Salad and Salad Dressing

What is Salad?
A combination of crisp vegetables or fruits with a dressing.
Salad is any of a wide variety of dishes, made of:
• Raw or cooked vegetables
• Pasta
• Legumes
• Eggs
• Grains
• Meats, poultry, seafood
• Fruits
• Leafy greens
• Nuts, seeds
• Dressings, oils, emulsions, juices
• Generally all served cold but as an exception (e.g. German Potato
salad may be served warm
 Origin and History
The term salad came from the Latin word sal,
meaning salt. Before, salt was the only dressing
used.
Composition/parts of Salad
• Base- lettuce leaf
• Body- apples, celery
• Dressing- mayonnaise
• Garnish- walnuts
 How it is consumed?
Salads may be served at any point during a meal.
• Appetizer salads: light salads to stimulate the appetite
as the first course of the meal.
• Side salads: to accompany the main course as a side
dish
• Main course salads: usually containing a portion of
protein, such as chicken breast, slices of beef,
forcemeats etc.
• Palate-cleansing salads: to settle the stomach after the
main course.
• Dessert salads: sweets versions usually, containing
fruits, gelatin or whipped cream.
Classification of Salads
Simple Salads- one or more primary ingredients make up
the body
• Raw, fresh ingredients
• Single dressing
• Example: Lettuce and celery salad
Compound Salads- meat based, fish based, vegetable
based
• Body made up of raw and cooked ingredients
• Generally served cold
• Reuse of leftover meats
• May use single or multiple dressings and flavorings
Tossed Salads- the salad that the chef would combine all
ingredients in the bowl with the dressing.
Salad Components
• Foundation
• Body
• Garnish
• Dressing
Foundation- is the base ingredient of a salad. Leafy
greens such as romaine, bibb, Boston, or iceberg
lettuce often serve as a salad’s foundation
Body- main ingredients of a salad make up its body.
The body creates the salads identity and often gives
the salad its name. Garden-fresh vegetables, for
example form the body of a garden salad. The body
of a protein salad might be meat, poultry, fish or
legumes.
Garnish- contributes to a salad’s visual appeal
and very often to its flavor. A garnish should be
colorful, edible, and the same temperature as
the salad itself.
• most important, the garnish should be simple
so that it does not overpower the
presentation of the salad.
• Common salad garnishes include herbs, hard
cooked eggs, olives, fruits, cheese, and nuts.
• Some salads such as fruit salads do not
require a garnish or dressing.
Dressing- is a sauce that contains complements a
salad’s flavor and sometimes binds the salad
ingredients together. Salad dressings fall into three
groups:
• Vinaigrettes- temporary emulsion
• Cream-style or fatty- permanent
• Simple- oil and vinegar, flavored oils.
 Types of Salad
Green salads- leafy greens
Side salads- made from vegetables, potatoes,
grains, pastas, legumes
Composed salads- are made by carefully
arranging items on a plate rather than tossing
them together
Dessert salads- salads served as dessert are
often sweet and usually contain fruits, nuts, and
/or gelatin.
 Types of Salads (by serving)
Appetizer salad- served as the first dish of the
course or before the entree.
Accompaniment salad- served with the main
dish or entrée. Usually made from pasta,
legumes and potatoes.
Main- course salad- served as a main dish.
Separate course salad- served after the main
dish.
Dessert salad- served as a dessert usually
contains fruits and syrup.
 Types of Salads (by method of preparation)
Simple salad/green salads- leafy greens
Composed salad- are made carefully by
arranging items on a plate, rather than tossing
them together
Tossed salad- the salad that the chef would
combine all ingredients in the bowl with the
dressing.
 Types of Salads (according to ingredients used)
1. Fruit salad- a mixture of cut up fruits with dressing using
evaporated milk, cream cheese, cottage cheese or sour
cream.
• Example: buko salad
Waldorf salad
• A fruit salad that originated in Waldorf Hotel in New York
City
• Made from apple cut into Julienne slices, celery, chopped
walnuts, grapes, and mayonnaise.
