Recommended types of salad vegetables?

[NewFoodie]

I had recently posted a question about what types of garlic people recommended.

 

I actually have the same question about:

 

• artichokes
• asparagus
• avocados
• cucumbers
• eggplant
• lettuce
• olives
• onions
• tomatoes

 

I guess my main interest is which types of each of these vegetables would be best for salads (except maybe for asparagus).

 

Thanks.

[weinoo]

I don't know if I understand the question.

 

I could see using every type of each vegetable if that's what you want to do.

 

Except for - eggplant.  It's not a salad vegetable, at least in my opinion.

 

And onion - either green or red in salads.  I'm not a fan of white or yellow in salads.

[cakewalk]

It is interesting to learn about different varieties of fruits and vegetables for informational purposes. But asking about the "best" for salads (or whatever) is something else. "Best" is the one you prefer.

[heidih]

And how do you define salad? 

[Smithy]

It really does depend on what you mean by 'salad', and your tastes.  When I hear the word 'salad' I generally think of a leafy green mix or a fruit salad.  However, I also make a grilled dinner salad of very flexible ingredients.  For example, I may make a grilled dinner salad out of some combination of the following:

 

Skinny Asian eggplants sliced into disks (or ovals, if they're cut on the diagonal),

red bell peppers, sliced;

asparagus, chopped into ~2" lengths;

cherry tomatoes, whole;

onions cut into roughly the same size bits as the rest;

baby potatoes that were steamed until almost done;

possibly some boneless meat cut into bite-sized chunks (chicken, lamb, beef).  

 

Once the prep is done, I drizzle or toss each ingredient with olive oil, lemon juice and herbs of my choice, then grill each individually in a basket until done and pitch it into a large serving bowl. (The reason for grilling separately is so you can pull each one off when it's done, rather than having charred onion and barely-done potato because you tried to do them together.)  After mixing, I add salad dressing of my choice - usually the same mix as the marinade.  Chunks of grilled bread can be added at the end as rough croutons, if desired.

 

The whole mix is a single-bowl meal of very flexible ingredients.  Would you consider that a salad?  

[SobaAddict70]

"Best" is the one you prefer.

 

This.

[Toliver]

I had recently posted a question about what types of garlic people recommended.

 

I actually have the same question about:

 

• artichokes

• asparagus

• avocados

• cucumbers

• eggplant

• lettuce

• olives

• onions

• tomatoes

 

I guess my main interest is which types of each of these vegetables would be best for salads (except maybe for asparagus).

 

Thanks.

I picture artichokes in a pasta salad, not a green salad.

Regarding the onions, I prefer to use scallions (aka green onions/spring onions) in a chopped/green salad. Once in a while I'll use a purple/red onion sliced thinly. Sliced thin red/purple onion also goes well with sliced cucumbers, pickled together.

As for tomatoes...I have acquiesced to my inner sloth and only use grape tomatoes now. No peeling and slicing and/or dicing.  If I have access to heirloom tomatoes, they get made into their own salad...no greens needed.

[SobaAddict70]

I'd recommend checking out the salad thread in case you haven't already.

[LizD518]

I had recently posted a question about what types of garlic people recommended.

 

I actually have the same question about:

 

• artichokes

• asparagus

• avocados

• cucumbers

• eggplant

• lettuce

• olives

• onions

• tomatoes

 

I guess my main interest is which types of each of these vegetables would be best for salads (except maybe for asparagus).

 

Thanks.

 

Here is a topic started a few years ago about different salad ideas - that may give you some ideas of how to use each of the vegetables you listed above. http://forums.egullet.org/topic/137686-salad/?hl=%2Bsalad 

 

All of the veggies you listed can be used in salads, but I wouldn't necessarily put them all together.  Artichokes, eggplant (grilled maybe?) and asparagus are probably more on the unusual side compared to what you might find at say, a standard salad bar type set-up.  If you were to order a garden salad in most restaurants you'd get some sort of lettuce and then usually cucumbers, tomatoes and carrots, maybe onions.  A Greek salad usually has cucumbers, tomatoes, onion & olives - with or without lettuce - and usually feta cheese.  I might use artichoke hearts and grilled eggplant in an antipasti salad, along with some roasted red peppers and Italian cured meats and cheese - again, with or without lettuce.  I'd use asparagus with some shaved Parmesan and maybe roasted red peppers and a lemon vinaigrette.

[Beebs]

Raw eggplant is nasty IMHO, but grilled, marinated or pickled eggplant in a salad is lovely.  Same with raw artichokes.

 

I have seen salad recipes with shaved raw asparagus, but lightly steamed, poached or grilled asparagus are great in salads too.

