How to Make Salads with a Mixed Green Salad Recipe and a Tossed Salad Recipe
When you talk about how to make salads, you must realize just what the word “salad” means. In our modern world, it has expanded covering anything from a small simple green salad to elaborate fancy appetizers to entrees.
At one time salads were a symbol of youth and slim waste lines; some of us still want to think that if we eat a salad, we will lose weight. Some of these salads from restaurants have many more calories than a main meal; keep this in mind when learning how to make salads. Although some are higher in calories, we still get a lot of nutrition and fiber so it is a balancing which is important to know when learning how to make salads. Knowing how to make salads means knowing how to please the public taste. The salad bowl with crisp greens has won a place on the American table for appetizers, lunch, supper or dinner. Salads mark the beginning of meals and can double at the end of the meal as a dessert.
The secret of a good salad is thorough crisping and chilling of all ingredients if you know how to make salads the greens should be thoroughly washed and thoroughly dried. Fruits and vegetables should be well drained; meat, fish and cheese should be cut into uniform bite size pieces. If you like onion or garlic in vegetable salads, add just a touch of it grated or sliced.
Another tip when learning how to make salads is the eye appeal. No matter what kind of salad you make it should make a good presentation. With such a variety of fruits and vegetables having many colors which are available in our markets, it is easy to make them look appetizing. A colorless salad can be improved by adding a garnish of radish rose, carrot straws, tomatoes or cucumber slices.
Main Course Salads or main dish salads have become extremely popular in recent years. If you know anything about how to make salads, main course salads should contain some protein rich foods such as chicken, meat, fish, eggs or cheese besides the fresh greens and other vegetables. Fruit also adds a nice touch to main course salads. Meats and vegetables can be marinated in a tart seasoned dressing or a sweet sour dressing right before serving; or serve a dressing on the side. Mayonnaise or creamed dressings adds body to salads such as these.
When learning how to make salads you need to also learn tips on serving salads. A mixed green salad recipe served before as an appetizer salad to a hearty main course meal should be light and tangy. The serving should be small and the dressing tart. These are meant to stimulate the palate for the heartier foods. Many salad greens are available to make a nice addition to your meal; several kinds of lettuce, chicory, escarole, endive, spinach, water cress, sorrel, various cabbages. Mixing a few greens will add to the presentation, flavor and texture .A good rule to follow when preparing a salad is to have all the vegetables no larger than bite size.
Accompaniment salads or side salads may be a mixture of fresh greens or a combination of greens and other vegetables or fruits. Keep in mind also with these side salads that they should be kept light with no protein or very little amount like a tablespoon of grated cheese. The salad needs to compliment the meal which is being served.
The mixed green salad recipe is a good place to get in the nutrition needed in your body. Mix other vegetables in with the greens like chopped onions, slice radishes, sliced cucumbers, Shredded carrots and tomatoes. From time to time slip in other vegetables like thinly sliced turnips and beets to see how your family or friends like them.
Special care should be given to the storing of salad greens after purchasing. Separate the leaves and wash them; dry thoroughly and place them in the refrigerator to crisp. Pile the leaves in a refrigerator crisper pan or I use plastic zipper bags.
A large tossed salad recipe can be served from a nice salad bowl by the host for a dinner. Several types of salad bowls are available and suitable; wood, glass, pottery or china. Many mixtures of green are good to make salads in these large bowls. Pile the greens and a few other colorful small pieces of vegetables in the bowl; sprinkle them with a salad dressing and toss several minutes to coat before serving. A wooden spoon and fork are the best with which to serve.
Large wooden salad bowls are very popular for this type of salad serving. There is a rule of never washing a wooden salad bowl but I have a problem with that. Most instructions are to wipe the bowl with a clean dry cloth and then with a piece of bread to absorb the oil. Definitely I would not soak the bowl with water, but I always wash quickly with hot soapy water and dry quickly and thoroughly. Rub the bowl down with warm olive oil or salad oil before preparing another salad in the bowl.
Dessert salads can be served at the end of the meal. These should also be kept light considering it is following a full meal. Dessert salads can be as simple as a couple pieces of fruit and a small piece of cheese on a lettuce leaf. It could also be pieces of a variety of colorful fruits sprinkled with chopped nuts and topped with a dollop of whipped cream. Again the rule here is to keep it small and light if immediately following a full meal.
Congealed salad recipes or molded salad recipes can be made for after dinner dessert, for an appetizer recipe or simply a snack depending on the ingredients used. Shimmering gelatin salads can be made with fruit flavored gelatin or unflavored gelatin. The can contain vegetables, fruits, meat, seafood or a combination. They can be molded in small individual molds or a large mold which adds a decorative touch to the table. Congealed salad recipes must be prepared in advance to allow time for setting up if you are learning how to make salads. When ready to unmold, do it directly on the serving platter and surround the mold with pretty lettuce leaves. Wet the platter first so that the molded salad can be adjusted on the platter if necessary. Once unmolded the salad needs to be served immediately.
When learning how to make salads keep in mind that the perfect salad dressings recipes compliment and bring life to most salads. Some people like the tartness of vinegar and others like the richness of oils. Some people like the spiciness of pepper and others like the garlic and onion flavors. This is why so many of us offer a variety when we serve dinner.
The three basic salad dressing recipes are the vinegars and oils, creamy dressings like mayonnaise and the tangy mustard types. When deciding on a salad dressing keep in mind the place of the salad in the meal. Simple dressings for side or accompaniment salads, hearty dressings for main course salads and sweet dressings for fruit salad recipes.
Light extra virgin olive oil with its delicate flavor has been the choice for a salad dressing for centuries. Now we have many vegetable oils and even flavored oils to choose from.
The basic vinegars are cider, wine and malt. Cider vinegar is made from plain or distilled apple juice, wine vinegar from fermented red wines and the malt vinegar from grains. As a rule mild cider vinegar is best for salad dressing recipes. Now we also have delicious vinegars flavored with herbs and spices.
Lemon juice and lime juice can be used interchangeably with vinegar in salad dressing recipes. This works especially well with fruit salad recipes. French dressings are the simplest type of dressing and require only a good beating once the ingredients have been combined. When left standing, the vinegar and oil may separate so beat before serving.
Mayonnaise is made with either egg yolks or whole eggs. The whole eggs makes for a thinner dressing. It is necessary when making to add the oil a drop at a time at first while beating; otherwise the emulsion might break down and the oil will run together on the top.
Cream dressings made with sour cream or sweet cream, vinegar or lemon juice and seasonings are used interchangeably with mayonnaise or cooked dressings.
Cooked dressings is usually a combination of starch and a custard base or it could be just one.
Prepared commercial salad dressings can be used interchangeably with homemade dressings. As with homemade dressings some will settle when left standing so will need to be mixed before serving.
These are important tips when learning how to make salads
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