Bunches of herbs can be stored like bouquets in glasses partially filled with water (at room temperature if it’s only for a day or so, in the refrigerator if storing for longer).
If lettuce leaves need to be made smaller, try to accomplish this, as noted food authority Harold McGee says, “with the least possible physical pressure.” Cutting swiftly with a very sharp knife just before assembling the salad is a good idea, as is simply tearing greens gently with your hands.
Okay, enough about the technicalities of leaf life span. Let’s get to the fun part. What do you put in a green salad, and what’s the best way to assemble it all?
THE GREENS
Of course you can use any kind of lettuce. Beyond that, try baby spinach, arugula, watercress (stems and leaves), chicories (including radicchio, which has a slightly bitter flavor and white-veined dark red leaves, and Belgian endive, those tight little pale-green elongated heads). A good place to start if you’re less familiar with any of these is a prepared salad mix (also known as “mesclun” or “field greens”).
ADD-INS
You can add any vegetables you think you might enjoy raw. Just cut them small and thin, and toss them into the mix. These might include:
Carrots (chopped, sliced, or grated)
Cabbage (finely sliced or grated)
Bell peppers (go for the brightly colored ones)
Red onion
Scallions
Celery
Cucumber
Cauliflower
Mushrooms (very fresh, clean domestic ones only)
Radishes
Beets (peeled and grated)
Sugar snap peas
Thin “French” green beans (haricots verts)
You can also include vegetables and other ingredients that are better cooked (and cooled down or chilled) before adding. Cut these small, too.
Broccoli
Squash
Potatoes
Beets (peel after cooking)
Thicker green beans
Cooked beans (canned or homemade)
Leftover cooked grains
Small amounts of torn, minced, or snipped (with scissors) fresh herbs are a lovely touch and add deeper flavor to salads.
Flat-leaf parsley
Basil
Cilantro
Thyme
Mint
Savory
Dill
Chives
Fruit can be wonderful in a green salad. Add fresh fruit to a salad just before serving—or even at the table, so all stays fresh and unbroken, and sogginess is avoided. Try:
Apple or pear slices
Citrus sections
Chopped fresh cranberries (super-tart)
Pomegranate seeds
Berries (whole smaller ones; sliced larger ones)
Watermelon (really, give it a shot), in 1-inch chunks
Dried fruit, in small pieces
ADD-ONS
Some ingredients should be cut at the very last minute and added as a garnish. These include:
Avocados (for more on these, see Chapter 8: Party Snacks)
Tomatoes (cherry or larger ones, sliced)
More accoutrements to consider sprinkling on top include:
Grated or crumbled cheese (goat cheese, bleu cheese, feta)
Chopped hard-boiled egg (see Chapter 2: Salads)
Olives
Capers
Crumbled bacon (see Chapter 8: Party Snacks)
Canned tuna (flaked)
Lightly toasted nuts or seeds
Sprouts
Freshly ground black pepper (keep a filled pepper mill at the table)
tossed green salad
EASY ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS
Your greens are very clean, dry, and cold.
You have figured on approximately ¼ pound—about 2 large handfuls—per person.
Your dressing is made and handy.
Your add-ins and add-ons are ready.
You have a nice big bowl (large enough to toss your salad with abandon and have it stay in the bowl) and salad servers or tongs in front of you.
1. The greens go in the bowl, along with whatever “add-in” items you’ve chosen. Toss gently to combine.
2. Shake or whisk the dressing to reincorporate all the ingredients, which will have separated into layers while it sat around. (If the oil in the dressing has hardened from the cold of the refrigerator, give it a few extra minutes to soften back up again and/or shake or whisk the dressing a bit longer.) Add about 1 tablespoon dressing per serving, tossing it in and mixing the greens from the bottom of the bowl.
3. Taste a sample leaf to see if the salad needs more dressing.
4. Top the bowlful of greens with your chosen “add-ons,” or plate the salads individually and top each serving with them.
5. Serve right away.
NOT-SO-HARD-BOILED EGGS
You may not think you need these instructions, but chances are you do. For many people (even experienced cooks), cooking and peeling hard-boiled eggs can be a real pain. Sometimes (often) the shell just doesn’t want to come off and you end up throwing away half the egg. Here’s a technique that truly works.
