Chapter 3

Salads
Chapter Objectives

 Recognize and discuss the place of salad in culinary

history
 Identify specific salad greens in categories such as
mild greens, spicy greens, bitter greens or chicories,
prepared mixes of greens, and herbs and flowers
 Describe how to care for salad greens
 Explain how to dress and garnish the salad
 Understand the role of side salads
 Formulate a description of composed salads
Salads in Culinary History

 Fresh concoctions of seasoned herbs and lettuces,

known as herba salata, were enjoyed by Romans
and Greeks
 Romans are responsible for the word “salad,”
deriving from their word for “salt”
 Early European settlers of America valued salad
greens
Three Major Salad Categories

1. Green salads
2. Side salads, made from vegetables, potatoes, grains,
pastas, legumes, and fruits
3. Composed salads
Green Salads

 Salad green categories:

 Mild greens
 Spicy greens
 Bitter greens or chicories
 Prepared mixes of greens
 Herbs and flowers
 Micro greens
Mild Greens

 Biggest category is lettuce

 Lettuce classifications:
 Leaf
 Butterhead
 Crisphead
 Includes mâche, some young, immature spicy
greens, and baby varieties of some cooking greens
and cabbages
Lettuce Varieties

Butterhead
Type Description Culinary Uses

Bibb Smaller than Boston, In salads, braised

loosely formed heads;
soft, very tender leaves,
vibrant green color; mild,
sweet, delicate flavor.
Boston Loosely formed heads; In salads, braised
soft, very tender leaves,
vibrant green color; mild,
sweet delicate flavor.
Lettuce Varieties
Crisphead
Type Description Culinary Uses
Iceberg Tight heading lettuce with pale In salads (shredded or
green leaves; very mild flavor. served as wedge)

Romaine/Cos Long, cylindrical head; outer In salads, especially

leaves are ribbed; dark green Caesar salad; braised
leaves, becoming lighter on the
interior; outer leaves are slightly
bitter, inner leaves are mild and
sweet. The name Cos derives
from the Greek island of the
same name, where some believe
this lettuce to have originated.
Lettuce Varieties

Leaf Baby varieties are often

included in special
salad blends
Type Description Culinary Uses

Green or Red Leaf May be green or red- In salads

tipped; loose heading
lettuce, tender, crisp
leaves; mild, becoming
bitter with age.
Oak Leaf Scalloping on leaves; In salads
loose heading lettuce;
tender, crisp leaves; nutty
flavor.
Spicy Greens

 Distinct pepperiness or assertive flavor

 Still mild enough to eat in salads
 The younger they are, the less spicy they will be
Spicy Greens
Type Description Culinary Uses
Amaranth Spinach-like in flavor, amaranth In salads, stir-fried,
varies in color from green to sautéed
purple to red. Blooms from late
spring to early fall.
Arugula Taste ranges from mild and In salads, sautéed, in
nutty to peppery and pungent; sauces, baked (on
(a.k.a. rocket when leaves are small and pizza), pesto
or roquette) narrow, the arugula usually has a
more pronounced pepper flavor.
Mizuna A Japanese mustard, mizuna has In salads, sandwiches,
a mildly spicy flavor. Choose soups
crisp green leaves and avoid
those that are brown or wilted.
Spicy Greens
Type Description Culinary Uses

Mustard Greens The leaves of the In salads, soups

mustard plant provide a
pungent, peppery green.
Can have a crumpled or
flat texture.
Watercress One of the oldest known In salads, soups,
leafy greens consumed. sandwiches
Small, scalloped leaves;
dark green, crisp leaves;
mustard-like, peppery
flavor.
Bitter Greens and Chicories

 Tender enough to be eaten in salads

 Also sautéed, steamed, grilled, or braised
 Selection criteria and handling procedure similar to
that of lettuce
 When young, chicories can be used in salads, but
are cooking greens when more mature
Bitter Greens and Chicories
Type Description Culinary Uses
Arugula/Rocket Tender leaves; rounded In salads, pesto, and
“teeth” on the ends of the soups; sautéed
leaves; vibrant green;
peppery flavor.
Belgian endive Tight, oblong head; white In salads, grilled,
leaves with yellowish- roasted, and braised
green or red at tips; crisp
leaves, mildly bitter flavor.
Curly endive This green has narrow In salads
leaves with deeply ridged
edges, and an assertive
flavor and texture. When
very young it may be sold
as frisée.
Bitter Greens and Chicories
Type Description Culinary Uses
Dandelion, beet These distinctly bitter varieties In salads, sautéed,
have dark green, long, narrow braised
and collard leaves, some with white or red
greens ribs. If they are overmature,
they may give salads an
unpleasant flavor. Beet greens
have a tendency to bleed when
combined with a dressing.
Escarole Heading lettuce; scalloped, In salads and soups;
crinkly edges on leaves; green braised and stewed
color; slightly bitter.

