From the Hearth

Sensational Salads

Salads always seem to evoke the image of bland “rabbit food”- or images of the salad kaylee’s mother made every night without fail- iceberg lettuce, cucumbers and tomatoes topped with creamy dressing. As much as kaylee wanted to make healthy choices in her menu, she always seemed to avoid homemade salads- until she realized how easy it was to make delicious salads every time.

It seems rather simple: the freshest ingredients, assorted toppings, delicious dressings and the occasional crouton.... but these few steps can make a world of difference, and can take your salads from bland to gourmet. Salads can make excellent entrees, as well as a fresh starter before the main course.

Here’s kaylee’s easy tips for salads, along with a few of her favorite recipes for salads and dressings below.

1. Know your greens

Not all greens are alike. Some are spicier (watercress) or more bitter (arugula) than others (butterhead lettuce). Romaine lettuce is usually used in Caesar salads. A mesclun blend usually has a mixture of several types of tender young greens. Herbs can also be added to the salad blend, such as cilantro or basil. If you are creating your own blend, trim out any thick ribs or stems. Tear the leaves gently into bite size pieces, but try to retain some of the natural shape of the leaves.

If you don’t know your greens or don’t have the time to create your own blend, consider the prepackaged "salad in a bag" varieties available nowadays- just make sure you use them quickly as they are perishable. Look for the freshest, blemish-free greens at your market, and build the salad around what’s available and in season. Avoid wilted greens with brown tips, or anything with a bad aroma. Once home, remove any rubber bands before washing and storing.

2. Wash and dry the greens

Even if you use the pre-washed "salad in a bag", plan to wash the greens. Some varieties, including arugula or spinach leaves, carry a large amount of grit. Fill your sink or a large bowl with cold water, and submerge the greens for at least ten minutes. This allows the grit to sink to the bottom, and rehydrates the leaves. Change out the cold water as often as is necessary until it remains clear.

Swish the leaves gently- handling the leaves roughly can cause them to bruise- and then fully extend your fingertips in the cold water and gently lift the lettuce out from the water. Lay the leaves gently on a paper towel to dry, or spin them in a salad spinner (make sure you don’t overload the spinner- do small batches if you need). Dressings adhere best to a dry surface, so this step is very important to making a delicious salad. At this point, you can refrigerate the salad greens for later use within the next day or use immediately. If you store, lay out the spun greens gently on a paper towel, roll up loosely and seal in an airtight bag.

3. Salad preparations

Plan the salad dressing to complement the other ingredients. A delicate vinaigrette should balance out a delicate salad, a more full bodied flavored dressing can bring out the stronger flavor of certain greens. If you choose to create your own dressing, this is the time to use the best quality oils and vinegars and let their flavors shine.

If you enjoy a simple vinaigrette, the classic ratio is 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar, with salt and pepper to taste. If you prefer a more emulsified dressing- a binding agent such as egg or dijon mustard can encourage the oil and vinegar to pull together into a more cohesive dressing. Mix each ingredient together before adding in the oil slowly.

Don’t drench the salad in dressing, or dress on the plates that you are serving the salads on. Instead, use a bowl large enough to fully toss the salad. Clean (or gloved) hands or a pair of salad tongs may be the best tools for this job- so gently toss until all the leaves are lightly coated with dressing. The salad should be dressed lightly enough that there is no pool of dressing at the bottom of the plate once it is served.

You can toss the salad with additional toppings or you can add them as you dress each plate. After tossing, plan to serve immediately.

4. Arranging the plates

The main reason restaurants serve salads on chilled plates is to prevent wilting. It’s a nice touch that can easily be duplicated at home. Arrange each plate with a portion of salad- sprinkle on any last minute toppings, grilled meats, or freshly ground pepper. Serve immediately.

Simple dressing

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh minced herbs (parsley, basil, chives)
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Mix together vinegar, mustard and shallot. Let mixture rest for ten minutes.
2. Whisk in oil (you can also do this in a blender for a more thorough emulsion).
3. Stir in herbs and add salt and pepper to taste.

kaylee’s favorite combinations

Mixed Tender Greens with Fruit and Blue Cheese:
Toasted pine nuts or sunflower seeds, chopped dates, mandarin orange wedges, crumbled blue cheese with raspberry vinaigrette

Greek Salad:
Romaine lettuce, roma tomatoes (seeded and cut into wedges), red onion rings, kalamata olives, capers, feta cheese, light lemon or balsamic vinaigrette

Asian Salad with Seared Tuna:
Glaze ahi tuna steaks with teriyaki sauce, salt and pepper lightly, and roll in sesame seeds. Place tuna in very hot skillet and sear on each side. Once removed from the hot skillet, place tuna in the refrigerator for a few minutes to cool before slicing. Dress your favorite salad with a ginger-lime dressing, top with several one inch slices of tuna, sliced scallions, and fried chinese noodles.

Apple Crunch Salad:
A prior featured recipe with chopped apples, tender greens, handful of chopped pecan, crumbles of blue cheese, large handful of dried cranberries. The apple-dijon dressing is fantastic- kaylee uses it often on other salads as well.

For variety, remember that a salad doesn’t need to be restricted to a ‘greens-toppings-dressing’ combination. kaylee’s included some other recipes over the last year and a half, including:

If anyone would care to submit one of their favorite recipes, this one can be reached at kaylee{G}