Colonial gardeners produced an assortment of salad greens and herbs in their kitchen gardens; wild plants like purslane and sorrel were free for the picking. In the 1920s, hearty iceberg lettuce was developed and eventually became the salad staple in most homes. The crisp, bland-tasting lettuce was able to withstand shipping from coast to coast. Today, the popular 60s iceberg wedge, drizzled with blue cheese dressing, is enjoying a revival with modern touches.
In addition, there is now a staggering variety of sensational salads with old and new salad greens and creative ingredients like grains, the super food quinoa, cooked dried beans, vegetables, fruits, poultry and seafood. Roasted Potato and Kielbasa Salad and Pineapple-Lemon Chicken Salad are hearty mixed salads that can serve as complete entrées.
Check area farmers’ markets and specialty grocers to discover the unique cornucopia of salad materials available, including tender young vegetables, baby kale, collards, beet greens, tatsoi, watercress, micro greens, mache (lamb’s lettuce), limestone lettuce, herbs, arugula, mizuna, radicchio and sprouts. The French blend mesclun contains baby lettuce, arugula, chervil and immature chicory. Spring mix is a milder, equally tasty option. Super fresh “living greens” with their roots still attached are also available for purchase.
Delicate greens (like limestone lettuce, spring mix or leaf lettuce) can be combined and tossed with a flavorful dressing like the Lemon Vinaigrette borrowed from the recipe Cannelloni Bean & Artichoke Salad. Sturdy, peppery greens like arugula, tatsoi, radicchio, endive and baby collards are especially good dressed with a hearty flavored dressing like the Cumin Vinaigrette borrowed from the Southwest Red Quinoa Salad.
When schedules are tight with little time for meal preparation and it is hot outside, why not serve salad? Even better, prepare any of these salads a day ahead, with the exception of the Mixed Green Salad with Orange-Fennel Seed Dressing. In this case, prepare the components a day in advance (greens and dressing), store them in airtight containers and then combine them just before serving.
Be sure and make all salads with the freshest greens and oils available. A special final touch is to serve each portion on a chilled salad plate.
Southwest Red Quinoa Salad
Called “the mother of all grains,” red quinoa is grown in the Bolivian salt flats of Uyuni at an elevation of 12,000 feet. The “super grain” has grown there since the time of the ancient Incan civilization. Quinoa is one of the best sources of vegetable protein and a good source of iron. Red quinoa is even higher in protein and fiber. The tiny seed is gluten free and a great substitute for rice or pasta. Quinoa grains are covered with a bitter waxy coating of saponin, which has usually been rinsed away before the product is purchased. Some brands recommend a final rinse in a fine mesh sieve.
1 cup uncooked red quinoa, rinsed
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained, rinsed
1 cup baby arugula, spinach leaves, mizuna or micro greens
1 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 cup fresh or frozen cooked yellow corn kernels
4 thin green onions, sliced
1/3 cup sun-dried tomato halves, rehydrated if necessary, cut in thin strips
1 small red, orange or green bell pepper (or a blend), cut in small dice
1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
Cumin Vinaigrette (see recipe below)
Cook quinoa in 2 cups chicken broth, vegetable stock or water, according to package directions. Remove to a large bowl and fluff with a fork. When cool, stir in black beans and remaining ingredients through the mint. Drizzle vinaigrette over the salad and gently toss. Add mint and taste to adjust seasonings, if desired. Makes 6 servings.
Cumin Vinaigrette
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 large clove garlic, finely minced
1/2 jalapeño, seeded, minced, or to taste
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Combine lime juice, garlic, jalapeño and cumin in a small bowl. Whisk in olive oil then season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Lemon-Mint Cucumber Salad
Cucumber salads can be found in every place where cucumbers grow. The peel can be left on the cucumber if it is very fresh or it can be removed, if desired. As a variation, include 12 to 15 grape tomatoes, cut in half. This cool and refreshing salad is perfect for summer dining.
1 European cucumber or 2 regular cucumbers
1/4 cup rice vinegar
grated zest of one lemon (reserve lemon for juice)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 to 2 tablespoons sugar, to taste
1/4 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh mint or other favorite herb
Cut cucumber in half lengthwise and, with a small spoon, scrape out seeds. Cut cucumber halves into slices about 1/4-inch-thick. In a medium bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, lemon zest and lemon juice, sugar, sea salt and mint to blend. Add cucumbers; chill salad up to 1 hour before serving. Makes 4 servings.
Cannelloni Bean & Artichoke Salad
Use any favorite canned bean for this recipe. One option is to blend the bean types, using varieties like black beans, garbanzo beans (chickpeas), Great Northern beans or red beans.
2 15-ounce cans cannelloni beans, drained, rinsed
1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained, quartered lengthwise
2 ribs celery, halved lengthwise, cross-cut in 1/2 inch pieces
1 small red bell pepper, diced
1 small carrot, diced
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 small red onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup basil or sorrel chiffonade (leaves rolled up tightly then thinly sliced)
Lemon Vinaigrette (see recipe below)
In a large bowl, combine ingredients. Pour vinaigrette over salad and gently toss. Serve at once or refrigerate up to 2 days. Recipe can be halved. Makes 8 servings.
Lemon Vinaigrette
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon grainy Dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Whisk together all ingredients and set aside.
Roasted Potato and Kielbasa Salad
This filling salad features small red and yellow and purple potatoes with savory kielbasa sausage. The colorful potato blend can be found in small bags at Trader Joes or separately in most area supermarkets. Use any single type of new potato. Additional ingredients might include chopped green onions, chopped celery or sliced olives. The hearty salad is delicious served warm, room temperature or cold.