Frisée Thin, curly leaves; white with In salads, lettuce

yellowish-green tips; mildly mixes such as
bitter flavor. mesclun
Bitter Greens and Chicories
Type Description Culinary Uses
Mâche/Lamb’s Loose bunches; thin, In salads; steamed
rounded leaves; dark
Lettuce green; very tender;
nutty flavor.
Radicchio Round or oblong In salads; grilled, baked,
heads; firm, deep red sautéed and braised
to purple leaves, white
veining; bitter flavor.
Tat-soi A flat black cabbage, In salads, sandwiches and
the round leaves form soups; as a garnish
an open rosette, with
a faint but pleasant
cabbage-like taste;
used in its very young
stages.
Bitter Greens and Chicories
Type Description Culinary Uses

Treviso radicchio Resembling an elongated In salads and soups

loose Belgian endive, this
has red streaks or tips,
and a succulent texture
with a flavor similar to
heading radicchio.
Watercress One of the oldest known In salads, soups,
leafy greens consumed. sandwiches
Small, scalloped leaves;
dark green, crisp leaves;
mustard-like, peppery
flavor.
Prepared Mixes of Greens

 Convenient, prewashed and trimmed mixes of

greens
 Ready availability and ease have made them very
popular
Prepared Mixes of Greens
Type Description Culinary Uses

Mesclun Often found in combination with herbs or In salads,

flowers Commercially available mesclun sandwiches
mix mixes may contain blends of various mild,
sweet, and peppery greens, with or without a
flower or herb component.
Oriental A combination of some or all of the In salads
following: tat-soi, lola rosa, red oak, arugula,
mix beet greens, Swiss chard, sorrel, amaranth,
(OMX) dill, purslane, mizuna, red mustard, bok choy,
red shiso, red fire, sierra, and shungi ku.
Baby mix A generic term for mixes of very young In salads;
leaves of several varieties, colors, and garnishing
(BMX) textures, this is sold both in heads and plates
prewashed leaves. A typical combination may
include lola rosa, tango, baby red oak, baby
romaine, and baby green oak.
Herbs

 Leaves of aromatic plants used to add flavor to

food
 Quality indicators:
 Aroma
 Good color (usually green)
 Healthy looking leaves and stems
 No wilting, brown spots, sunburn, or pest damage
Herbs

 Herbs to be used in salads that have a naturally

tender texture or soft leaves:
 Young basil
 Chives
 Small mint leaves
 Pluches of chervil
 Pluches of flat-leaf parsley
Flowers

 Should not be overused

 Important to note size and flavor
 Edible flowers divided into two groups:
1. Garden flowers
2. Herb flowers
Garden Flowers

 Examples:
 Bachelor’s buttons  Pansies
 Carnations  Popcorn shoots
 Dianthus  Roses
 Johnny jump-ups  Snap dragons
 Marigolds/calendula  Violets
 Nasturtiums
Herb Flowers

 Examples:
 Anise hyssop  Oregano
 Chive  Rosemary
 Lavender  Sage
 Mustard  Thyme
Microgreens

 Seedlings of various herbs, greens, and vegetables

 Most are grown hydroponically in plug flats and
snipped as they grow
 Microgreens are generally purchased
 Flavors are milder than their full-grown
counterparts
 Used as part of a salad mix, in composed salads, or
as a garnish
Microgreens

 Examples:
 Arugula  Pea shoot
 Beet top/Bull’s blood  Purple or pink orach
 Celery  Radish
 Cilantro  Red Garnet Amaranth
 Mustard  Red cabbage
Care for Salad Greens

 Wash greens thoroughly in plenty of cool water to

remove all traces of dirt and sand
 Dry greens completely
 Store cleaned greens in tubs or other containers
 Cut or tear the lettuce into bite-sized pieces
Side Salads

 Types:
 Vegetable salads
 Potato salads
 Pasta and grain salads
 Legume salads
 Fruit salads
Vegetable Salads

 If vegetables are raw, combine with dressing, and

rest long enough to allow flavors to “marry”
 When vegetables are partially or fully cooked you
can either:
1. Drain vegetables and combine with dressing while
they are still warm for faster flavor absorption (good
for root vegetables); or
2. Refresh and chill vegetables before adding the
dressing (good for green vegetables to avoid
discoloration).
Potato Salads

 Potatoes should be cooked completely, but not

overcooked
 Waxy potatoes hold their shape better than starchy
potatoes
 Combine potatoes and dressing while potatoes are
still warm
 Dressing is typically brought to a simmer before
potatoes are added for the best finished flavor
Pasta and Grain Salads

 Pasta and grains should be fully cooked, but not

overcooked
 Pasta and grains will absorb liquid and can quickly
become soggy
 Pasta and grains have a tendency to go flat in flavor
if they sit
Legume Salads

 Dried beans should be cooked until tender to the

bite and allowed to cool in their own cooking liquid
 Different beans should be cooked separately
 Beans will not soften any further if they sit in
dressing
 Acid in dressing will make beans tougher so they
should not be dressed and allowed to sit for long
periods of time
Fruit Salads

 Bases for fruit salads should be made from the least

perishable fruits: cantaloupe, honeydew, and
pineapple
 More perishable fruits can be added at last minute,
in smaller batches or as garnishes
 Fruits that turn brown can be treated with fruit
juice to keep them from oxidizing
Composed Salads

 Made by carefully arranging items on a plate

 A “main item” is often set on a bed of greens
 The salad is garnished and dressed
Composed Salads

 Some principles for composed salads:

 Consider how well each of the elements combine
 Repetition of a color or flavor can be successful if it
contributes to the overall dish, but too much of a good
thing is simply too much
 All of the components of the plate should be capable of
standing alone
 Components should be arranged in such a way that the
textures and colors of the foods are most attractive to the
eye
Warm Salads

 Known in French as salade tiéde

 Made by:
 Tossing salad ingredients in a warm dressing, working over
moderate to low heat until salad is just warmed through; or
 Using a chilled, crisp salad as the bed for hot main items