Salad (2011 - 2015)

[rarerollingobject]

Wowee that looks good! I notice you used hazel oil...I'm wondering what a few actual toasted hazel nut pieces would be like tossed into the mix. Must make this immediately!

Yes, that had been the plan..roasted hazelnut pieces scattered on top. But when I went to find the hazelnuts I was sure I had, the gremlins had disapparated them. Likewise the mint I'd been planning to garnish with! Hehe. I did scrounge up a few walnuts in the end though (post photo), which was nice enough.

[Jenni]

Oo, mint, yes that would also be excellent.

[SobaAddict70]

Oyster mushroom, bacon and heirloom potato salad, with fresh wild turkey eggs, pea shoot flowers, and herb vinaigrette

[kayb]

From a purely aesthetic standpoint, the purple pea shoot flowers knock me back! Rest of it looks pretty wonderful, too. How cool it is when your food is beautiful....

[Fat Guy]

That is simply a fantastic looking salad.

I've been photographing all my salads but have been ashamed to post the photos -- they're all the same as the ugly ones I've posted already. I need to break out of my rut.

I thought the most beautiful salads I'd ever seen were at Alain Ducasse's restaurants (I'd hate to work the garde manger station at one of his places). But some of these are giving him a run for his money. I need to post photos of some of his salads. Let me see if there are any in a media gallery that I can get permission for.

[SobaAddict70]

Thanks guys.

Steven, I'd be really interested in seeing AD's material. Here's hoping.

[Fat Guy]

I've got an email in to Sonja, the Ducasse representative I've communicated with in the past. I hope she can get me some images.

[heidih]

I roughly grated the beets in this post and dressed with a bit of minced garlic, salt & pepper, fresh squeeze of orange juice, dash of balsamic and Dijon mustard, walnut oil, and a dice of Italian plums. I had originally intended to roast the beets but when I took a knife to them they were so tender I thought I would try my first raw preparation. I have eaten quite a bit while adjusting flavors. The rest will sit overnight and get perhaps some mint and feta and toasted walnuts when served tomorrow.

Edited June 20, 2011 by heidih
forgot the walnut oil (log)

[Emily_R]

Hi all --

Perfect timing for this thread getting bumped, since I had a really yummy salad for dinner tonight. Mixed spicy greens (arugula, mustard green sprouts, etc), avocado, hard boiled egg, shredded carrot, and homemade pancetta. Dressed with the oil from rendering the pancetta and some lime juice. Husband declared the pancetta oil a major winner.

[heidih]

No picture as I assembled it on site and the ladies fell upon it! I picked up some "wild arugula" from Trader Joes. Small leaves and not bitter at all really. A bed of that went into the bottom of a large salad bowl. Chopped tomato, cucumber (from the garden), very thinly sliced (horizontally) raw green beans (farmstand), raw corn kernels from very young farmstand ear, and a few dried cranberries went over the arugula. The dressing was a simple Meyer lemon juice and zest with olive oil and a touch of Dijon and a hint of Rancho Gordo's amazing piloncillo. Salt and pepper as needed. Made some big croutons from a rustic loaf of a sourdough multigrain loaf. Topped the salad with the croutons, some toasted and spiced walnuts and a generous amount of crumbled feta.

Verdict: thoroughly enjoyable. I had never tried the raw green beans and found the green note and the crunch a great mix with the other ingredients. The croutons were a bit too large to spear with a fork but it was a bunch of good friends so fingers were employed.

[bmdaniel]

Ugly picture, delicious salad:

Curry roasted cauliflower, pickled red onion, creamy feta, slivered almonds, flat leaf parsley, sherry vinaigrette. Will definitely make again.

[Catherine Iino]

Okay, I have to show off this one. My daughter and some friends caught about a dozen blue crabs the other day near our summer house in Rhode Island. The cupboard is pretty bare, but I did have a couple of peppers; lettuce, red shiso, and johnny jump-ups in the garden; and some garlic and olive oil. The shiso was a nice flavor with the crab. If I had had mayonnaise or the makings thereof, I probably would have used it, but this tasted so light and fresh without it that I'm glad I didn't.

[LizD518]

Inspired by the salad at my favorite burrito place: El Diablo, I came up with a pretty good version of a salad with southwestern influence.

