How to Make Fabulous Green Salads

A green salad can be one of those dishes that really sings on your plate, or it can be the ho-hum obligation that you eat because you think you should. The difference between the two is often just a matter of a few simple tips and small details.

Gone are the days when salad meant a few leaves of wilted iceberg lettuce drizzled with a fat-laden creamy dressing.

Today’s markets have a wide variety of salad greens. Try to use several varieties in your salads. For convenience you can buy premixed mesclun, which contains a variety of greens. You can also blend your own by going through the produce department and mixing and matching greens. Some that will add interesting flavors to the mix are the slightly bitter chicory varieties such as endive or radicchio, peppery arugula, or even mild baby spinach.

Look for interesting textures and colors in your greens as well. Maybe add some frisee or curly red leaf lettuce for extra dimension.

If you bought a prewashed mesclun mix, you won’t have to worry about cleaning the greens; otherwise, they should be thoroughly washed. The hardest part of this is that salad greens should also be dried before being turned into salad since they will water down the dressing.

A salad spinner is a handy kitchen gadget that actually works quite well. (You can order online or pick them up for a song any weekend at a local garage sale.) Optionally, after shaking off most of the water, you can roll the washed lettuce in paper towels to help absorb the remaining moisture.

Plan on about 2 cups of mixed greens per person.

For a slightly sweet, mild anise flavor, try adding some chopped fresh fennel bulb to your salad or using fennel as the basis of the salad itself.

You can add all kinds of other vegetables to your salads, depending on your mood. I generally prefer simpler salads that allow one or two ingredients to really shine, but to each his own. Tomatoes and onions seem to be standard fare but don’t forget cucumbers, shredded carrots, shredded cabbage, avocado, olives, celery, cauliflower, broccoli, radishes, peas, corn, beans, and so on.

Lightly steamed veggies that have been chilled also make excellent salad additions—think asparagus, green beans, broccoli, or cauliflower.

While raw mushrooms are a staple of many salad recipes, I now avoid them. Mycology expert Charmoon Richardson of the Sonoma, Calif., company Wild About Mushrooms recently taught me that raw mushrooms are slightly toxic. (These elements are released during cooking.)

Fruit can add a bright flavor surprise to green salads. As just a few suggestions, try adding a small amount of sliced fresh strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries to your salad mix. Citrus fruit like orange or grapefruit slices or fresh pineapple go really well, especially with dark greens like spinach. Add tropical flavor with fruits like mango or papaya. In the fall, be sure to try my favorite salad fruit: fresh pomegranate seeds.

Ingredients That Make a Salad Sing!

The following ingredients are so potent in flavor, you only have to use a small amount, but they will add a distinctive, unforgettable flavor to your salads: crumbled bacon bits; crumbled hard-boiled egg; crumbled strong cheeses such as blue cheese, Gorgonzola, Roquefort or feta; brine-cured olives such as Kalamata; toasted nuts or seeds; anchovies.

Try roasting vegetables on the grill or roasting them in the oven before adding them to salads. (You can chill them first, or add them warm.) This works well for onions, asparagus, zucchini, mushrooms (especially portabellas), and many others.

Add grilled chicken, beef, or even tofu to your salad and turn it into a meal.

If you like toasted nuts on your salad, try sugared nuts, such as pecans or walnuts, for an even greater flavor spectrum. To make these nuts, combine 2 1/4 cups nuts, 1 cup sugar, and 1/2 cup of water in a heavy skillet. Cook the mixture until the water evaporates and the nuts have a crystal, sugary appearance. Pour onto a baking sheet lined with waxed paper and immediately separate the nuts with a fork. Let cool; store in airtight container.

Dressing the Salad

Do not over-dress; salad needs only about 1 teaspoon of dressing per person, as long as you toss it well.

A lighter, vinaigrette-type dressing will allow the flavors of the salad to come through.

A basic vinaigrette dressing that can be tossed right on the salad is about 1 1/2 teaspoons vinegar to 2 teaspoons oil. Sprinkle the vinegar on first, then toss, then sprinkle on the oil, and toss again. If you do it the other way around, the oil will keep the vinegar from adhering to the leaves. Season with salt and pepper.

Play with types of oil and vinegar you use. Try red or white wine vinegars or seasoned rice vinegar.

Extra virgin olive oil is great, but you can play with the flavor by adding part nut oils, such as hazelnut or almond oil. A few drops of sesame oil will give your salad an exotic Asian flair.

Substitute acidic fruit juice for all or part of the vinegar in a vinaigrette. Try using lemon, lime, orange, apple, or pineapple juices.

To add flavor and dimension to your vinaigrette dressings, try adding ingredients like minced shallot, garlic, ginger, onion, or green onion. Play with the flavors by adding small amounts of flavoring ingredients such as mustard, honey, hot sauce, or soy sauce.

Small amounts of fresh herbs can add a whole new flavor dimension to salads and salad dressings. Try basil, thyme leaves, chives, or tarragon. Experiment and have fun with herbs.

Cheri Sicard is the editor of FabulousFoods.com, where you can find recipes, cooking tutorials, celebrity chefs, holiday and entertaining ideas, free cooking newsletters, and much more. http://www.fabulousfoods.com. Permission to reprint given by Momsmenu.com.