Mystery Salad

David · Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2010 3:56 pm Post subject: Mystery Salad

Quite some time ago we had a thread of vile and disgusting recipes. In that fine tradition I offer "MYSTERY SALAD", courtesy my friend Daniel Drolet (who, I hasten to add, appreciates it for what it is!)

1 envelope onion dip
.25 cups sour cream
.50 cups mayonnaise
2.5 cups shredded cabbage
.33 cups sliced black olives
2 tomatoes, peeled and diced
2 cans sardines
hard cooked egg slices
chopped parsley

1. Combine 1st three ingredients to blend, then toss with cabbage, olives and tomatoes.

2. Pile into bowl lined with shredded lettuce or endive. Top with drrained sardines and egg slices, sprinkle with parsley.

Enjoy!
_________________
Vivant Linguae Mortuae!!

Snowy Owl · Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2010 10:15 pm Post subject:

Oh my Goodness David!

What a salad ... the onion dip at the outset kinda threw me off ... and then the sardines .... somehow my mouth tasted everything individually and my mind still cannot grasp what it would taste like as a whole ....

Sure made me laugh ...

KYHeirloomer · Joined: 21 Aug 2007 Posts: 552 Location: Central Kentucky

But, David. If you substituted white anchovies for the sardines I'm sure one of the celebrity chefs would be touting the heck out of it.

You call it mystery salad. I call it Olive Slaw Garnished with Anchovy & Egg Confetti

I better run copyright that, I reckon. Twisted Evil

georgia · Joined: 16 May 2006 Posts: 456 Location: california

This recipe got is name because the Mystery is why anyone would want to make it Rolling Eyes

_________________
So far, so good.

David · Posted: Fri Feb 12, 2010 4:01 pm Post subject:

Ha ha, yes much to ponder!! Oh KY, love your wit!
_________________
Vivant Linguae Mortuae!!

KYHeirloomer · Joined: 21 Aug 2007 Posts: 552 Location: Central Kentucky

That's no mystery, Gergia.

The fact is, if you put together any assemblage of ingredients, somebody would combine them all. And, no doubt, serve the result at their next party.

Mmel'ours · Joined: 10 Nov 2009 Posts: 41 Location: Chicago suburbs

David, I don't know what caused you to post this, but if it was something I did or said, I'm sorry. Wink

_________________
"Food is an important part of a balanced diet..." Fran Leibowitz

David · Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2010 4:56 pm Post subject:

Ha ha, no worries Mmel'ours! I'm sure you're over the dry heaves now!

Snowy Owl, the Daniel Drolet I got the recipe from is indeed the same one you read in the Ottawa Citizen.
_________________
Vivant Linguae Mortuae!!

gingerpale · Joined: 23 Jan 2006 Posts: 1324

I read this over again, carefully, and I can't figure out why you'd need to drain the sardines!

Donna · Joined: 14 Oct 2005 Posts: 827 Location: Oakland, CA

Anything that starts off with a packet of onion dip mix should be avoided at all costs!

Rolling Eyes

_________________
L'appetit vient en mangeant. -Rabelais

David · Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2010 4:24 pm Post subject:

I think draining the sardines gives this dish just that smack of extra class it deserves!
_________________
Vivant Linguae Mortuae!!

David · Posted: Thu Feb 18, 2010 7:51 pm Post subject:

I just found out that the recipe was discovered in a 1965 issue of Chatelaine magazine.
_________________
Vivant Linguae Mortuae!!

gingerpale · Joined: 23 Jan 2006 Posts: 1324

I looked up Chatelaine -- a Canadian "woman's magazine". Still published, we'd probably *like* the current issue's food.
I have a couple of old cookbooks from the Canadian "Bridge" series, 1980s. Not bad at all, many rock solid, dare-you-to-turn-up-your-nose recipes!

Sometimes "women's magazines" are a little too wholesome for me. I don't need cigars and martinis, just a little less ... wholesome.

dory · Joined: 11 Nov 2007 Posts: 236 Location: Madison, WI

The worst part of it is that it probably would have gotten eaten in the home I grew up in-- minus the sardines which we didn't eat. However we did eat canned clams, so imagine if a can of them had gone in-- drained of course.

MY mom who detested cooking was excessively fond of processed food. There were dynamics between her parents which caused this I think, but the result was pretty disgusting food when I was growing up. Some examples:

1. Chop suey. Cut a cheap cut of steak into strips, leaving some of the strips incompletely cut so they accordion out when you pick them up with a fork. Take a can of Chun King chop suey which was actually two small cans taped together. Pour bottom can of brown gravy and lumps of unrecognizable vegetables over meat and simmer. Open top can which contained limp and metallic tasting mung bean sprouts in salty liquid. Drain. Mix into rest and serve.
2. Pea salad. Mix one can of green peas, drained, with several tablespoons of mayo. Add a handful of cubed American cheese. Mix. Serve. Note: What is American cheese, anyway? I think of it as anything that is bright yellow and has a sort of mild but plasticky taste. Coming from Wisconsin there was really nice cheese available when I was growing up. Why do we have to call the worse cheese "American?"

At least we never ate canned green bean and canned fried onion casserole in my house. That would have been too much even for me. I never figured out why canned soup, canned beans and canned onions were so intimately associated with Christmas for so many people.

Dory

KYHeirloomer · Joined: 21 Aug 2007 Posts: 552 Location: Central Kentucky

To answer your question, American cheese isn't even cheese. It is, technically and legally, a "processed cheese product." Essentially, it's hydrogenated oil and cheese byproducts disguised to look like slices of cheddar.

Using the same process, and leaving it it a solid block, you get Velveta.

It could be worse. One of the great icons of American regional cooking actually uses cheese whiz.