Romaine lettuce mix with carrots and red cabbage

roasted corn & black bean salsa, from Trader Joes

Diced tomatoes

diced avocado

Home made green chile dressing: Mayo, yogurt, serrano pepper, cumin, oregano, ancho, cayenne & garlic

Southwest chicken breast: Bone-in breasts braised in chicken stock, with southwest seasonings. Sauce for chicken made by reducing braising liquid and adding a bit of bbq sauce, tomato paste & chipotle.

[Nicolai]

Buffalo Mozzarella and home-grown Great White and Green Zebra tomatoes

dcarch

This is not a salad but a work of Art with a beautiful color tonality and smooth texture.

Can I have a Poster size for my dining room please

[eldereno]

THAT realy would be a great photo to put on my Dining Room wall! I want one, too!!!!

[nikkib]

Okay, I have to show off this one. My daughter and some friends caught about a dozen blue crabs the other day near our summer house in Rhode Island. The cupboard is pretty bare, but I did have a couple of peppers; lettuce, red shiso, and johnny jump-ups in the garden; and some garlic and olive oil. The shiso was a nice flavor with the crab. If I had had mayonnaise or the makings thereof, I probably would have used it, but this tasted so light and fresh without it that I'm glad I didn't.

Wow - what an amazing looking salad and great provinance, now all i need is a summer house near Rhode island and i'll be done... ;-)

[threestars]

Drooling over all the salads here.. I want to make one asap!

[rooftop1000]

This was Sunday's lunch

Tuna packed in oil with the oil as the base for a lemon dressing, Austrian Crescent Potatoes from the farmers market, Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Green Beans, and Radish Curls from my garden

[FrogPrincesse]

Japanese tomatoes, arugula, parmesan, and a micro green mix from my CSA. The micro greens were an intriguing mix of various things that I am not very familiar with, including amaranth, orach, bull's blood (beet greens?), and red shiso.

[heidih]

Japanese tomatoes, arugula, parmesan, and a micro green mix from my CSA. The micro greens were an intriguing mix of various things that I am not very familiar with, including amaranth, orach, bull's blood (beet greens?), and red shiso.

Stunning color and intriguing flavors. I have been finding regular shiso to be a stellar salad addition.

[Norm Matthews]

Watermelon and kiwi salad

Caribbean inspired salad. Red onions need to be soaked in ice water to tone them down

Avocado and bacon with balsamic vinegar as the dressing

Tomatillos salad

I got this idea for a salad when I saw Jaques Pepin cut thin strips of cucumber for garnish

Edited February 16, 2012 by Norm Matthews (log)

[FrogPrincesse]

Oro blanco grapefruit, blood oranges, almonds, pomegranate and avocado salad.

[rarerollingobject]

Oro blanco grapefruit, blood oranges, almonds, pomegranate and avocado salad.

Lovely salad. I riffed on a similar theme last night, with grapefruit, oranges, avocado, and thinly sliced fennel. The dressing was champagne vinegar and a little lemon juice, and blood orange-infused olive oil.

[FrogPrincesse]

Oro blanco grapefruit, blood oranges, almonds, pomegranate and avocado salad.

Lovely salad. I riffed on a similar theme last night, with grapefruit, oranges, avocado, and thinly sliced fennel. The dressing was champagne vinegar and a little lemon juice, and blood orange-infused olive oil.

Citrus-based salads are just wonderful. That blood-orange infused olive oil sounds great as well.

I had spinach and English peas in my CSA, so the Baby Spinach, Fresh Pea and Feta Cheese Salad from The Naked Chef by Jamie Oliver immediately came to mind. I blanched the peas very briefly. The dressing is simply olive oil (I used a very aromatic arbequina oil) and lemon juice. I think that this was the first cooking book I bought after moving to the US and discovering his show more than 10 years ago, and I still make some of the recipes.

[FrogPrincesse]

A traditional Caprese last night with heirloom tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, and very fragrant basil (all from Trader Joe's). Seasoning was Arbequina olive oil, balsamic vinegar (both from TJ as well), black pepper, and fleur de sel.

For a less traditional take on the Caprese, see the Mozza thread here.