PREPARING SALADS

AND DRESSINGS
 Common Terminologies Used in Preparing Salads and
Dressings
Blanch to briefly boil or steam, making the skins of
fruits and nut meats easy to remove. It also stops the
enzymatic action in foods so they retain flavor and color
when frozen.

Break to divide lettuce or other salad greens into large

pieces.

Chill to place in the refrigerator until cooled to

temperatures between 33F and 40F.

Chop to cut into random pieces with a sharp knife.

Core to remove the inedible center portions of apples,

pears, or pineapples.

Emulsion binding of two product that would not

normally bind.

Emulsifying Agent or Emulsifier a product that when

Fold incorporating two ingredient slowly without
causing too much damage to the ingredients.

Grate to form tiny flakes by rubbing food with pressure

against a grater.

Hull to remove the inedible outer covering of fruits and

vegetables, usually by hand.

Julienne fine precision cut (3mm x 3mm x 40mm)

usually applied to vegetables; cut often used for
garnishes.

Marinate to let food stand in savory sauce to enrich

flavor or to tenderize.

Pare to cut off the outside covering with the aid of a

knife.

Peel to strip off the outside covering without a knife

Salad Greens leafy parts of plants which may be used
alone or in combination to form a green salad.

Scrape to rub with the sharp edge of a knife or other utensil

to remove skin or other undesirable matter.

Shred to cut into narrow strips with a knife or shredder.

Tear to separate salad greens into pieces.

Temporary Emulsion emulsion that separates soon after

mixing.

Toss to mix lightly by lifting the ingredients with a fork to

avoid bruising the vegetables or fruits

Unmold to loosen and remove from a container.

Pit to remove the stone or seeds from fruit.

Rusting to formation of brown spots on salad greens due to

improper handling and storage.
What is Salad and Dressing?

Saladis described as a dish which features

one main ingredient, or combination of
ingredients and flavors. It is usually a mixture
of leafy vegetables normally served cold, and
can incorporate meat and cooked root
vegetables.
Any food can be in a salad. It can be fruit
only, vegetable only or combination. However,
western culture understood and perceived
salad with only vegetable, specifically leafy
greens, as its ingredient.
It can also be serve cold or warm, and even
raw, cooked or combination of raw and cooked.

Salad Dressingis a part of a salad that is

 Selecting and
Preparing Ingredients
 To come up with the mouth watering and
flavorful salad one should prepare high quality
ingredients.

Here are some things to consider in selecting

The ingredients selected and prepared should be in
ingredients:
accordance with the purchasing and standard recipe
specification.
Freshness and varietyare considered essential in
choosing ingredient for high quality salad.
It is best to purchase ingredients that are in season.
Vegetable ingredients should be free from blemishes,
excess dirt and insects.
Fruits to be used should meet the degree of ripeness
required, and should be free from blemish, scarring or
bruising.
Appearance of the fruit and vegetables is a good
indicator of its quality.
If the important ingredient is not available, eliminate the
dish from the menu. Substitution only happens after the
impact is assessed in relation to the whole menu.
Purchase regularly.Dont purchase more than you will
Suggested ingredients to be used in
preparing salads and salad dressings are the
following:

Salad Greens
Salad Herbs
Salad Vegetables(root and green
vegetables)
Salad Fruits
Salad Farinaceous Ingredients
Meats and Cured Vegetablesfor salad
Salad Oils
Vinegars
Gelatin,
Nuts
Salad Greens

Salad Greens are vegetables often described

as leafy greens or leafy lettuce. These
usually served raw and can act as base or
bed for other ingredients.

Vegetables that can be used as base are the

following:

Iceberg
Romaine Lettuce
Boston Lettuce
Bibb or limestone lettuce
Loose-leaf Lettuce
Bean Shoots
Snow Pea Sprouts
Radicchio
Salad Herbs

A herb is described as flowering plant which

stems does not become woody.
In preparing salad, herbs are used to provide
aroma, flavor and texture, but should not be
used in excessive amount for it may
overpower the taste of the salad.

Herbs popular in salads includes the

following:

Parsley
Thyme
Oregano
Basil
Rosemary
Mint
Salad Vegetables

All vegetables can be used in making

salad, but not all can make good salad
vegetables (e.g. Swedes and turnips).

