Week 26 -- Salads

A salad is any single food or a mix of different foods accompanied or bound by a dressing. A salad can contain meat, grains, fruits, nuts or cheese and absolutely no lettuce. It can be an appetizer, a second course served after the appetizer, an entrée, a course following the entrée in the European manner, or even a dessert. Careful attention to knife skills, presentation and garnishing are especially important in uncooked items like salads.

Four Main Kinds of Salads, by predominant ingredient

  • Green Salads
    • Main ingredients are leafy greens
    • Salad greens must be fresh, crisp, cold, well-drained
    • Moisture and air keep greens crisp, leaves wilt by losing moisture, keep crisp in refrigeration
    • Too much water drowns greens and dissolves flavor and nutrition
    • Air circulation allows greens to breath, don't seal in bags or plastic wrap, keep in colander with damp cloths
  • Vegetable Salads
    • Main ingredients are vegetables, not leafy greens
    • Vegetables may be raw or cooked then chilled
    • Sometimes pasta or protein products may be added (meat, shrimp, crab, fish, chicken, etc)
    • Guidelines for making vegetable salads
      • Neat, accurate cutting of ingredients
        • Shapes add to eye appeal
        • Design is based on shapes
        • Keep shapes consistent
      • Cut vegetables close to serving time to avoid drying and discoloration
      • Cooked vegetables should have firm, crisp texture, not mushy
      • After cooking, vegetables must be drained and chilled
      • Marinated vegetables must not be plated too early, delicate lettuce base for marinated salads will wilt, use sturdy greens as base (iceberg, chicory, romaine)
  • Cooked Salads
  • Fruit Salads

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Four Basic Parts of a Salad

  • Base or Underliner
    • Leafy greens usually form the base, adding to appearance
    • Cup shaped leaves of iceberg or Boston lettuce give height and confine loose pieces
    • Layer of flat greens may be used as base
    • Tossed salad usually requires no base
    • Mix all ingredients well by hand, then cover the dish
  • Body: Main part of the salad that receives the most attention
  • Garnish
    • Gives eye appeal and often adds flavor
    • Should not be elaborate or dominate, keep it simple, must be edible
    • Garnish may be mixed into salad, shredded red cabbage or red onion or red pepper slices for color
  • Dressing
    • Used to flavor, moisten and bind the salad
    • Should complement ingredients, not overpower

Composed Salads and Bound Salads

  • Composed salad: less chopping and tossing, items are arranged on plate for the diner to cut up
  • Nicoise Salad: a composed salad, typically with tuna, shrimp, chicken, etc
  • Bound salad: chicken salad, ham salad, shrimp salad, potato salad, macaroni salad, etc

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Cold Summer Salads

  • The challenge and fun is mixing flavors
  • Example: Chicken Salad, Poach a couple chicken breasts with flavorful liquid, leaves chicken moist
  • Now, what sauce for the chicken salad? 3 basic parts of any cold sauce
    • Base: mayonnaise, aioli, vinegar (balsamic, apple cider, red wine, rice wine), sour cream, pureed beans, ketchup, salsa, guacamole, etc
    • Contrast: If using something like mayo, set off a contrast with an acid like some kind of vinegar or lemon juice
    • Flavoring: Usually herbs and spices
  • Cube or shred the chicken? Your choice
  • Possibilities for chicken salad (not exhaustive, just examples)
    • Mayo, lime, curry powder
    • Sour cream, salsa, taco seasoning
    • Mayo, mustard, thyme, dill, celery
    • Maple syrup base, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce
    • Cajun remoulade with mayo, ketchup, cayenne pepper, Worcestershire sauce, capers, vinegar
    • Asian sweet and sour, sesame oil, duck sauce, soy sauce, sriracha sauce, rice vinegar
    • BBQ sauce, apple cider vinegar, crumbled blue cheese
    • Blue Cheese wing sauce or ranch sauce
    • Coconut milk, scoop of peanut butter, ground ginger, cilantro, sliced scallions
  • Now make your own combinations, think shrimp, crab, ham, pasta, vegetables

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Chicken Avocado Salad

  • Ingredients
    • 3 cups cooked chicken, 1/2 inch cubes
    • 2 avocados, 1/2 inch cubes
    • 2/3 cup mayonnaise
    • 1 tbs lime juice
    • 1/4 tsp each S&P, or to taste
    • 1 tbs chopped cilantro
    • 1 apple cored and peeled and chopped fine (optional)
  • Procedure
    • Combine mayonnaise, lime juice, S&P, and cilantro and mix well
    • Add chicken and mix, add apple (optional) and mix, then add avocado and fold in gently

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Shrimp Salad Basic (or Scallops, Crab, Chicken)

