How to Create a Sensational Salad

If you, like me, have a row of vintage cookbooks on your shelf, then you have probably looked in horror at the salads of the 1940s, 50s and 60s. Tinned peas, pineapple and asparagus and vividly-hued cocktail onions were popular, and a 'mixed salad' was composed of everything that needed using up on a Friday night, often shrouded liberally with cubed or grated cheese.
In stark contrast is the elegant modern salad with a few carefully chosen ingredients at the peak of freshness.
One of the reasons mid-20th century salads used canned and tinned goods was that fresh ingredients were not available year-round back then. Yet even though greens can be bought fresh all year now, the best salads are made from fresh, seasonal produce.
Indeed, the world's most famous salads come from ingredients that ripen at the same time and have flavours that harmonise beautifully. Think of the combination of sweet basil, vine-ripened tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella that tastes gloriously of an Italian summer, or the autumn Waldorf salad made from crisp apples, celery and walnuts.
In this article I am not going to provide salad recipes, but rather create some guidelines that will help you to create salads that will have your family clamouring for more.

How to Create Sensational Salads

1. Think seasonal: use ingredients that are in season, as suggested above.


2. Use fresh ingredients: if your lettuce is limp, don't turn it into a salad, compost it. As with all cooking, fresh ingredients give a much better result.


3. Don't use too many ingredients: A good salad can be made from as few as two or three base ingredients, a scattering of herbs and a dressing, or as many as 5 or 6 base ingredients, but will tend to be a bit cluttered after that.


4. Don't follow the recipe slavishly or worry if you don't have all the ingredients: while a souffle may require the exact measurement of ingredients, a salad does not. Salad recipes are merely guidelines, so don't be afraid to substitute or adjust quantities.


5. What is the purpose of the salad?: an entree or palate -cleansing salad may be very simple and small, while a main course salad will be more substantial and may call for a protein such as grilled chicken


6. Consider the blend of flavours and textures: While it is quite possible to have a salad where all the ingredients are either soft or crisp, a combination adds interest

Flavours and Textures

Here are some types of flavours and textures to consider. Of course, many ingredients belong in more than one category, and there are lots of choices that aren't included.

• crisp: iceberg and cos lettuce, carrots, radishes, peppers, celery, and many other raw veggies
  


• soft: cooked potatoes, pasta or rice, soft-cooked eggs, avocado


• crunchy: nuts, croutons


• salty: anchovies, capers, feta cheese, bacon
  


• sweet: red apples, pears, red peppers
  


• acidic: citrus fruits, tomatoes, green apples


• bitter: radicchio, some olives, many 'cleansing' spring herbs and greens, chicory


• pungent: blue cheeses


• peppery: rocket (arugula)


• aniseed: basil, fennel, dill

How to Make a Simple Vinaigrette

While some salads, such as Caesar or potato salads, call for a creamy dressing, many salads are loveliest with a simple vinaigrette. Why purchase an expensive commercial dressing when you can make one at home simply and easily? I make mine by putting the ingredients in a jar and shaking. What could be more simple?

Ingredients

1/4 C oil

1 Tbsp acid

1 tsp sugar

salt, peppers, herbs and spices to taste

Put in a small lidded jar and shake.

• The oil: I mostly use olive oil, but you could try any other edible oil that suits your recipe


• The acid: Don't use strong, white vinegar unless you want puckered lips! Instead try balsamic or cider vinegar, orange or lemon juice
  
  Further Tips
  

• Brush foods that brown, such as apples and avocado, with a little of your acid before using


• If you are planning to have leftovers, serve the dressing in small jug on the side so that the ingredients don't go soggy overnight


• Only use enough dressing to moisten the ingredients, not drown them.

If you have any more ideas or tips to add, please leave a comment. I'd love to hear from you.