Place the eggs in a pot that fits them comfortably, and fill it with enough cold water to completely cover them. Bring it to a boil, and then immediately lower the heat to a simmer. Cook very gently for 1 minute. Then remove the pot from the heat, and let it stand for 15 minutes. Drain, and refresh the eggs—right in the pot—in several changes of cold water, pouring it off each time. Then leave the eggs in the pot, put the lid on, and shake it vigorously like a big percussion instrument, banging the eggs together to crack their shells. Finally, peel the eggs under cold running water. The peel will practically fall off!
the big five: america’s most wanted salad dressings
Make one, some, or all of these on a regular basis. They keep well for weeks—even months—if stored in tightly lidded containers in the refrigerator, where they will take up very little space. And they work well as a sauce on cooked vegetables, meats, and tofu, too.
In any of these recipes, some or all of the olive oil can be a high-quality type, for more intense flavor. At the very least, it should be extra-virgin olive oil.
ABOUT SHALLOTS
Great for salad dressings, shallots look like small pink onions and taste like a lively cross between onion and garlic, slightly sweeter than either. Use a very sharp paring knife and mince them tiny, tiny.
ABOUT HONEY
In general, the lighter the color, the milder the flavor. So unless you want a strong presence, choose light-colored honey. (The lighter ones also tend to be less expensive.)
raspberry-shallot dressing
Makes a generous ½ cup,
enough for 4 to 5 servings of salad
The fruitiness of raspberry vinegar and the sweetness of shallots are a fine match. This versatile vinaigrette goes with pretty much any kind of greens, and it’s great on grilled chicken.
This dressing is vegan.
1 tablespoon finely minced shallot
3 tablespoons raspberry vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
Heaping ¼ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup olive oil
Combine the shallot, vinegar, sugar, and salt in a smallish bowl. Whisk until thoroughly combined, then continue whisking as you drizzle in the olive oil. When all the olive oil is incorporated, the dressing is ready to serve—or to refrigerate until use. (Alternatively, you can put all the ingredients in a small jar with a tight-fitting lid and just shake it emphatically until thoroughly combined.) Immediately before using, shake well or stir from the bottom.
GET CREATIVE
Substitute roasted walnut oil or roasted pecan oil for half of the olive oil.
Add 1 tablespoon minced mint or basil leaves.
After adding the olive oil, stir in up to ½ cup raspberries (fresh or unsweetened frozen). If using frozen, let them defrost directly in the dressing, and they will give off lovely raspberry juices in t
he process.
Add 1 to 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses (see Get Cooking) before whisking in the oil.
creamy balsamic-honey dressing
Makes about ¾ cup,
enough for about 6 servings of salad
Sometimes you want a vinaigrette with a little creaminess. Buttermilk makes this one luxurious and rich-tasting. If your honey is stiff, place the jar (without the lid) in a microwave for about 15 seconds, to get it more liquefied. (Don’t try this with a plastic honey bear or squeeze bottle, however, which can easily overheat and melt. Instead, spoon the honey into a microwavable bowl and heat it in that.)
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
¼ cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons honey
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon finely minced shallot
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Combine the vinegar, buttermilk, honey, salt, and shallot in a smallish bowl. Whisk until thoroughly combined, then continue whisking as you drizzle in the olive oil. When all the olive oil is incorporated, the dressing is ready to serve—or to refrigerate until use. (Alternatively, you can put all the ingredients in a small jar with a tight-fitting lid and just shake it emphatically until thoroughly combined.) Immediately before using, shake well or stir from the bottom.
GET CREATIVE
Use yogurt instead of buttermilk for a thicker, tangier dressing.
Try this as a dressing on broccoli slaw and/or shredded cabbage and carrots.
honey-mustard dressing
Makes about ½ cup,
enough for 4 to 5 servings of salad
This recipe calls for Dijon mustard. You can also try it with other fancy types. It’s wonderful on a spinach salad.
