The summer salad formula
A summer slaw with cabbage, carrot, Granny Smith apple, dried cherries and an orange-balsamic vinaigrette.
I had an epiphany last weekend while trying out a new recipe for an Asian-style slaw. It called for 1/2 head of shredded green cabbage, 2 shredded carrots, raisins or dried cranberries, chopped green apple and bottled balsamic vinaigrette.
As I often do, I started messing around with the stated recipe. I kept the cabbage, carrots and Granny Smith apple, but since I already had dried cherries, I subbed them in place of the other dried fruit. Also, I wanted to make a balsamic vinaigrette for the salad instead of buying a bottled dressing. Using the old vinaigrette ratio of three parts oil to one part vinegar, I whisked up a combo using balsamic vinegar and some blood orange olive oil given to me as a Christmas present by my aunt and uncle. To finish it off, I sprinkled in some toasted sesame seeds.
The slaw was delicious, and I started thinking about how many other summer salads follow the same basic formula: freshly chopped or grated veggies and fruits, a pop of sweetness from dried fruit, a dressing of choice and some kind of seed or nut, if desired. One of my favorites, carrot-raisin salad, is made with shredded carrots, raisins, mayonnaise and a touch of sugar. Sometimes people add crushed pineapple. Another of my favorites is broccoli salad, which can be made with broccoli crowns or the packaged broccoli slaw, mixed with raisins, mayonnaise, sunflower seeds and bacon bits, if desired.
So think about these categories of ingredients and how many options you have:
Vegetables/fruits: green or red cabbage, carrots, broccoli, broccoli slaw, cauliflower, apples, mandarin oranges, pineapple, celery, fennel bulb, etc.
Dried fruit: Raisins, dried cranberries, golden raisins, dried cherries, apricot, mango, etc.
Nuts/seeds: Peanuts, cashews, slivered or sliced almonds, toasted sesame seeds, sunflower kernels, toasted walnuts, etc.
Dressing: You could play around here with a basic mayonnaise or any kind of vinaigrette that suits your fancy, or go with a favorite bottled dressing.
Mix and match to suit your tastes! Does anyone else have thoughts on how these different ingredients could pair together, or can you add ideas to the list of components above?
May 14, 2010 - 1:01 PM
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Lindsey, you are the FIRST person I’ve heard give the same, identical recipe for carrot-raisin salad like my mom makes. No pineapple for her! Everyone who eats her salad adores it.
I could eat a whole bowl of the stuff myself!
I love, love, love adding dried fruit and nuts to salads. It satisfies my insatiable sweet tooth in the healthiest way possible. And nuts add that nice crunch and have all that heart-healthy oil.
This from the woman who had delivery chain pizza last night.
The dressing sounds great too. Blood orange olive oil? YUM!
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/22/dining/22mlist.html?_r=3&partner=rss&emc=rss
I recalled this piece from last summer and thought some people might like to see it. It’s part of Mark Bittman’s “101 …” series, and this one (as you’ll see) is all on easy summer salads. I made quite a few as sides when at a grill out or cooking at home, and they were all popular.
I hope you enjoy looking through them!
Thanks, Kristen.
Yep, the blood orange olive oil came from this neat little place, the Coeur d’Alene Olive Oil Co. in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, where my aunt and uncle live. They have all kinds of olive oil.
Check out their Web site:
http://www.cdaoliveoil.com/Default.aspx
YUM! This was just in time, Lindsey. I have a BBQ to go to tomorrow and I have been stressing over what to bring! Thanks SO much! I will let you know how it goes!
I recently read that almost every cultural cuisine has some form of carrot salad. It made me want to research and try them all. Of course this is from someone who when asked to bring her favorite recipe for the 4th grade cookbook, chose Waldorf Salad. Boy, do fourth-graders think that is uncool. I still LOVE salads.
Lindsey–Is this your new counter top and back splash? Looks very nice!!!
Texas Steak House has a new salad…I don’t remember the name…but it had several kinds of fresh and dried fruit on top of salad greens with a poppy seed dressing. It was YUMMY!
That looks and sounds good!! I love good, different salads!
Lindsey, I think you have hit on a recipe that can be altered for variety or whatever you have on hand, but the basic salad is the same. This is the ”Imposssible Pie” of salads! I think I will also try doing this: Using only a little of the ”basic filler” — cabbage or broccoli slaw, for instance, and putting it all on a plate of spring mix, field greens, or spinach, along with extra dressing. Oooh, packaged, refrigerated chicken cuts, cubed cheese, and bacon bits on this would make a good meal!
Reading this also makes me hungry for chicken curry. I make it with chopped apples, celery, onion, and garlic, the sauce (chicken broth, skim milk and curry powder) and add chicken, raisins and peanuts.
Those tiles are very pretty. Salad lloks great too.
Make that looks. I really need to check my spelling before I hit enter.
One addition I’d insist on would be a choice from one of several cheeses – parmesan, goat, feta, blue, asiago, or even swiss or cheddar. I just MUST have some kind of cheese on a salad.
I love the concept of these interchangeable ingredients. It really does simplify the whole ‘gourmet salad’ idea down into its’ most basic components. For those that want to ‘beef up’ the salad, with some animal protein, they can always grill some chicken, turkey, lamb, pork, or even sirloin to medium doneness, then dice it into 1″ cubes, or even tear it for a shredded effect.
3-4 ounces of animal protein added to the above options would make an extremely healthy summer dinner.
Cheese does make everything better, that’s my motto! I always like feta, bleu or gorgonzola with dried fruit and nut mixtures. The tang of the cheese with sweet dried cherries or what have you is delicious.
I tested some great recipes this weekend. Can’t wait to tell you guys about them tomorrow.
I read the article about making jam and I would like to know the source of Dutch Jell. I never heard of this ingredient for jam making.
I recently made a simple salad of marinated artichoke hearts and mushrooms, cannellini beans, crumbled feta, chopped pepperoncini, olives, shredded napa cabbage, and mini bowtie pasta. I dressed it with a vinaigrette I made with olive oil, white vinegar, coarse mustard, and capers. It was tangy and delicious!
Amy, that sounds like a delicious combo. I adore artichoke hearts.
Maleta, Dutch Jell is a pectin sold in bulk rather than in little boxes. They have it at Jamisons’ Orchard in Roanoke County in the farm store. I have seen it for sale on the Internet by Googling it. Dennis Jamison says it works just as well as Sure-Jell, but it is less expensive. As I wrote in the article, substitute 1/3 rounded cup of Dutch Jell for a 1.75-oz. box of Sure-Jell.