Modern "cheffy" salads have nothing on this dating from over six hundred years ago. Just shows, there's nothing new under the sun.

I can't say the recipe is "tried and tested" by us so far, but I bet it soon will be.

Salat
Take persel, sawge, grene garlec, chibolles, oynouns, leek, borage, myntes, porrettes, fennel, and toun cressis, rew, rosemarye, purslarye: laue and waische hem clene. Pike hem. Pluk hem small wiÞ Þyn honde, and myng hem wel with rawe oile; lay on vyneger and salt, and serue it forth.

Translation: take parsley, sage, green garlic (ramsons), spring onions, onions, leek, borage, mint, young leeks or green onions, fennel, garden cress, rue, rosemary, purslane; wash them clean. Pick them. Pluck them small with your hand, and mix them well with raw oil; add vinegar and salt, and serve it forth.

From The Forme of Cury,
A Roll
Of
Ancient English Cookery,
Compiled, about A.D. 1390, by the
Master-Cooks of King Richard II,

For more recipes go to

http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/foc/

Wow that is an ancient recipe Alan, certainly not lacking in flavour! I have an old Mrs Beetons book which makes fascinating reading.

A much older one - best part of 2000 years:

Sala Cattabia Apiciana (from Apicius' De Re Coquinaria) IV, i, 1

Aliter sala cattabia Apiciana: adicies in mortario apii semen, puleium aridum, mentam aridam, gingiber, coriandrum viridem, uvam passam enucleatam, mel, acetum, oleum et vinum. conteres. adicies in caccabulo panis Picentini frustra, interpones pulpas pulli, glandulas haedinas, caseum Vestinum, nucleos pineos, cucumeres, cepas aridas minute concisas. ius supra perfundes. insuper nivem sub hora asparges et inferes.

Translation Another, Apician Potted Salad: In a mortar, combine celery seed, dried pennyroyal, dried mint, ginger, green coriander, seedless raisins, honey, vinegar, olive oil and wine. Strew pieces of Picentian bread in your salad bowl, arranging them in alternate layers with pieces of chicken, kid goat sweetbreads, Vestinian cheese, pine nuts, cucumbers, and dried onions, finely chopped. Pour the dressing, made above, over the potted salad. Pack in snow until the dinner hour and serve.

I will remember this one when the snow is on the ground.
I wonder what they would think of our modern supermarket ready meals, theirs look much healthier and more interesting.

I expect this will turn up in some chef's cook book soon as their new idea!

Westi

Not yet, but it's turned up in the new KG magazine

And deservedly so, Alan.....