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar or balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
½ teaspoon minced garlic (about 1 small clove)
¼ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons olive oil
Combine the vinegar, mustard, honey, garlic, and salt in a smallish bowl. Whisk until thoroughly combined, then continue whisking as you drizzle in the olive oil. When all the olive oil is incorporated, the dressing is ready to serve—or to refrigerate until use. (Alternatively, you can put all the ingredients in a small jar with a tight-fitting lid and just shake it emphatically until thoroughly combined.) Immediately before using, shake well or stir from the bottom.
GET CREATIVE
Spread a bit of this dressing on the bread when making a grilled cheese sandwich or a ham sandwich. It’s a classic combo.
Any time you’re making a salad with bacon in it, this dressing will be right at home.
Drizzle this over fish or chicken.
homemade ranch dressing
Makes 1 cup,
enough for about 8 servings of salad
“Ranch” flavor lands at the top of many people’s list of faves. Problem is, most commercially prepared dips and dressings can be loaded down with unhealthy fats and ingredients not found in nature, much less on a ranch. Here’s a way to make your own very satisfying version with clean, real ingredients. You can use it as a dressing for salad or as a dip for vegetables, chips, or crackers.
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Place all the ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and whisk until smooth. Cover and chill until serving time.
GET CREATIVE
Serve this dressing drizzled over a wedge of iceberg lettuce, as directed in Old-Fashioned Iceberg Wedges (Chapter 2: Salads).
Drizzle the dressing over a plate of juicy ripe tomato slices.
russian dressing
Makes about ¾ cup,
enough for about 6 servings of salad
Way more than the sum of its humble parts, this classic can multitask as a dip for raw vegetables, a topping for hard-boiled eggs (a really great little quick lunch), and a terrific sandwich spread.
½ cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup ketchup
Combine the mayonnaise and ketchup in a medium-sized bowl and whisk until smooth. Cover and chill until serving time.
GET CREATIVE
For some zing, add a tablespoon of prepared horseradish.
You could replace all or some of the ketchup with chili sauce or cocktail sauce.
For some crunch and an extra layer of flavor, add 1 to 2 tablespoons very finely minced shallot.
Add a tablespoon or two of minced pickles or pickle relish to make Thousand Island Dressing.
all-american three-bean salad
Makes 4 to 6 servings
So not-high-end, so retro, and yet so good. I couldn’t believe I was using a canned green vegetable, but I wanted to get this as close as possible to the American picnic classic of my youth, and canned green beans (which I always have secretly liked anyway) are the authentic choice. Also, in keeping with the not-fancy theme, you might be pleased (and a few pennies richer) to know that regular yellow mustard works best for this, so put away that Dijon or grainy type for now. And just this once, in a pinch, you could substitute ½ cup good-quality bottled Italian dressing or vinaigrette (such as Newman’s Own) for your own brilliant homemade batch. That’s “could,” not “should.”
This salad is vegan.
One 15-ounce can chickpeas (about 1½ cups cooked chickpeas)
One 15-ounce can red kidney beans (about 1½ cups cooked beans)
One 15-ounce can green beans (about 1½ cups cooked beans; see get creative)
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
¾ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 stalk celery, diced
Half a small red bell pepper, minced
¼ cup minced red onion
1. Set a colander in the sink and pour in the contents of the three cans of beans. Give them a quick rinse and allow them to drain.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt, and pepper.
3. Add the drained beans, celery, bell pepper, and onion to the dressing, and toss well to mix. Cover the bowl tightly, and let the salad marinate for at least 1 hour at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator. Stir (or shake) occasionally to marinate evenly. Serve cold.
* * *
GET CREATIVE
To make this with fresh green beans, put a medium-sized pot of cold water over high heat, add a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil. Place a colander in the sink. Meanwhile, trim and discard the stem ends from ¼ pound green beans, and cut the beans into 1½-inch-long pieces. When the water boils, turn the heat down to low and add the beans. Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the beans are done to your liking. Drain them in the colander, and then rinse with cold water and drain again. Pat dry with paper towels or a clean, dry dish towel, and add to the salad.
Get Cooking Page 6