Salad vegetables are grouped into 2

main categories namely:

Root Vegetables
Green Vegetable
Root Vegetables

Categorized as root vegetables are root, bulb and

tuber plants. Note that some vegetables should be
cooked to become edible, such as potato, pumpkin
and sweet potato.
This type of vegetables suitable for salads are the
following:

Carrot can be raw or roasted; cut can be

shredded, sliced or julienne
Parsnip best roasted then chilled
Radish can be served raw, sliced or
quartered
Onion can be used raw or roasted; cut
can be sliced thinly
Potato must be boiled or oven roasted
 carrot
beetroot radish

parsnip

onions
Radish (red)

potato

Sweet potato
Flower Vegetables

Broccoli blanched then chill

Cauliflower can be blanched or
roasted, then chilled
Fruit Vegetables

Avocado usually diced and tossed with

dressings
Capsicum can be raw or roasted
Cucumber can be served raw, cut can be
cubed or sliced thinly
Eggplant sliced thinly, grilled and chilled
Tomato sliced and chopped
Zucchini can be sliced thinly, grilled and
chilled
 capsicum

avocado

cucumber
eggplant

tomato zucchini
Legumes

Beans, Green blanched then chilled

Chick Peas soak then poach until
tender, chilled
Sweet Corn can be boiled and then
chilled
Peas can be blanched then chilled
Salad Fruits

Salad fruits are classified into 6 groups namely:

Soft Fruits strawberry, raspberry, blackberry,

blueberry, grapes and currants (red, black and
white)
Stone Fruits apricot, peach, nectarine, plum,
mango, cherry
Hard Fruits apple, pear, quince
Citrus lemon, orange, grapefruit, lime,
pomelo
Tropical banana, pineapple, lychee,
rambutan, jackfruit, dragon fruit, guava,
custard apple
Miscellaneous rhubarb, kiwifruit,
persimmon, passion fruit, pomegranate, fig,
watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew
Salad Farinaceous Ingredients

Farinaceous ingredient refers to the pasta,

lentils, beans and cous cous that can be
used in preparing salads.
Making salad is an alternative way to use
left over pasta. The texture of the pasta is to
be considered as you prepare and should be
cooked al dente, but some like it to be
cooked more. Pasta can also be served cold.
Cooked beans and lentils can also be
included to the salad to significantly add to
the texture of the prepared dish.
Meat and Cured Vegetables for
Salads
Salad Meats
Meat for salads are cooked meat that can be
served cold and cured meat that can be
served cold or warm. Salad meats should be
cooked and chilled.

These meat includes:

Bacon, fried
Chicken, roasted, poached
Beef
Lamb
Sausage
Cured meatthat can be included are:

Prosciutto
Bresaola
Salami
Ham

Cured Vegetables
Cured vegetables can be bought in the grocery
store and are stored in bottles. Vegetables can
also be preserved in a vinegar solution and
then used in any salad dish. These vegetables
are the following:

Olives, black and green

Pickled cucumber, savoury and sweet
Onions
Salad Oils
Edible salad oils are fats that are liquid in
room temperature. They are used to balance
the flavor and texture of the salad.
Commonly used salad oils are categorized
according to its flavor and aroma. It could be
either neutral or strong.

Neutral flavor and aroma

Sunflower
Safflower
Grape Seed
Canola
Strong or noticeable flavor and aroma

Olive
Virgin Olive
Walnut
Hazelnut
Rose (strong and expensive)
Truffle (expensive)
Chili (very strong)
Sesame
Vinegars
Vinegar is a fermented liquid from wine,
cider, sherry etc. Its acidic content can be used
to preserve food and can be used as an
accompaniment or as dressing. The flavour
and or ingredients used can be emphasized on
the sourness of the vinegar.