2 pounds small new potatoes, about 2 ounces each, scrubbed and halved (or quartered if larger)
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
sea salt and ground black pepper
14 to 16 ounces keilbasa sausage, cut in 3/4 inch slices
1 red and 1 green bell pepper, cut in 1 1/4 inch cubes
3 small Asian cucumbers or 1 European cucumber, sliced on the diagonal
fresh basil garnish
Basil Mustard Dressing (see recipe below)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare potatoes; coat with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in a single layer in a large enameled cast iron pan or on a large, heavy-duty baking sheet. Roast 20 minutes then turn potatoes. Scatter in sausage and bell pepper; continue cooking 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender and crispy and sausage is hot. Scoop into a large bowl. Cool slightly then add cucumber and dressing; toss to combine. Garnish with fresh basil. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Basil Mustard Dressing
3 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar or other red vinegar
1 rounded tablespoon grainy Dijon mustard
1 shallot, finely minced
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Whisk together vinegar, mustard, shallot and garlic. Whisk in olive oil then add basil, salt and pepper. Set aside.
Roasted Eggplant and Tomato with Emerald Dressing
Choose an eggplant and tomatoes with a similar width. Eggplant is a good source of vitamin C, potassium, magnesium and B vitamins and contains 2.1 grams of fiber per serving.
1 medium, long eggplant, sliced about 3/4 inch thick
2 large tomatoes, sliced about 3/4 inch thick
herb-flavored or plain olive oil, as needed
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 green onions, thin sliced
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
Emerald Dressing (see recipe below)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush eggplant and tomato slices lightly with oil; season with salt and pepper. Place 2 large sheets of foil on a heavy baking sheet. Alternate eggplant and tomato slices to form a log shape. Pull up foil sides to loosely enclose vegetable log in a packet, leaving the top slightly uncovered. Bake 25 minutes or until vegetables just become tender. Cool slightly. With a large spatula, remove vegetable stack to a serving plate. Sprinkle with green onions and pine nuts; drizzle with dressing. Good room temperature or cold. Makes 4 to 5 servings.
Emerald Dressing
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
3 thin green onions, trimmed, cut in 1-inch pieces
1 large clove garlic
2 teaspoons sugar
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup canola oil
salt and black pepper, to taste
Process vinegar, green onions, garlic, sugar and lemon juice in a blender until smooth. Drizzle in oil with the machine running. Season with salt and pepper. Chill dressing until needed.
Pineapple-Lemon Chicken Salad
Pineapples were a rare commodity in Colonial Charleston. Guests were honored when a hostess spared no expense to include one in her dining table centerpiece, thus the pineapple soon became the symbol of hospitality. This dish features breast meat, but 6 or 7 boned, skinless chicken thighs can be substituted. When preparation time is short, start with a rotisserie chicken from the deli. For a flavor variation, stir 2 to 3 teaspoons curry paste or powder into the mayonnaise mixture and 1/4 cup of homemade or store-bought chutney. Save the flavorful chicken poaching liquid for soups.
1 large, ripe attractive pineapple
4 medium broiler-fryer chicken breasts halves, poached, skinned, boned, cubed
2 ribs celery, halved lengthwise, cross-cut in 1/3 inch pieces
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1 yellow or red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, parsley or basil leaves
grated zest of one lemon (reserve lemon for juice)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1/4 cup light sour cream or Greek yogurt
sea salt and black pepper, to taste
1/3 cup toasted sliced almonds or roasted salted macadamia nuts
Place pineapple on counter, the side with the freshest looking leaves up. Cut a thin slice from the bottom without cutting into the fruit, to make a stable base. Use a serrated knife to cut off the top third of the pineapple. With a paring knife, cut fruit and core out of the pineapple, leaving the shell with a rim about one inch thick for the sides and bottom. Cut fruit into small cubes; reserve to stir into chicken salad.
Combine chicken, celery, green onions and bell pepper in a large bowl. In a small bowl, blend cilantro, lemon zest and juice, mayonnaise and sour cream; stir into chicken mixture. Add salt and pepper. Stir in pineapple cubes. Scoop salad into pineapple shell; garnish with almonds. Serve at once or cover and chill for 2 to 3 hours. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Variation: Serve the chicken salad on a bed of leaf, limestone or Romaine lettuce.
Mixed Green Salad with Orange-Fennel Seed Dressing
Reserve the zest from one orange for the Orange-Fennel Seed Dressing.
5 ounces (7 to 8 cups) mesclun or spring salad mix
1 cup fresh arugula
1 small red onion, halved, thin sliced
2 large navel oranges, cut into segments
sliced toasted almonds, slightly sugared, if desired
about 1/4 pound mild goat cheese or feta cheese
Orange-Fennel Seed Dressing (see recipe below)
Toss salad mix and arugula in a large salad bowl. Mix in red onion and orange segments. Drizzle dressing over salad as needed and toss. Portion salad on individual plates; garnish with toasted almonds. Crumble some of the cheese over each portion. Serve at once. Makes 4 servings.
Orange-Fennel Seed Dressing
2 tablespoons fresh tangy orange juice
zest from 1 small orange
2 tablespoons red sherry vinegar or other wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons lightly toasted fennel seeds, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
black pepper, to taste
Whisk together orange juice, orange zest, sherry vinegar and fennel seeds. Whisk in the oil. Add salt and black pepper, to taste. Set aside until needed.
