Old-Fashioned Novel Tomato Salad (Cherry Tomato Salad)

Cherry tomatoes are colorful, vibrant, and zesty. So, when I saw a hundred-year-old recipe for a cherry tomato salad, I decided to give it a try.

Novel Tomato Salad (Cherry Tomato Salad) made an attractive presentation, and was tasty. Yellow and red cherry tomatoes are arranged on a bed of lettuce and then topped with a vinaigrette-style dressing.

The recipe called for peeling the cherry tomatoes. A hundred-years-ago tomatoes were often peeled, but, since they are almost never peeled today, I considered skipping that step. However, in the end, I decided to follow the old recipe’s instructions, and peeled the tomatoes. The peeling was a little tedious– but after peeling the first 2 or 3 tomatoes, I got the hang of it, and the rest went quickly.

The salad made a nice presentation and was tasty. The peeling of the tomatoes affected both the look of the salad and the texture. The peeled cherry tomatoes were soft and juicy without the usual firmness of the skins. The tomatoes looked lovely arranged in the bowl, but had a soft, textured look rather then their usual shiny waxy skin. Also, the peeled cherry tomatoes soaked up more of the dressing which added additional flavor.

Here’s the original recipe:

Recipe for Novel Tomato Salad (Cherry Tomato Salad) — Source: The New Winston Cook Book of Guaranteed Recipes (1926)

When I arranged the cherry tomatoes, in order to make a circle of red cherry tomatoes around the yellow ones, I needed more red tomatoes than yellow ones. When I updated the recipe, I increased the amount of red tomatoes to 1 1/2 cups, but this is a very flexible recipe, and the the number of cherry tomatoes needed of each color will vary greatly based on the size of the bowl and size of the tomatoes.

I’ve made several recipes this year which called for French Dressing. As I’ve previously indicated, a hundred years ago, French Dressing was a vinaigrette dressing, and quite different from the commercial, orange-colored French dressing that is common today. Here is the French Dressing recipe in the cookbook which contained the Novel Tomato Salad (Cherry Tomato Salad) recipe:

Recipe for French Dressing — Source: The New Winston Cook Book of Guaranteed Recipes (1926)

I halved the recipe when I made it. I’ve previously posted this same French Dressing recipe as part of the recipes for Green Bean Salad (with Nasturtiums) and Cottage Cheese and Tomato Salad.

Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:

Novel Tomato Salad (Cherry Tomato Salad)

Servings: 4 - 5
Time: 30 minutes active prep time
Difficulty: moderate
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water

1 1/2 cups red cherry tomatoes

1 cup yellow cherry tomatoes

French Dressing

heart leaves of iceberg lettuce (or use the leaves of another type of lettuce)

1 clove garlic

parsley, for garnish

Step 1. Put water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Put a few tomatoes at a time into the boiling water, scald for 15-30 seconds. Remove from water and peel the loosened skins from the tomatoes.

Step 2. Put the peeled tomatoes in the French dressing (see recipe below). Put tomatoes in refrigerator to chill and marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Step 3. Peel garlic and cut in half, then rub serving bowl with the garlic.

Step 4. Line bowl with lettuce, then put the peeled yellow tomatoes in the center and the red tomatoes around the yellow ones. If desired, sprinkle with additional French dressing.

Step 5. Garnish with springs of parsley.

French Dressing (Vinaigrette Dressing)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon paprika

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon vinegar

Step 1. Put the salt and paprika in a small bowl.

Step 2. Gradually add the olive oil while stirring constantly.

Step 3. Then slowly add the vinegar, a small amount at a time, while continuing to stir.

http://www.ahundredyearsago.com

Old-Fashioned Cottage Cheese and Tomato Salad

Sometimes I get in a rut when making salads, and basically make the same lettuce salad almost daily. It was time to look for some “new” salads, so I started browsing through my hundred-year-old cookbooks and came across a recipe for Cheese and Tomato Salad, or to be more specific, Cottage Cheese and Tomato Salad.

Medium tomatoes are stuffed with a cottage cheese, paprika, and chopped almond mixture; and, served with a vinaigrette dressing. The salad was lovely, with the sweet, slightly acidic taste of the tomatoes balancing nicely with the mild, salty, tanginess of the cottage cheese. The chopped almonds added a nice, crunchy texture.

Here is the original recipe:

Recipe for (Cottage) Cheese and Tomato Salad — Source: Westminster Cook Book 1926 (Cherokee, Iowa)

I decided to stuff three tomatoes, so, in the updated ingredients list, I included amounts needed to stuff that many tomatoes. A hundred-years-ago tomatoes were often peeled, but today they are seldom peeled, so I did not peel them when I made the recipe. Since cottage cheese (as well as the French Dressing) already contains salt, I did not add additional salt to the stuffing mixture.

The old recipe called for serving the salad with French Dressing. A hundred years ago, French Dressing was a vinaigrette dressing, and quite different from the commercial, orange-colored French dressing that is common today. There was no recipe for French Dressing in the cookbook that contained the salad recipe, so I found a French Dressing recipe in another cookbook:

This recipe makes more French dressing than needed for three stuffed tomatoes, so I halved the recipe.

Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:

Cottage Cheese and Tomato Salad

Servings: 3
Time: 15 minutes
Difficulty: moderate
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3 medium tomatoes (Select tomatoes that are nicely shaped and that will be level when placed on a plate.)

1/2 cup cottage cheese

1/8 teaspoon paprika (plus additional paprika to garnish, if desired)

2 tablespoons almonds, chopped (plus additional chopped almonds to garnish, if desired)

lettuce leaves, if desired

Step 1. Cut the top of the tomatoes and then scoop out the pulp in the center. (Be sure to leave the shell of the tomato.) Turn tomato upside down on a plate to drain out any remaining liquid.

Step 2. Make the filling for the tomatoes by putting the cottage cheese, paprika, and almonds in a small bowl; stir until mixed.

Step 3. Stuff the tomatoes with the filling. If desired, sprinkle additional paprika and chopped almonds on top. The stuffed tomatoes may be served on lettuce leaves and with French Dressing (recipe below).

French Dressing (Vinaigrette Dressing)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon paprika

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon vinegar

Step 1. Put the salt and paprika in a small bowl.

Step 2. Gradually add the olive oil while stirring constantly.

Step 3. Then slowly add the vinegar, a small amount at a time, while continuing to stir.

http://www.ahundredyearsago.com

Tomato Surprise (Stuffed Tomatoes with Scrambled Eggs and Celery)

Tomato Surprise on plate

Sometimes recipe titles in hundred-year-old cook books aren’t very descriptive. For example, a recipe for Tomato Surprise left me scratching my head until I read the recipe directions. Tomato Surprise actually was a recipe for tomatoes stuffed with scrambled eggs and celery.

Tomato Surprise was tasty and made a nice presentation. I made it for a light dinner, but it would work well for breakfast, brunch, or lunch.

Here’s the original recipe:

Recipe for Tomato Surprise — Source: Larkin Housewives’ Cook Book (1923)

When I made this recipe, I had a lot the scrambled egg mixture left over after I stuffed the tomatoes. The recipe author must have used larger tomatoes than what I used. I revised the recipe to indicate that 3-6 tomatoes should be used, depending upon the size of the tomatoes.

Four stalks of celery seemed like a lot (maybe the stalks were smaller a hundred years ago), so I used 2 stalks.

A hundred-years-ago tomatoes were often peeled. The original recipe called for peeling tomatoes, but I couldn’t bring myself to peel the tomatoes, so I left the skin on.

I didn’t have onion juice, so I substituted 1/8 teaspoon of onion powder.

And, I decided that the tomatoes didn’t need to be served with lettuce or salad dressing.

Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:

Tomato Surprise (Stuffed Tomatoes with Scrambled Eggs and Celery)

Servings: 3 - 6
Time: 20 minutes
Difficulty: moderate
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3 – 6 tomatoes (depending upon tomato size)

2 stalks celery, chopped

6 eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt

dash cayenne (red) pepper

1/8 teaspoon onion juice

4 tablespoons milk

1 tablespoon butter

lettuce leaves, optional

salad dressing, optional

Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:

Using a knife remove the stem end and the firm core from the tomato and discard. Scoop out the tomato pulp, place in a strainer and drain off any excess liquid. Chop the pulp. Set aside. Turn the tomato shells upside down on a plate to drain any liquid out of them.

In the meantime, break the eggs into a bowl. Beat eggs until smooth, then add the salt, cayenne pepper, onion powder, and milk. Beat until combined.

Using medium heat, melt butter in skillet, add egg mixture and cook the eggs until set. Periodically stir and fold the eggs until they are completely cooked. Removed from heat and stir in the chopped tomato pulp and celery. Stuff the tomato shells with the mixture.

If desired, serve on lettuce leaves with salad dressing.

http://www.ahundredyearsago.com

Old-Fashioned Tomato and Cauliflower Salad

Tomato and Cauliflower Salad is a tasty, attractive salad – though it seems very old-fashioned. A hundred years ago salads were frequently arranged on a plate on a bed of lettuce, and this salad is a nice example of that type of salad.

For this salad, tomato slices are arranged in a circle on top of the lettuce. A dab of mayonnaise is spread around the center of the plate. The mayonnaise is then topped with the small cauliflower florets that have been marinated in French salad dressing. I made homemade French dressing using an old recipe that I previously posted. A hundred years ago French dressing was a vinaigrette with paprika rather than the typical orange bottled dressing that is common today.

When I served this salad, my daughter asked if she should eat the lettuce. I said that I don’t think that lettuce beds are typically eaten, but that she should go ahead and eat it if she wanted. I wonder why lettuce is generally left uneaten with this type of salad.

Here’s the original recipe:

Recipe for Tomato and Cauliflower Salad — Source: The New Cookery (1921) by Lenna Frances Cooper

I made several minor adaptions to this recipe. I skipped peeling the tomatoes. A hundred-years-ago tomatoes were often peeled, but today almost never. (And, I know from previous experiences doing various tomato salad posts that -at least by modern standards – that peeled tomatoes don’t look very good in a photo.)