 

Best salads are whatever you like that is fresh and preferably in season, I suppose.

[Jaymes]

Kind of surprised by the number of folks here that say they never put yellow or white onions in their salads.  Are y'all aware of the many sweet varieties of white onions that are absolutely perfect in salads?  Maui onions, Colorado sweets, Vidalia, and Texas 1015's come immediately to mind.  So very good raw in salads, sandwiches, etc.

 

And, if you'd like to try something really terrific, but a bit unusual, next time you're tossing up a green salad, instead of tomatoes, put in melon balls.  It's remarkable how much they kind of taste like tomatoes in a salad, but with a twist. You have to add the melon balls instead of tomatoes; they don't work well together.   My favorite summertime soup is Cantaloupe Gazpacho.  This is particularly interesting to me because, again, the flavor profile of cantaloupe turns out to be much like tomatoes.  But, um, well, different.

[NewFoodie]

Lots of good ideas here.  I'll have to "digest" all this (you should pardon the pun) and get back to you on it all.  And thanks for the link to the salad thread.

[djyee100]

The best vegs for your salads are the ones that are grown close to you, fresh and local. Have you checked out farmers mkts or CSAs where you live? I googled "princeton new jersey csa" and noticed a couple results. The farms that participate in local markets and CSAs are most likely to grow unusual and heirloom varieties that Big Ag does not, because Big Ag is more concerned about shelf life and shipping hardiness.

 

As you get to know your local CSA farmers, they will tell you what varieties of vegs they like, and why. Listen to them. They know what grows well where you live, and tastes good.

 

That said, these are some varieties I like in my salads. I recommend them if you can find them locally for yourself. I used to live on the East Coast and bought California produce there. Believe me, a 5-day 3000-mile trip cross-country does nothing for salad vegs,  especially the more tender, unusual varieties.

 

Persian cucumbers. Long, light green, with many ridges. Very mild and crunchy.
Japanese eggplant, small, fewer seeds than the big Italian globe eggplants.
Gaeta or Nicoise olives.
Lettuces. I like a combo of red and green lettuces in my salad. Any of the red lettuces are worth trying. Don't overlook the chicories, either. I like a frisee salad with mustard vinaigrette.
Red onions rather than yellow onions for salads. Yellow onions I like for cooking. I actually prefer green onions or scallions in salads, rather than conventional onions. Also try a chopped shallot in a vinaigrette as a substitute for garlic.
Any of the heirloom tomatoes. I especially like red- and yellow-streaked Marvel tomatoes for their fleshiness and sweet/acidity balance. I like Cherokee tomatoes for their sweetness and low acidity. Not an heirloom variety, but very good, Early Girl tomatoes.

 

I'll say it again--a beautifully ripe Early Girl tomato grown 20 miles from where you live, picked yesterday, will beat out any chi-chi variety that has serious mileage on it.

 

Avocadoes ship pretty well and they will ripen after harvest. I prefer Hass avocadoes, as opposed to the Fuerte avocadoes. Gwen or Reed varieties are also worth trying if you see them in the market.

 

good luck!

 

[Lisa Shock]

IMO choosing an olive for a salad depends on which dressing I am making. I keep several types of olive in the fridge plus a couple more in the cupboard cans, and generally choose based on how the dressing turned out, which also means that sometimes olives are not on my salad because the flavor would not be complementary.

[nickrey]

Kind of surprised by the number of folks here that say they never put yellow or white onions in their salads.  Are y'all aware of the many sweet varieties of white onions that are absolutely perfect in salads?  Maui onions, Colorado sweets, Vidalia, and Texas 1015's come immediately to mind.  So very good raw in salads, sandwiches, etc.

You can also soak the white onions in water for around 20 minutes to half an hour (changing water a few times). This leaves a wonderfully crunchy onion without the sting you often find in raw white onion.

[NewFoodie]

 I googled "princeton new jersey csa" and noticed a couple results.

 

Persian cucumbers. Long, light green, with many ridges. Very mild and crunchy.

Japanese eggplant, small, fewer seeds than the big Italian globe eggplants.

Gaeta or Nicoise olives.

 

I especially like red- and yellow-streaked Marvel tomatoes for their fleshiness and sweet/acidity balance. I like Cherokee tomatoes for their sweetness and low acidity. Not an heirloom variety, but very good, Early Girl tomatoes.

 

I'll say it again--a beautifully ripe Early Girl tomato grown 20 miles from where you live, picked yesterday, will beat out any chi-chi variety that has serious mileage on it.

 

I prefer Hass avocadoes, as opposed to the Fuerte avocadoes. Gwen or Reed varieties are also worth trying if you see them in the market.