  • Ingredients
    • 3/4 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
    • 1/4 red onion, finely chopped (or 1.5 tbs chives or scallions or shallots, finely chopped)
    • 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
    • 2 tbs freshly chopped dill (or use some tarragon)
    • 1/2 cup mayonnaise (or 1/3 cup mayo and 3 tbs sour cream or yogurt)
    • Juice and zest from 1 lemon (or 2 tsp lemon juice)
    • 1 tsp dijon mustard (or 1/2 tsp)
    • 1/4 tsp each S&P, or to taste
    • Some grapes, halved or quarterd (optional)
    • Romaine lettuce for serving as wraps, or serve on toasted buns/rolls
  • Procedure
    • Simmer shrimp (or saute) until opaque, then cool
    • In large bowl whisk together mayonnaise, lemon juice and zest, dijon mustard, and S&P
    • Add shrimp, red onion, celery, and dill to bowl of prepared dressing, toss to combine
    • Serve on long romaine lettuce leaves, or rolls, or bed of iceberg luttuce

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Ham Salad

  • Ingredients
    • 1 lb cooked ham, finely diced or run through processor
    • 3/4 cup mayonnaise
    • 3/4 cup celery, finely diced
    • S&P to taste
  • Optional Add-ins
    • 1 tbs sweet relish
    • 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
    • 1/4 cup dill pickles, chopped fine
  • Procedure
    • Mix all ingredients until smooth and creamy
    • Serve with crackers, or on romaine lettuce leaves (as wraps), or rolls or bread, or bed of iceberg luttuce

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Chicken Salad

  • Ingredients
    • 2 cups cooked chicken, diced course or fine as you desire
    • 3/8 cup mayonnaise
    • 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
    • 3 slices bacon, diced and browned
    • 1 stalk celery, finely diced
    • 1/4 tsp dried dill weed
    • 1/4 tsp dried tarragon
    • S&P to taste
  • Optional Add-ins
    • 1 green onion (or chives) diced small
    • 1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved
    • 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
    • 1/2 tsp lemon juice
    • 1 tbs toasted almonds
    • 1 tbs fresh parsley, chopped
    • Chopped grapes or cranberries or pineapple as desired
  • Procedure
    • Mix all ingredients until smooth and creamy
    • Serve with crackers, or on romaine lettuce leaves (as wraps), or rolls or bread, or bed of iceberg lettuce

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Seafood Salad

  • Ingredients
    • 6 oz crab meat, steamed or boiled
    • 1/4 lb shrimp, boiled or sauteed or steamed, cut to small bite size
    • 1/4 lb scallops, boiled or sauteed or steamed, cut to small bit size
    • 1/2 lb tilapia or other white fish (cod, halibut), sauteed or steamed, cut to small bite size
    • 1/2 onion, small dice
    • 1 stalk celery, small dice
    • 5/8 cup mayonnaise (10 tbs)
    • 1 tsp lemon juice
    • 1 tsp Old Bay
    • 1 tsp dried dill weed
    • 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper
    • 1 or 2 green onions or chives, chopped small
  • Procedure
    • Mix all ingredients until smooth and creamy
    • Serve with crackers, or on romaine lettuce leaves (as wraps), or rolls or bread, or bed of iceberg lettuce

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Spinach Artichoke Dip

  • Ingredients
    • 8 oz cream cheese, well softened to room temperature
    • 1/4 cup sour cream
    • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 2/3 cup parmesan cheese, finely shredded
    • 1/2 cup mozzeralla, finely shredded
    • 1 14oz can quartered artichoke hearts, drain all liquid, squeeze artichokes to remove excess liquid, chop
    • 6 oz frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed to drain excess liquid
    • 4-5 strips of bacon, cut to bite sized pieces and sauteed golden is a great addition
    • S&P to taste (be careful with salt)
  • Procedure
    • Preheat oven to 350F
    • Spray small (1 qt) baking dish with non-stick
    • In mixing bowl stir together cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic, parmesan, mozzarella, pepper (be careful with salt here)
    • Stir in artichokes and spinach
    • Spread mixture evenly into baking dish, bake about 20 minutes
    • Serve hot with crackers, tortilla chips, or crostini

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Tugboat Seafood Dip

  • Ingredients
    • 8 oz cream cheese, well softened to room temperature
    • 1/4 onion, finely grated or pureed in processor
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 2 tbs mayonnaise
    • 4 tbs cocktail sauce
    • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
    • Old Bay seasoning to taste
    • Hot sauce to taste
    • 8 large shrimp, p&d, blanched, small dice
    • 1/2 lb lump crabmeat
    • Optional: add 1/2 lb cooked fish (flounder, tilapia, cod, etc), small pieces
  • Procedure
    • Preheat oven to 350F
    • Spray small (1 qt) baking dish with non-stick
    • In mixing bowl stir together cream cheese, onion, mayonnaise, garlic, cocktail sauce, Worcestershire, Old Bay, hot sauce
    • Fold in seafood, being careful not to break up the crab (or fish) too much
    • Spread mixture evenly into baking dish, bake about 20 minutes, or until bubbly
    • Serve hot with crackers, tortilla chips, or crostini

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