I used less mayonnaise than the original recipe called for. I just thickly spread a dab of mayonnaise on the lettuce in the center of the plate.

Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:

Tomato and Cauliflower Salad

Servings: 3
Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Difficulty: easy
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1 cup cauliflower florets (raw or lightly streamed and then cooled)

1/4 cup French salad dressing (I used a hundred-year-old recipe that I previously posted.)

3 medium tomatoes

mayonnaise

lettuce leaves

Put the cauliflower in a small bowl. Pour French dressing over the cauliflower and stir gently to coat. Set aside. Arrange the lettuce on plate(s). Core tomatoes and cut into sixths. Arrange in a the tomato slices on the plate(s). Place dollop of mayonnaise in the center; spread over the lettuce in the center of the plate with the back of a spoon. Drain cauliflower, and put on top of the mayonnaise.

http://www.ahundredyears.com

Old-fashioned Tomato Fritters

The tomatoes are rapidly ripening in the garden (and I’m getting close to having excess tomatoes, if such a thing is possible), so I looked for a hundred-year-old tomato recipe. And, I think that found a winner. Old-fashioned Tomato Fritters make a tasty appetizer or side dish. The fritters are crispy and take only a few minutes to make.

Here’s the original recipe:

tomato fritter recipe — Source: American Cookery (March, 1920)

Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:

Tomato Fritters

Servings: 4 - 6
Time: 20 minutes
Difficulty: moderate
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2 cups flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 egg

1/2 cup water or meat/vegetable stock (I used water.)

1 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped

2 – 3 medium tomatoes, finely chopped (or use 1 1/2 cups canned tomatoes)

1 tablespoons grated cheese (I used Parmesan cheese.)

Shortening or cooking oil

Put flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, egg, and water or stock in a mixing bowl; beat until thoroughly combined. Stir in parsley and tomatoes. Add grated cheese and continue stirring until combined.

Melt shortening or cooking oil in a skillet. Using a tablespoon, drop mixture by spoonfuls into the hot shortening or oil. Fry until lightly browned; flip and cook other side. Drain on paper towels.

If desired, serve with a tomato sauce dip.

http://www.ahundredyearsago.com

Old-fashioned Tomato and Nut Salad (Stuffed Tomato with Nut Salad)

The dog days of summer are upon us, but the good news is that delectable garden-fresh tomatoes are plentiful. So I was thrilled to recently find a hundred-year-old recipe for Tomato and Nut Salad. This is really a stuffed tomato recipe. The tomato is stuffed with a mixture of chopped tomatoes, walnuts, and green pepper, with a little mayonnaise for added flavor and to bind everything together. The crunchy stuffing reminds me of Waldorf salad – though that isn’t exactly an accurate description since there are no apples in this recipe.

The recipe calls for peeling the tomato. I almost skipped this step- but it’s worth doing. The peeled tomato has a lovely velvety surface which adds to the presentation.

Here’s the original recipe:

And, here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:

Tomato and Nut Salad (Stuffed Tomato with Nut Salad)

Servings: 1 serving per tomato
Time: 15 minutes
Difficulty: moderate
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For each serving use the following ingredients:

1 medium tomato

2 teaspoons walnuts, chopped

2 teaspoons green pepper, chopped

2 teaspoons mayonnaise

lettuce leaves, optional

Put a pan of water on the stove; bring to a boil. Drop the tomato into the water for about 15 seconds: remove from heat and gently slip the skin off the tomato. Using a knife remove the stem end and the firm core from the tomato and discard. Scoop out the tomato pulp and seeds, place in a strainer and drain off any excess liquid. Place pulp in a bowl; add the walnuts and green pepper. Stir in the mayonnaise, then stuff the tomato with the mixture. If desired serve on lettuce leaves.

Hundred-year-old Tomato and Cucumber Salad Recipe

I love all the fresh summer produce at the farmer’s market. Two of my favorites are tomatoes and cucumbers, so when I saw a hundred-year-old recipe for Tomato and Cumber Salad I knew that I had to give it a try.

The salad was delightful, and had a light vinaigrette dressing that enhanced the sliced vegetables.

Source: American Cookery (October, 1916)

When I made this recipe, I halved it and I still had more dressing than I needed. Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:

Tomato and Cucumber Salad

Servings: 3-4
Time: 15 minutes
Difficulty: easy
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1 large cucumber

2 tomatoes

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons apply cider vinegar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/2 tablespoon onion, grated

Slice the tomatoes, and pare the cucumbers with a regular knife and then slice (using a fluted knife if desired). Arrange the sliced cucumbers and tomatoes in a serving dish. Set aside.

To make the dressing, put the olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and grated onion in a small bowl. Mix thoroughly and then pour the desired amount over the tomatoes and onions.

Extra dressing may be refrigerated and kept for several days.

My fluted cucumbers didn’t look like the ones in the old photo. Maybe they used a different type of knife.