The vinegars that can be used in making salad

includes:
White Wine
Red Wine
Cider
Balsamic (unfermented white wine base)
Malt
White
Flavoured (e.g. Tarragon)
Basic Procedure in Preparing Salad
and Dressing
Washing and Drying
Washing the ingredients, specially the salad
vegetables, is important to ensure the safety of
food being served. But before doing so, wash
your hands first and clean the countertops,
cutting board and utensils with hot water before
doing the procedure.
Since we are preparing salad, most of the
ingredients to be used are either fruits or
vegetables. These are gently washed in running
cool water. Using cool water is done to keep the
greens crispy. Another way in washing is to
submerge it in a stainless bowl filled with water
letting the dirt accumulate or settle on the
bottom. This technique of washing is usually
 After washing the ingredients, drain it
thoroughly specifically the leafy ones.
Remember that leaves absorb water and with
this nutrients can be lost. Use a salad spinner
or tea towels to dry it.
If it is not time to put the salad together,
assemble the ingredients and keep it covered in
a cool room.
 Basic Cutting
Techniques
BASIC CUTTING TECHNIQUE
Coarse Chopping
Julienne
Dicing
Slicing

ADVANCE CUTTING TECHNIQUE

Chiffonade
Jardiniere
Macedoine
Brunoise
Paysanne
Basic Procedure in Preparing Salad
and Dressing -Preparing Garnish
and Accompaniment

One of the important part of a salad dish

are its garnish and accompaniment.
These are prepared to make the dish
more appetizing. Planning and preparing
the ingredients to be used in preparing
garnish and accompaniment is essential
to put up everything in place.
REMEMBER:
Garnish and accompaniment are important
elements to be considered in a salad dish.
Preparing it is still part of the normal mise en
place in making salad to make the food more
appetizing. Take note that not all recipes
include ways on how to present your dish.
Garnish
Garnish refers to the decorative
accompaniment of the dish that is
edible and appropriate to the dish.
Garnish that can be used in making
salads includes herbs and vegetables
that can be sprinkled to the top or over
the salad. Examples are the following:

Chopped herbs
Herb sprigs
Julienne of carrot
slivers of spring onion
Roasted and chopped nuts can also add
 Accompaniment
Accompaniments are the complementary
addition to the main ingredient of the meal.
Sauces and/or dressings are used as
accompaniment in making a salad. It can be
classified as:
vinegar-based
mayonnaise-based
REMEMBER:
Dressings used should complement the
ingredients. Blander ingredients may be
contrasted with a flavorsome dressing, while
more pronounced flavoured ingredients
require a milder dressing.
 Presenting and Arranging the
Salad -Structure and
Characteristics of a Salad
Structure of a Salad
In preparing a salad, it may or may not
have all part. The structure of a salad
includes the base, body, dressing and
garnish.

Basepertains to the base of the salad,

usually leafy greens like cup-shaped
leaves of iceberg or Boston lettuce, or
even flat loose leaves of either
romaine or chicory. Putting base to a
salad dish makes it more appealing as
Bodyis the main part of the salad. It could
be salad greens, salad vegetables, fruits,
meats or farinaceous ingredients.

Dressingis a seasoned liquid added to the

body to give added flavour, tartness,
spiciness and moistness. It is used to
season and accent the main flavour of the
main ingredient, not to overpower it.

Garnishis the edible decorative item to

make it more attractive and flavourful. It is
kept simple and should not elaborate or
dominate the salad.
Characteristics of a Salad
Having a well-structured salad doesnt
necessarily mean it is ready to be served.
There are characteristics that should be
present in a salad dish before the customer
tastes it. The following points are to be
considered:

Should have a shine, specially the

vegetables
Balance of Color
Have more than height than width
Should be appealing to the eyes
Have a textual diversity
 Presenting and Arranging the Salad
-Techniques in Presenting Salad

In presenting salad, colour and texture are to

be considered for these add interest to the salad.
An example is to have salad greens with creamy
avocado. Adding avocado increases the textual
contrast of the salad. Another is salad greens
with red capsicum that add contrasts or color of
the ingredients. Just remember never add too
much of one ingredient.
Presenting the salad may also vary depending on
the recipe prepared and the customers to be
served. Listed below are additional practical
techniques you could use as you prepare the salad:

1. Do not plate salads marinated in vinegar or oil

because the lettuce base will wilt easily.
2. Fruits that are broken or less attractive should be
placed at the bottom part while more attractive
pieces are on top.
3. Some cut fruit that are discoloured can be
dipped into acid like tart fruit juice.
4. If both vegetables and fruit salads are being
prepared, vegetable salads should be prepared
first.
5. Canned fruits must be drained well before
mixing them in the salad so that salad greens
will not be saggy or loose.
6. The temperature of food must be monitored
Guidelines for Arranging Salads
Arranging the salad depends on how it will be
served. It can be served either formal or side
dish to the main meal, casual or part of the
buffet, modern or served as a meal that will
stand alone, or stand up/sit down or served in
wraps.

