Unit VII – Appetizer Salad and Salad Dressing

Salads are at their best prepared to order, from good quality ingredients. Too much moistures
will produce a soggy results, so drain ingredients well after washing. Pat dry with kitchen paper
if necessary.

Seasoning should be done with care to bring out flavor of the ingredients. No seasoning may be
necessary if the salad is to be dressed.

The different colors and shapes of salad ingredients often make garnishing unnecessary. For
those that have rather bland appearance, garnishes which can add interest include sprigs of fresh
herbs, slices of cucumber, tomato, stuffed olive, hardboiled egg, croutons, ring of pepper or
onion etc.

Dressing of salads means adding of flavoring liquid or sauce. Vinaigrette ( an emulsion of oil,
vinegar, mustard and seasoning). Thin dressing e.g. vinaigrette or lemon juice, should not be put
on green salads until half an hour or so before they are due to be eaten, otherwise the salad will
go limp and lose color and flavor. Some people consider half an hour too long.

Tossing the salad means gentle mixing, so as to coat all the ingredients with the dressing, but not
squash, bruise or damage the softer ones. Using two large spoons, lift the salad up into the air.
Repeat two to three times.

Basic Preparation Methods of Salad Ingredients

a. Peeling – removing the outer skin of vegetables, because it is inedible ( e.g. onions, turnips, or
sometimes cucumber). Old potatoes are usually peeled, but not if they are baked.

b. Skinning – has the same meaning as peeling, but people usually refer to skinning tomatoes;
rather than ‘peeling tomatoes; perhaps because the skin of the tomato is too thin and distinct
from fresh.

c. Shelling – removing the hard, outer covering, or shell. Removing peas and broad beans from
their pod is called shelling.

d. Chopping – cutting into pieces, e.g. chopping onion, but sometimes means a more vigorous
chopping action with the knife e. g. chopping parsley or garlic.

e. Shredding – cutting into long , narrow strips or strands. Example are lettuce for salad

An appetizer is a small morsel of food generally served as the first course of a meal to stimulate
the appetite for more or heavier foods to follow. An appetizer may be served in many different
forms, from liquid to solid, as long as it performs its primary function.
 The appearance of an appetizer must be eye appealing colorful and dainty. In many
respects it must process the same characteristics as a salad. Appetizers are generally classified
into six or seven categories.

Cocktails Dips
Hors d’oeuveres Petite Salads
Canapés Soups and Consomme
Relishes

PARTS OF SALAD

Any successful salad will contain four basic parts, base, body, dressing and garnish. Each
part is one part is extremely important when preparing a salad. If just one part is omitted or done
poorly, finished product will be impaired.

BASE - The base usually consist of salad green such as leaf lettuce, romaine head lettuce or bib.
It can be eaten, but in most cases the guest will choose to let it remain on the plate or in the
bowl. The main purpose of the base is to keep the plate or in the bowl from looking bare and
to provide contract in a color when the body is added.

BODY- This body is the main part of the salad. The type of salad would determine the mind of
kinds of ingredients used. It is this part of the salad that should be given the most attention. The
body should be prepared by following the rules of good salad preparation.

DRESSING- A dressing usually with all types of salads. It plays many important parts in the
overall success of the preparation. It adds flavor, provides food values, helps digestion, improve
palatability and appearance.

GARNISH- The main purpose of the garnish is to add eye appeal to the finished product, but
in some cases it may take to improve the form or increase the taste.

Examples of Appetizer SALADS

Macaroni Fruit Salad

Ceasar Salad

Potato Salad