A salad is only as good as the quality of its ingredients. To make a truly great salad, you’ve got to use ingredients that are fresh, ripe and in season.

If you think salads are limited to watery lettuce and a few chopped tomatoes and cucumbers, think again. There are endless amounts of wonderful combinations and you can make a salad as simple or as complex as you like. Spend a minute thinking about the contrasts of tastes and textures in the ingredients you are choosing and what sort of dressing you want to use, so you end up with something delicious and exciting every time.

THE BASE OF YOUR SALAD

The ingredient that forms the bulk of your salad is the base. And when we hear the word ‘salad’, lettuce is often the first ingredient that comes to mind because it is used as a base for so many salads. Oakleaf, cos or romaine lettuce and baby mixed lettuces, also make great salad bases, as do chicory, radicchio, arugula, watercress, baby spinach, tiny red-veined chard leaves, mustard leaves, pea shoots and sorrel. But plenty of salads don’t have any lettuce in them at all. You can make beautiful salads using cooked new potatoes, couscous, lentils, shredded cabbages or any other robust interesting vegetable. Use your imagination and you’ll never be bored.

PREPARING AND WASHING SALAD LEAVES

Wash your salad leaves before using them. Make sure your sink is clean then fill it with cold water. Gently wash the salad leaves in the water until they are clean and then transfer them to a salad spinner and spin dry. If you don’t have a salad spinner, put them into a clean tea towel, gather the edges up and spin it around your head. Make sure the leaves are dry – if they aren’t, the salad dressing won’t cling to them. Keep them in the refrigerator or bowl under a damp cloth until you’re ready to use them.

WHAT ELSE CAN YOU ADD TO A SALAD?

Raw crunchy veggies, like carrots or radishes, are great in salads. But they can be quite hard if they’re in big pieces, so finely slice them or shave them into ribbons with a peeler. Beets, spring onions, cucumber, squash and celery all work well. Cooked vegetables are also fantastic in salads. Peas, beans, asparagus and corn, cooked very quickly so they are not mushy, add flavor and color. Grilled slices of zucchini or pepper or even chunks of roasted squash or pumpkin also make salads much more interesting.

Adding soft herbs at the last-minute adds loads of extra flavor. Basil, tarragon, parsley, dill, mint or even thyme or marjoram tips are all great choices.

It’s also nice to add a bit of protein to a salad, especially if you’re having it as a main meal. Use your imagination; there are really no limits to what you can include. Try a few slices of smoked salmon, shredded roast chicken, cooked shrimp, hard-boiled eggs, buffalo mozzarella, crispy bacon, cannellini beans, lentils or crumbled goat cheese.

For a bit of crunch, try adding a few nuts or seeds. Toasted or flaked almonds, pumpkin seeds, pine nuts, crumbled walnuts and chopped cashews all work well.

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE DRESSING

Think of your salad dressing as the link that brings all the ingredients in your salad together. There are loads of ready-made bottled dressings available in the markets, but it’s so easy to make your own, so try to get into the habit of doing that rather than buying them. Store-bought dressings are likely to contain lots of hidden ingredients and may be high in calories and sugar. Plus if you make your own, you can tweak it every time to suit the other ingredients in your salad.

The easiest way to make your salad dressing is in a clean jar. Just add all of your ingredients, pop the lid on and give it a good shake!

Most salad dressings contain an oil element – such as extra virgin olive oil, nut oil or sesame oil – and an acid element, such as balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, or lemon or lime juice. Aim for a ratio of 3 parts oil to 1 part acid, then add any other ingredients you fancy. Half a teaspoon of Dijon mustard or some finely chopped fresh herbs or chillies can add loads of flavor. If you want a slightly creamy dressing, try stirring a spoonful of natural yogurt into the dressing.

Once dressed, salad leaves can wilt after a few minutes, so always add your dressing right before serving. If you want to ensure a really good even coating, using clean hands, quickly toss everything together. Just make sure you don’t add all of the dressing at once; add a little, mix it up, then have a taste before deciding whether you need to add more. You can always add more, but you can’t take it away.

Mediterranean Pita Salad

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic, crushed with a press
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• Pinch ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cups shredded romaine lettuce (about 1 large head romaine)
• 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 4 radishes, thinly sliced
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
• 2 pita breads, toasted and broken into bite-size pieces

Directions

In a large bowl, whisk together lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt, coriander and pepper. Whisk in oil in a slow, steady stream until blended.

Add romaine, mint, parsley, tomatoes, radishes, green onions, cucumber and toasted pita and toss until blended. Serve immediately.