Despite different ways it can be served, there

are general guidelines that should be followed
in arranging salads.

Salad ingredients should not be placed

on the edge of the plate.In every dish
prepared, it is essential to place the
ingredients at the center of the plate. To
prevent this from happening, consider the
Make sure the dish has a balance of
colors.The color of the dish adds greatly to the
composition of the salad. Three colors are usually
enough; having more will make the dish look messy
and too overboard. Remember that red highlights
green, green highlights red, and dark foods can be
highlighted with combinations of red, green and
yellow.

Height makes the salad attractive.Ingredients

that overlap or lean against each other could create
a little height but is more interesting than laying
the ingredients flat on the plate. Use lettuce caps
as base and as centerpiece, if necessary.

Ingredients should be cut neatly.Ragged

cutting makes the salad look unpalatable or not
Every ingredient should be
identifiable.As discussed on the previous
number, ingredients should be cut neatly but
not to the point that all ingredients are
completely shredded or pulverized. The
general rule is to make bite-size pieces,
unless it can be cut using a fork (e.g. tomato
slices); onion is exempted to this rule as it
can be chopped finely.

Keep the dish simple.A plate with

elaborate design and a plate with cluttered
ingredients do not look appetizing. The salad
dish should be natural and simple for it to be
pleasing to eyes.
PREPARING SALAD DRESSING

Oil and Vinegar dressings are categorized

as the most non-thickened dressing. Best
example on this type of dressing is the Basic
Vinaigrette. It has a simple mixture of oil and
vinegar which is an example of temporary
emulsion.
The ratio of 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar is
the standard for this dressing; however, this
can be changed according to your
preference. Less oil makes the dressing
tarter, and more oil makes it milder and
oiler.
Vinaigrette/Basic French Dressing

Yield:200 ml

Ingredients

50 ml wine vinegar
150 ml corn oil
A pinch of salt and pepper

Procedure:

In a screw top jar, combine the corn oil,

wine vinegar and a pinch of pepper and
salt. Close the jar lid and shake well.
Place the vinaigrette in a clean sauceboat
to serve.
Emulsified Dressing

Emulsified dressings are categorized as the

most thickened dressing. It is considered as cold
sauce with two incompatible ingredients, oil and
acid (vinegar or lemon juice), combined through
an emulsifying agent (egg yolk) that forms a
permanent emulsion.
The ingredients oil, vinegar, mustard, egg
yolks and seasoning combined together form
amayonnaise.Mayonnaise is considered to be
the most important emulsified dressing that
serve as base on wide variety of other dressings.
Derivative sauces using mayonnaise as base
includes tartare sauce and cocktail sauce.
Mayonnaise

Yield:200 ml
Ingredients
2 pcs. egg yolk, preferablypasteurized
A pinch of salt
A pinch ofdry mustard
A pinch ofcayenne
170 ml corn oil
sliced lemon
Procedure:
Crack the egg on a flat surface. Open the eggs halves
apart. Gently slide the yolk back and forth between one half of
the shell to the other separating the egg yolks from the egg
whites.
Place the egg yolks in a bowl and beat with a wire whisk
until well beaten.
Mix the ingredients rapidly. Then slowly pour the oil. When
the emulsion forms, add the oil slightly faster.
Mix together the salt, dry mustard and cayenne to the bowl of
beaten egg yolks. Beat until well mixed.
Squeeze the lemon and beat its juice to the mixture for
tartness and consistency.
Place the mayonnaise in a clean sauceboat to serve.
Other Dressing
These are categorized as the cooked
dressings with similar in appearance to
mayonnaise dressings but has more tart
flavour and with little or no oil content.
These varieties of dressings have
neither mayonnaise nor oil and vinegar.
This includes dressings on sour cream, on
fruit juice and yogurt, and on low calorie
dressings.
Chantilly Cream

Ingredients

cupheavy whipping cream, chilled

1 Tbsppowdered sugar
tsp vanilla extract

Procedure:
Combine the chilled whipping cream, powdered
sugar and vanilla extract in a large bowl.