Ambrosia salad
• A fruit salad that originated from the U.S.
• Prepared from pineapple, Mandarin oranges, coconut,
mini marshmallows and sweetened whipped cream.
2. Vegetable salad- a mixture of greens such as lettuce and
other colorful leafy vegetables; dressings vary from oil-based
dressings, vinegars, mayonnaise, and creams.
• Examples: Caesar salad, kinilnat
Caesar salad
• Popular in the U.S. and Mexico
• Prepared using Romaine lettuce and croutons, and
dressing of parmesan cheese, lemon juice, olive oil, egg,
Worcestershire sauce, anchovies, and black pepper.
Kinilnat (boiled)
• A vegetable salad of the Philippines
• Prepared from the leaves, shoots, blossoms, fruits like
bitter gourd or ampalaya, okra, small eggplants boiled,
drained and dressed with bagoong or patis, calamansi or
cherry tomatoes.
 Importance of Salads
• Good appetizers
• Aids digestion
• Light salads are important sources of vitamins and
minerals
• Heavy salads have high protein and energy
Important Tools in Preparing Salads
1. Salad spinner with a cord- removes most water from
salad greens especially lettuce
2.Chef’s knife- used to cut tomato wedges neatly, slice
cucumber thinly and cut symmetrical pepper rings
3. Swivel peeler- removes skin from carrots peel of
thin strips to toss with the lettuce
4. Garlic press- crushes garlic very efficiently
5. Balloon whisk- used to whisk mustard, salt and
pepper in red wine vinegar and olive oil
6. Lemon reamer- used to get the most juice from
a lemon
7. Corn zipper- used to remove corn kernels very
quickly
8. Chopping board- used to cut or chop fruits and
vegetables
 Suggested Accompaniments for Salads
1. Asparagus spears- freshly seasoned and grilled
2. Julienne cucumber, red peppers, carrots-grilled
3. Brussels sprouts- steamed with creamy butter sauce
4. Potatoes – roasted seasoned with herbs
5. Cucumber- freshly seasoned and grilled cucumber
6. Potatoes- marble-sized, seasoned with thyme
7. Green beans with almonds- sautéed green beans
with toasted almonds
8. Carrots – with honey glaze
9. Vegetables- steamed, in season
10. Crisp, crackers, rolls, sandwiches, canapés
 Tips in Salad Making
1. Wash and dry salad greens then divide them into
individual containers.
2. Choose fresh and crisp salad vegetables
3. Prepare different toppings - include diced fruits,
nuts, dried vegetables, cubed or sliced meats, hard-
boiled eggs
4. Store toppings together- use container and zip top
plastic bags
5. Collect small container for dressing- use small
containers for small amounts of dressing
6. If all the ingredients are ready, it takes only a few
seconds to prepare salads.
7. Choose pleasing combination, with contrast in
color, form, texture, and flavor.
a. Add carrot or tomatoes to cucumber, lettuce,
and celery.
b. A combination of meat or fish has a texture
appropriate with vegetables
8. Choose the correct dressing with the correct
amount.
9. Present salad attractively but toss ingredients
lightly to avoid bruising the vegetables.
 Storage of Salad Ingredients
1. Remove imperfect leaves of fresh salad vegetables,
wash, dry, and place in a porcelain or plastic container
with cover and put in the refrigerator.
2.Other vegetables, such as cucumbers, carrots, radish,
tomatoes, and celery, should be washed well and placed
with the lettuce in the refrigerator.
3. Canned fruits should be drained well.
4. Cooked vegetables for salads should be cut into
appropriate sizes and placed in a covered container in the
refrigerator.
5. Meat, poultry and fish are highly perishable and should
be kept in the freezer even after cooking, ready for salad
preparation.
6. Salad dressing that are perishable should be covered
and stored in the refrigerator.
 What makes a great salad?