 

Steak Salad with Yogurt-Lemon Dressing

6 servings

Ingredients

Dressing:

• 2/3 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Steak:

• 1 rib-eye, strip loin or top sirloin steak (about 12 ounces)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Salad:

• 4 cups finely chopped hearts of Romaine lettuce
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• 1 (14-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 avocado, pitted and diced
• 1/4 cup pitted and sliced Kalamata olives
• 4 ounces crumbled feta

Directions

To make dressing:

Whisk yogurt, garlic, lemon zest, olive oil, vinegar, thyme, salt and pepper in a small mixing bowl until smooth. Thin with up to 3 tablespoons of water so it dribbles off a spoon. Let stand at room temperature at least 15 minutes to develop flavors. (Can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator.) Makes 1 cup.

To prepare steak:

Preheat a gas or charcoal grill for high heat, pat steak dry and season with salt and pepper. Grill 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer to a plate and let rest 10 minutes before slicing into thin strips.

To prepare salad:

Make a bed of romaine on a large serving platter and sprinkle with parsley. Arrange cucumber, tomato, chickpeas, avocado, olives and feta in mounds and place steak strips in the center. Pass the dressing on the side.

Crab Salad with Lemon Dressing

Serves 2

Ingredients

Crab

• 1/2 shallot, finely chopped
• 2 dashes hot sauce
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
• Salt and pepper
• 8 ounces lump crabmeat

Salad

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 shallot, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons champagne or white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon chopped chives, more for garnish
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 pound baby Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed
• 1/3 pound thin green beans, trimmed
• 1 bunch arugula
• 1 bunch endive, chopped in 1/2-inch-thick slices
• 3 radishes, thinly sliced
• 1 fennel bulb, trimmed, halved and cut into thin wedges
• 2 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and finely chopped

Directions

For the crab:

Stir together shallot, hot sauce, mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice and chives in a medium bowl. Add crabmeat and lightly toss. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and chill.

For the rest of the salad:

Whisk together mustard, shallot, vinegar, chives and lemon juice. Slowly whisk in olive oil until dressing slightly thickens. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Steam Yukon gold potatoes until tender when pierced with a fork. While potatoes are still warm, pour a tablespoon or two of dressing over them.

Steam green beans until tender. Transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain thoroughly. Combine green beans with arugula, endive and radish. Toss with a tablespoon of dressing.

Toss fennel with remaining dressing in a small bowl. Check over the crab for any pieces of shell.

To serve:

Arrange greens on a platter or individual plates. Top with crab, fennel and eggs. Garnish with chives and serve immediately.

Couscous Salad with Zucchini and Parsley

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups boiling water
• 1 cup whole wheat couscous
• 5 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 small zucchini
• 1/4 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo Beans (also called chickpeas), rinsed and drained

Directions

In a large, heatproof bowl, pour water over couscous, cover and set aside for 5 minutes. Uncover, fluff with a fork and set aside to let cool for 5 minutes more.

Meanwhile, whisk together vinegar, tahini and salt in a second large bowl.

Thinly slice zucchini over dressing and then use kitchen shears to snip parsley leaves into the bowl; discard stems.

Add tomatoes, beans and couscous and toss gently to combine.

Grilled Chicken and Wheat-Berry Salad

Ingredients

• 4 cups water
• 1 cup wheat berries, rinsed and drained
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups baby spinach leaves, divided
• 1 cup green apple, peeled and cut into julienne strips
• 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
• 4 (4-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken or turkey breasts
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• Cooking spray
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions

Cucumber Yogurt Dressing

• 1 cup chopped seeded peeled cucumber
• 3 tablespoons plain low-fat Greek yogurt
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon dried dill

Directions

Combine the first 3 ingredients in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring mixture to a simmer; cover and cook for 2 hours, 15 minutes or until wheat berries are almost tender.

Drain and place in a salad bowl; discard bay leaf.

For the salad dressing:

Place all ingredients in a blender and process until the mixture is smooth. Refrigerate dressing in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Preheat grill.

Coarsely chop the spinach leaves. Add spinach, apple, bell pepper and 3 tablespoons of the cucumber dressing to the wheat berries and toss well.

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Place chicken on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 5 minutes on each side or until done. Thinly slice chicken.

Arrange chicken evenly over salad mixture; sprinkle with green onions. Pass dressing on the side.

 

Related articles

• Chickpea and Quinoa Salad (skinnyfiberblog.wordpress.com)
• Spring salad (nilssonsambrosia.com)
• Shaved Brussels Sprout, Mustard Green and Radish Salad with Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette Recipe (georgiapeachonmymind.com)

Posted by Jovina Coughlin in arugula, Beans, Beef, Chicken, couscous, crab, cucumbers, fennel, Grains, green beans, Healthy Italian Cooking, Herbs, Lettuce, potatoes, radish, Salad, Salad Dressing, spinach, squash, tomatoes, zucchini Tags: Salad