Upping Your Salad Game

Salad can get a bad rap. People think of bland and watery iceberg lettuce, but in fact, salads are an art form.”

Marcus Samuelsson

One morning recently while getting ready, I listened to a podcast where a caller professed her love of salads, but felt she wanted to “up” her salad game. It was a rerun and about halfway through it, I realized I’d listened to it before. I wasn’t disappointed though. It reminded me that I’d wanted to try some of the suggestions given to the caller when I’d first heard it, but had never followed through.

May was National Salad Month. Created by the Association for Dressing and Sauces in 1992, the purpose is to encourage people to incorporate more salads into their daily food regimen by, ahem, turning over a new leaf; in other words, changing our eating habits, getting creative with our salads and basically, inspiring others around us to do the same.

Salads can potentially be a meal in and of themselves, and as the temperatures continue to rise throughout the summer, they can be a great way to nourish your family without turning on the stove or heating up the house unnecessarily.

Hearing that podcast again was timely. I’m always trying to incorporate more salads into our meal-planning and quite frankly, it wouldn’t hurt me to “up” my salad game as well. I’m going to heed the things I heard in the podcast and try to get more creative with my salads and I promise to report back.

Until then, however, I am leaving you with five different salad recipes that I’ve made over the years that have all proven to be hits in our household. These include: “Potato, Tomato, Corn & Basil Salad,” “Best Greek Salad,” “Avocado Salad with Tomatoes & Herbs,” “Grinder Salad” and “Summer Chipotle Chicken Cobb Salad.” I hope you enjoy them.

Potato, Tomato, Corn and Basil Salad

By Dave Lieberman

• 1 pound baby red potatoes, scrubbed
• 5 medium ears of corn (about 3 pounds)
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
• 1 small red onion, peeled and sliced thinly (about 1/2 to 3/4 cup)
• 1 large bunch fresh basil, rinsed, dried and leaves picked
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large lemons, juiced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• About 15 grinds freshly ground pepper

Place the potatoes in a large pot of salted water and bring to boil. Cook until just fork tender, about 15 minutes. Fish out the potatoes with a slotted spoon and place them in a bowl of ice cold water to stop them from cooking.

Shuck the corn and break each ear in half. Cook in the same boiling water for 5-7 minutes until tender but not soft. Remove the cooled potatoes to a dishcloth to drain. Immerse corn in the same ice bath until cool. Cut each potato into quarters and place in a large bowl.

Remove corn from water and also let drain. Use a chef's knife to cut the kernels off each ear. Add kernels to the bowl. Add grape tomatoes, onion and whole basil leaves. Add olive oil and lemon juice and toss gently to combine. Season to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Best Greek Salad

For the salad:

• 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 cucumber, thinly sliced into half moons
• 1 cup halved Kalamata olives
• ½ red onion, thinly sliced
• ¾ cup crumbled feta

For the dressing:

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• Juice of half a lemon
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

In a large bowl, stir together tomatoes, cucumbers, olives and onion. Gently fold in feta.

In a small bowl, make dressing. Combine vinegar, lemon juice and oregano and season with salt and pepper. Slowly add olive oil, whisking to combine. Drizzle dressing over salad.

Avocado Salad with Tomatoes & Herbs

From thekitchn.com

• 2 medium avocados, peeled, pitted, and chopped
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• ½ medium English cucumber, chopped
• ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh herbs, such as cilantro, basil, parsley, dill, or tarragon
• Juice from 1 large lemon
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
•  

Place the avocado, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, and herbs in a large bowl. Squeeze the lemon juice over top, drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Gently toss to combine.

Grinder Salad

From easyfamilyrecipes.com

For the grinder salad dressing:

• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ cup parmesan cheese

For the grinder salad:

• 16 oz. shredded iceberg lettuce (about 8 cups)
• 4 oz. ham
• 4 oz. pepperoni
• 4 oz. salami
• 4 oz. provolone cheese
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup croutons
• ½ cup sliced pepperoncini peppers
• ½ red onion, diced

To make the grinder dressing:

Whisk together all dressing ingredients until the mixture is smooth. Set aside.

To assemble grinder salad:

Slice the ham, pepperoni and salami into ¼-inch slices. Cut the provolone cheese into thin slices or small cubes.

In a large bowl, combine the shredded lettuce with all salad ingredients. If serving immediately, pour dressing over the salad and toss everything together until evenly coated. If not serving right away, wait until right before serving to toss the dressing with the salad.

Summer Chipotle Chicken Cobb Salad

From pinchofyum.com

For the Chipotle Chicken:

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 chipotle chiles in adobo, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon oregano
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 3-4 chicken breasts or thighs

For the Summer Cobb Salad:

• 3-4 cups greens (spring greens or fresh spinach)
• 4 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 8-10 strawberries, quartered
• 2 ears corn on the cob, kernels removed
• 1-2 ripe avocados, sliced
• Salt and pepper

Prep the chicken: Combine the oil, chipotles, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, black pepper, and salt in a bowl. Place the chicken in the bowl and toss to coat the chicken in the marinade. Place in the fridge and let it marinate while you prep your other ingredients.

Prep salad: Prep all your salad ingredients (cook the bacon, slice the strawberries, cut the corn off the cob, etc.).

Grill the chicken: Heat an outdoor grill (or grill pan) to about 400 degrees. Place chicken on the grill and grill for 5-6 minutes per side, until cooked through. Remove the chicken from the grill and let it rest for 10 minutes. Slice against the grain.

Salad: Arrange the greens on a large platter and top with the bacon, strawberries, corn, avocado, and grilled chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Toss with the cilantro vinaigrette and serve.