Using a wire whisk, beat the cream in a fast circular

motion until soft peaks form or until the cream holds
its shape when the whisk is withdrawn

Once the cream is whipped, cover and store it in the

chiller until ready to use.

Place the Chantilly cream in a clean sauceboat to

serve.
 SALADS ACCORDING TO THEIR FUNCTION

Appetizer Salad
- are prepared as the first course of the meal to
stimulate the appetite. It is a light salad that has crisp
ingredients (cheese, crabmeat, etc.) coated with
sharp, tangy, flavourful
Accompaniment Saladdressing.
-are light and palatable without too much richness
in flavour. It is serve to complement other dishes to be
served. This dish must balance and harmonize with
the rest of the meal.
Main Course Salad
-are served large enough and should contain significant
portion of protein. Popular choices are meat, poultry,
seafood and egg salads.
Separate-Course Salad
-are very light salad without filling. This is served after
the main course to refresh their palate before taking the
dessert. Avoid dressings that are heavy and rich, such as
sour cream and mayonnaise, to completely cleanse the
appetite.
Main Course Salad
-are served large enough and should
contain significant portion of protein. Popular
choices are meat, poultry, seafood and egg
salads.

Separate-Course Salad
-are very light salad without filling. This is
served after the main course to refresh their
palate before taking the dessert. Avoid
dressings that are heavy and rich, such as
sour cream and mayonnaise, to completely
Dessert Salad
cleanse the appetite.
-mostly contains fruits, sweetened gelatin,
nuts and cream which are usually sweet. It is
a type of salad best served as a dessert or as
part of a party or buffet menu.
 SALADS ACCORDING TO INGREDIENTS

Green Salad

Green Salads are usually composed of

greens that are fresh, clean, cold and well
drained.
To keep the green crisp, it is necessary to
have moisture and air. If it loose moisture,
wash and refrigerate the greens. Air
circulation can be maintain if greens are not
washed too tightly or pack too firmly. Make
sure greens are fresh and crisp enough to
ensure quality dish serve for the people to
enjoy.
These green vegetables can sometimes be
marinated or soaked in a seasoned liquid,
such as oil and vinegar dressing, which serve
Vegetables, Grain Legumes and Pasta
Salad

Vegetable Salad refers to salad whose main

ingredient is other than lettuce or other leafy
greens. Grain legumes and pasta are starchy
items that can also be used as the body of a
salad. Protein items like meat, poultry, seafood
and cheese can also be added to the cooked
vegetable and starch salads.

Examples of Vegetables Salads are Coleslaw

and Mixed Vegetable Salad with Pasta.
Bound Salad

Bound Salads are mixture of food bounded

with a dressing; usually thick dressing like
mayonnaise. Mayonnaise is also used to not
crush or break the main ingredients.

Examples of this type are chicken salad, tuna

salad, potato salad and egg salad. These are
cooked starch, protein and vegetables items
with mayonnaise.
Fruit Salad

Fruit Salads are type of salad that has

fruits as main ingredients. It is also popular
as appetizer salads and dessert salads.

Examples include Waldorf Salad and

Fresh Fruit Chantilly Salad.
Composed Salad

Composed Salads are salad arranged in a

plate. This is different with other salad
because the arrangement done is neat and
mouth watery allowing two or more elements
to be arrange alternatively rather than
completely mixed. These are usually served
as main course or fruit course, rather than
accompaniments or side dishes.

Examples of composed salad are Chefs

Salad, Salad Nicoise, Cobb Salad and Taco
Salad.
Gelatin Salad

Gelatin Salad are those usually prepared

with artificial color and flavour. Note that most
professional cook prefer the unflavoured
gelatine relying on the natural juice of fruits
and other ingredients used.