 

I didn't even know what a CSA until you mentioned it. Yeah, I found two nearby, but they require such a commitment, not just in terms of how much they cost but also in terms of uncertainty on the return you'll get, that I don't know if they're for me.

 

Those cucmbers, eggplants, olives and tomatoes sound good; I'll look for them.

 

And I do believe you that "locavore" is a good way to go.

 

I think I read that Hass avocadoes are the "regular" kind, comprising 95% of all sold in the U.S. They're good, though. I'll look for the Gwen or Reed varieties.

[SobaAddict70]

CSAs are not for everyone, but if you have an adventurous spirit and are willing to explore possibilities, then they might be a great opportunity for you to broaden your horizons. The randomness is part of the deal, and for me, a route I'd be willing to undertake if I didn't already have access to a year-round farmers' market.

[huiray]

I think cakewalk said it best. 

 

Notwithstanding what you may find in your travels along the pathways of exploring vegetables available in places other than one's standard Western supermarket, it still devolves down to what you find delicious at that moment at that time for that purpose.  You'll just have to try them all. 

 

It is a fool's errand to "list" the *best* types of salad vegetables.  It reminds me, in a sense, of those "Best 10"/ "Best 50 (San Pellegrino)"/"Best Whatever" lists of restaurants - they are completely dependent on who's on the ranking list and what their cultural biases are (and they are pretty biased) or what the "trend of the year/moment" was; and who was the friend of whom in recommending which restaurant to go to next etc etc etc.**

 

There is no such thing as the "best" type of vegetable for any sort of salad.

 

Happy trying-out-stuff.

 

** Or a Yelp list

Edited August 14, 2014 by huiray (log)

[djyee100]

I didn't even know what a CSA until you mentioned it. Yeah, I found two nearby, but they require such a commitment, not just in terms of how much they cost but also in terms of uncertainty on the return you'll get, that I don't know if they're for me.

 

Sometimes a CSA will require you to buy a big seasonal share upfront, in hundreds of dollars. That can be a difficult commitment for many people. Other CSAs are more flexible, permitting you to buy by the month or the quarter, and skip some weeks if you notify them in advance. So keep an eye out for CSAs in your area, one that might suit you.

 

Meanwhile, more likely than not, the same farm with the CSA also sells at the local farmers mkt. You can check out their produce there and decide if you like what they're growing. Or if you encounter a farm you like, ask if they have a CSA. They may be motivated to start one!

 

For years I refused to join a CSA because I didn't want to be stuck with a box of vegs I didn't choose and didn't like. But after I joined, I discovered that when I was hungry, I was willing to eat anything in the fridge. I ended up trying and liking dozens of vegs and fruits that I would normally pass over in my usual shopping.

[mgaretz]

I like radishes in my salad, but dealing with them is a pain (washing, de-stemming, etc.) and you really don't get much for the money.  Instead I have been using daikon radishes.  I peel and slice them.  If the daikon is fat, I'll halve or quarter the piece before slicing.

[NewFoodie]

Gaeta or Nicoise olives.

 

I'll certainly try to sample these.  I understand that Alfonso are also highly recommended.  But these are all black olives, and I prefer green.  Can anyone recommend a favorite green olive?  Also, I hear that Mission olives can be black, reddish-purple or deep green when ripe.  Has anyone tried these?  How were they?

[NewFoodie]

Persian cucumbers. Long, light green, with many ridges. Very mild and crunchy.

 

What do you think about "coring" cucumbers to remove the seeds?  I see some chefs on TV doing that.

[Smithy]

I'll certainly try to sample these.  I understand that Alfonso are also highly recommended.  But these are all black olives, and I prefer green.  Can anyone recommend a favorite green olive?  Also, I hear that Mission olives can be black, reddish-purple or deep green when ripe.  Has anyone tried these?  How were they?

Is it that you prefer the tartness of most green (cured before ripe) olives? I ask because there are also green ripe olives that to me have a wonderful, buttery flavor that's nothing like the green Spanish-style (what you'd put in a martini) olives or the garlicky hot Tuscan olives we can get in our grocery stores. Similarly, there's a huge difference in flavor between salt-cured Moroccan black olives, kalamata olives and standard black ripe olives. So when you say you prefer green olives, it would help to know whether it's something about the flavor, or you just don't like black. ;-) I've had some very nice purplish olives that, as I recall, had a nice mellow flavor. If I can find a jar I'll tell you their variety; I think Paula Wolfert recommended them for Moroccan tagines.

[SobaAddict70]

I prefer Castelvetrano olives.

[SobaAddict70]

What do you think about "coring" cucumbers to remove the seeds?  I see some chefs on TV doing that.

Some recipes may specifically call for it; then, it simply becomes an issue of aesthetics.

I usually don't.