• Proper handling of the ingredients
• Organized
• Tear don’t cut
• Basic hygiene principles
• Prepare as close to service as possible, don’t
Hold
• Keep it simple
• Ice the greens
• Balance the TCTP (taste, color, texture, portion
size)
 Salad Greens
A variety of greens are available for use in salads.
Although all are leafy vegetables, not all are
greens.

Types of salad greens

Traditional greens- have a mild flavor; can be used
by themselves or combined with other greens.
Flavor-adding greens- classified as greens
although they may be red, yellow, brown, or
white.
 Preparing Greens
1. Separate the leaves and submerge them in cold
water several times to rinse off all dirt and grit.
2. Lift greens out of the water and dry the leaves
thoroughly with paper towels.
3.Tear the greens into bite size pieces.
Storing Greens
• Store in the original protective cartons
• Store at temperature between 34F and 38F
• Do not store close to apples and tomatoes
• Do not wash until needed
• Wrap in kitchen paper & keep. It stays longer
 Salad Dressing
A dressing is both a sauce and a seasoning. As
such, it should be complement the flavors and
textures of the salad ingredients, dominate them.
Sometimes binds the salad ingredients together.
Salad dressing falls into three groups:
Vinaigrettes- temporary emulsion. It is temporary
emulsion of oil and vinegar. The mixture is
temporary because oil and vinegar have a natural
tendency to separate. Also known as basic French
dressing
Cream-style or fatty- permanent emulsion. It is a
permanent emulsion of creamy dressing such as;
mayonnaise, yoghurt, cream or cheese base.
Simple dressing- oil and vinegar, flavored oils. The simplest
salad dressings are not emulsions or blended mixtures.
They are simple liquids that contribute moisture and flavor
to salads.
• Lemon juice- on its own, freshly squeezed lemon juice is
an acidic dressing that gives a tang to salad.
• Olive oil- more flavorful than vegetable oils, olive oil is a
fruity, aromatic dressing when used alone on a salad.
• Flavored vinegars- vinegars flavored with fruit, herbs, or
garlic are popular dressings because they ad vivid flavor
salads but no fat.
 Tools for salad preparation
Salad spinner-
After rinsing salad greens, using a salad spinner is a
quick and easy way to dry them. It's a plastic bowl
containing a basket that holds greens. The lid contains
a mechanism that spins the basket and forces
moisture out into the bowl.
Salad tongs-
They may be wooden or plastic, usually have a
larger end for tossing a salad.
Scissors or shears-
Good for snipping fresh herbs, cutting and trimming
of ingredients.
Chef's knife:
This knife has a heavy, triangular blade 6 to 12
inches long. A medium-size blade, about 8 to 10
inches, is the most versatile size. It is used for
chopping, slicing and dicing as well as for
crushing a clove of garlic. This knife also is called
a cook's knife.
Paring knife:
It has a small blade, about 21/2 to 3 inches
long, and a rounded or pointed tip. If you plan
to have only one paring knife, choose one with a
pointed tip. You'll need it to cut up fruits and
vegetables.
Vegetable brush:
Use to clean vegetables.
Vegetable peeler:
Use to remove a thin peel from apples,
potatoes and carrots. Is much easier to use than
a knife.
Zester:
A cousin to the vegetable peeler, a zester is a
kitchen tool made to remove strips of peel from
citrus fruit. The cutting end has 5 little bladed
holes.
 METHOD OF PREPARING SALAD
1. Grate raw dense vegetables such as
carrots, celery and cucumber and add a
dressing
2. always use a sharp knife.
3. when using salad greens, make sure they
are well dried after washing.
4. water left on salad leaves after washing
will result in diluted dressing ,hence
diluted flavor.
5. dress dense vegetables salads ahead of time
to allow the flavors to be absorb.
6. dress salads made from salad greens, such as
baby spinach or micro greens just before
serving.
some tip:
if salad leaves become limp, revive them by
soaking in water 5-10 minutes, cover and
refrigerate for 20-30 minutes, drain and dry
well.
