The “Ministry of Food” recommended a “salad-a-day” all year around, during the war years in Great Britain.
During the winter months many salads also contained root vegetables in addition to lettuce or cabbage. I happen to have a few head of Romaine Lettuce (an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Potassium, Calcium, Iron) to use up so every day this week I am consuming half a head for lunch served with a couple of baked potatoes and either some kidney/haricot beans or a rasher of bacon crumbled over (OK I’m Vegan but I sometimes take an alternative meat ration such as bacon flavoured tempeh strips– made from organic soybeans, just so I can still replicate some of the wartime recipes)
So today I made up another batch of my favourite, quick and simple, wartime vinaigrette dressing. This recipe was from the “Ministry of Food”..
By the way, it is yummy!
Vinaigrette Dressing
- 4 tablespoons of salad oil such as olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of a good quality vinegar (I used organic apple cider vinegar)
- a little made up mustard (I used 1/2 teaspoon)
- pinch of sugar
- pinch of dried herbs (I used thyme) or fresh chopped herbs
- crushed garlic cloves (optional- I didn’t)
Method
- Mix all ingredients together
- Pour into small bottle or jar and keep cool
Serves 4
The 1940's Experiment 
This is very similar to a vinegrette my Mother made. However instead of the herbs she would add about a quarter to a half teaspoon of curry powder. This adds a very different taste to root vegetable salad but I don’t know how available spices such as cumin, coriander, ginger and tumeric were during the war years.
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Was salad oil available at all?
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Hi my mother had a similar dressing using-Milk,sugar,mustard powder and vinegar. I have never been able to get the portions correct. I do remember the mix would split and we had to whip it up again. Also the longer you left it the hotter it got. Jean.
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