs, and lettuce; a sturdy fork or pestle for mashing egg yolks; a bowl for mixing; and perhaps a wooden spoon for combining everything. Hard-boiling the eggs would have been done over an open fire or on a coal stove. Serving vessels would have been glass or ceramic, with presentation kept rustic and practical rather than elaborate.
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Servings
2
We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- Pinch of salt (about 0.04oz)
- 1 teaspoon (0.18oz) prepared mustard (Dijon recommended)
- 1 tablespoon (0.5 fl oz) white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon (0.5 fl oz) neutral salad oil (such as sunflower or light olive oil)
- 0.1oz fresh tarragon, finely chopped
- 0.1oz fresh chervil, finely chopped (or additional tarragon if unavailable)
- 1 large head (9oz) fresh lettuce
Instructions
- Begin by hard-boiling two large eggs.
- Once cooled, separate the yolks from the whites.
- Place the yolks into a bowl and mash them thoroughly with a fork.
- Add a pinch of salt and 1 teaspoon (0.18oz) of prepared mustard.
- Gradually mix in 1 tablespoon (0.5 fl oz) of white wine vinegar and 1 tablespoon (0.5 fl oz) of a neutral salad oil (such as sunflower or light olive oil) to create a smooth dressing.
- Finely chop a small handful (about 0.1oz) of fresh tarragon and, if available, fresh chervil, adding them to the dressing.
- Stir everything well to combine.
- Roughly chop one large head (about 9oz) of fresh lettuce into large pieces.
- Chop the egg whites into pieces as well.
- Just before serving, toss the lettuce and chopped whites into the bowl with the sauce, ensuring everything is well coated.
- Serve immediately.
Estimated Calories
185 per serving
Cooking Estimates
Boil the eggs, then prepare the dressing and toss with lettuce. The process is quick and simple, with just a few minutes needed for preparation after the eggs are boiled and cooled.
As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.
We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.
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