 Factors to be considered in presenting and
plating salad
Food that is well-presented is beautiful, colorful, and
captivating. Not only does it make the diner really want to eat,
but good presentation also allows the diner to identify the food
ingredients, their quality, and the technique used in
preparation.

Here are ways to present a delicious, healthy salad.

1) Tall -
When making a salad, think tall. Tall could mean piling
leafy greens in a high, airy pile. It can also mean a ramekin
or bowl that is taller than it is wide. It can also include
putting a wonderful Apple Waldorf Salad in a tall glass. Tall
is tall!
2) WIDE - With salads, using a big plate helps
them spread out wide so you get a lot of
"goodies" on the top. This can be good for a
platter that you are serving at a party - and also
for a fun presentation, too. In this particular
arrangement for our Spring Salad, we chose a
large square platter and topped our salad with
fruits and toasted nuts.
3) Patterns - in this Fruit Yogurt Salad, we have
used a spiral pattern. But you can also line
things up diagonally, horizontally or even in a
scattered fashion.
4) Framed - it is good to frame your salad with
chips, lettuce, tomatoes, etc. In this Taco Crunch
Salad, just 5 chips (less than half of a serving)
make the taco salad more appetizing and
provide a contrasting crunch and toasted corn
flavor.
5) Fans - if you fan veggies over the top you get
an interesting look as we did with this Asian
Slaw. We used snow peas but you could fan
thinly sliced veggies like carrots or bell peppers,
too.
6) Cups, bowls, plates, platters - you can use a
variety of interesting bowls, dishes and ramekins
to create visual interest and to complement the
food. Think of your serving ware as a canvas for
your creation! We LOVE white plates - you can
never go wrong with a white plate. Plates that
are too busy (think old fashioned flowered
china) detract from the food. Here is our Asian
Broccoli Sesame Salad in a cup:
7) Citrus - I believe that a small wedge of lemon,
lime or an orange that is squeezed over a salad
adds a lot of flavor without adding sodium and fat.
See the salad above - the tiny squeezable bits of
lemon are meant to go with the Shrimp Pasta
Salad.
8) Drizzle - this technique is used over and over in
cooking and desserts - you drizzle the sauce over
the top in a fine stream as we have done with the
balsamic vinegar glaze over this Spinach Walnut
Salad. Balsamic vinegar glazes are growing in
popularity and available in almost any grocery
store. You can also drizzle any dressing.
9) Mold- you mold it in a scoop or bowl and
invert it onto the plate. Molding adds a precise
shape and it looks more enticing to eat a
carefully molded grain versus spilling it all over
the plate.
10) Color - fruits and vegetables add the most
wonderful colors so use lots of them to balance
color and flavor. Consider using a Japanese
mandolin to finely shave the vegetables so they are
more palatable, like we did with the carrots and
candy cane beets in this fresh salad. Check out the
image below to see the translucency of vegetables
that are finely shaved on a Japanese mandolin and
with a sharp French knife.
11) Spritz and shine - normally chefs add a
brush of butter or a spray of oil to foods to make
them shiny. We like to use an Italian dressing
spritzer. We are able to add a very light mist of a
wonderful dressing - I bet we can dress a whole
salad with less than a half teaspoon and it is
shiny and fresh, never drowned! In addition to
dressing there are delicious oils that come in
spray cans.
12) Tossed from a big clear bowl, with greens
and herbs. What better way to make a salad
than to put a whole array of mesclun greens and
fresh herbs together and toss them and serve
them from a big clear bowl? This
Mediterranean-inspired salad features a variety
of fresh baby greens and herbs like mint,
oregano, parsley, and thyme.
14) Like A Star - why not make a fun star shape
for your salads? Look what we did with the
Lacinato kale that was lightly steamed and set
on the outside of the plate in a star shape! The
delicious baby spinach and shredded apple.