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CH 5 Salads and Salads Dressings
CH 5 Salads and Salads Dressings
Salads
A salad is derived from the italian word “insalata”. Insalata means a dish steeped in
salt or brine solution. Salads are made up of meat, poultry, fish, game, shellfish,
eggs, vegetables, fruit and milk products and normally serve cold. They can be
made out of single ingredients or a combination of ingredients. Salads are
generally served as an accompaniment to a dish but can be served as a course
itself, an appetizer, sweet course (fruit salad).
1. The under liner or base: these are generally greens either shredded or in large
pieces. The greens must be crisp and chilled. This can be done by storing them in
refrigerator. E.g. Lettuce leaves, cabbage leaves, watercress leaves etc. The main
purpose is to keep the plate or bowl from looking bare and to provide contrast
colour to the other parts of the salad.
2. The body or heart of the salad: this is the major component and can be made of
one ingredient or a combination of ingredients. Ingredient should be fresh. Body
constituents are the major portion of the salad. The salad gets its name from the
ingredients that are used for the body.
3. Garnish: the purpose of garnish is to give eye appeal to the salad, though it often
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Chap 05 – Salads and Salad Dressing
adds to the flavour as well. It should not be elaborate or dominate the salad.
Garnish should harmonize with the rest of the salad ingredients and, be edible. Any
of the fruit and vegetable, cut into simple, appropriate shapes, may be used as
garnish.
4. Dressings: these make the salad more appetizing, although diet conscious people
today eat salad without dressing. Various kinds of dressing are used in the
preparation of salad depending upon the kind of salad to be made. It adds flavour,
provides food value, helps in digestion and improves palatability and appearance.
A dressing is in a liquid or semi liquid form.
Salad dressings:
III. American: equal quantities of vinegar and oil, seasoning and sugar.
D. Mayonnaise
H. Piquant dressing: French dressing, dry mustard, chopped onion and paprika
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Chap 05 – Salads and Salad Dressing
powder.
Examples:
These are elaborate salads consisting of more than one ingredient which are sub
divided into four groups:
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Chap 05 – Salads and Salad Dressing
Herba Salata, the Latin equivalent of salted greens, is what the term salad is
derived from. This suggests that the earliest salads were mixtures of pickled
greens, seasoned with salt. This culinary variation evolved by the time of Imperial
Rome into mixtures of greens served with a fresh herb garnish and an oil-vinegar
dressing. The 17th and 18th Century brought more additions to the humble
culinary creation called the salad. Lettuces of various types were used as a base
with some type of meat, poultry and mixed vegetables placed on the top. It was in
the early 20th century that Escoffier carried the art of salad making to new heights.
The possibilities for salad combinations are limited only by the imagination of the
chef. They may include leaf greens, raw and cooked vegetables, fruit, meat,
legumes and rice and pasta based salads, to mention just a few.
In many food service operations, salads are the items that are given the least
attention and consideration, both in planning and preparation. Chefs often
erroneously perceive it as a simple task that needs little or no training. This attitude
results in salads of a poor quality. Certain factors need to be considered while
planning a salad. These include:
- Fresh ingredients
- Attractive plating
- Proper textures
- Eye appeal
- Well balanced flavor
The wide variety of salads makes it difficult to state exact rules for the proper
preparation of salads. However, there are some rules of thumb that must be
followed.
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Chap 05 – Salads and Salad Dressing
- An appetizer
- An entrée
- A main course
- An accompaniment to the main course
- A dessert
- On the buffet as part of the salad bar
- As a sandwich filling
- As a plate garnish
TYPES OF SALAD
LEAF SALAD
A simple salad is a variety of one or more greens. A mild dressing such as a light
Vinaigrette is used so the delicate taste of the greens is not masked. Various types
of greens are now available locally and would include:
LETTUCE:
- Cos
- Romaine
- Bibb
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Chap 05 – Salads and Salad Dressing
- Iceberg
- Limestone
- Curly
- Chinese
- Lolorosso
- Butterhead
- Crisphead
- Oak Leaf
- Ruby
OTHERS:
- Escarole
- Chicory
- Endive
- Belgian endive
- Red/white cabbage
- Spinach
- Cress
- Arugula
- Radiccio
Leaf salads are usually served as an accompaniment to the main course and rarely
as any other course.
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Chap 05 – Salads and Salad Dressing
COMPOUND SALADS
BASE: normally on of the above greens. It gives definition to the placement of the
salad on the plate. A green lettuce leaf is used as an under liner for the salad.
Shredded greens can also be utilized and this will give height and dimension to the
plate.
BODY: This is the main ingredient in the salad and will generally give the name to
the salad. The body must be the main ingredient and will be placed on top of the
base. The body could be made up of just on ingredient or in some cases, several.
DRESSING: is used to enhance and add to the taste and flavor of the body. It
makes the salad more palate pleasing. The dressing may be tossed with the body of
the salad, or served as an accompaniment poured over the salad at the table. The
dressing is made up of four parts:
- THE OIL: This could include a plain refined, odorless oil or a more exotic one
such as Avocado oil, Olive oil, Olive oil with herbs, Sesame seed oil, Walnut oil,
peanut oil, corn oil, almond oil & soybean oil.
- THE ACIDIC MEDIUM: Is normally vinegar, red or white. However,
Lemon/Lime juice, Yogurt (curds), Red and White Wine can also be used. The
popular vinegars include Cider Vinegar, Malt Vinegar, Wine Vinegar, Wine
Vinegar, Chili Vinegar and Rice Vinegar.
- THE SEASONING: Would include varieties of salt.
- THE FLAVOR ENHANCERS: These will include MSG, Spice Powders, Herbs,
Garlic, Proprietary Sauces, Fruit Juices & Cream.
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Chap 05 – Salads and Salad Dressing
Perhaps even more than with most other foods, the appearance and arrangement of
a salad is essential to its quality. The colorful variety of salad ingredients gives the
creative chef an opportunity to create miniature works of art on the salad plate.
1. Keep the salad off the rim of the plate: Think of the rim as the frame of a
picture. Keep the salad within the frame. Select the right plate for the portion size,
not too large or not too small.
2. Strive for a good balance of color: Pale iceberg lettuce is pretty plain and
colorless but can be livened up by mixing in some darker greens and perhaps a few
shreds of carrot, red cabbage or other colored vegetables such as peppers. On the
other hand don’t overdo it and go over board. Three colors are usually more than
enough. Shades of green give a good effect and too many colors will look messy.
3. Height makes a salad attractive: Ingredients mounded onto a plate are more
interesting than that lying flat. Lettuce cups as a base adds height. Often, just a
little height is enough.
4. Cut the ingredients neatly: Ragged or sloppy cutting makes the whole salad look
unattractive and haphazard.
5. Make every ingredient identifiable: The pieces should be large enough for the
customer to identify each ingredient. Don’t pulverize everything. Bite size pieces
are the rule. Seasoning ingredients like onion could be chopped fine.
6. Keep it simple: A simple, natural arrangement is pleasant to view. An elaborate
design, a contrived arrangement, or a cluttered plate will defeat the purpose.
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Chap 05 – Salads and Salad Dressing
SALAD DRESSINGS:
French Dressing
English Dressing
American Dressing
Vinaigrette Dressing
Mayonnaise Dressing
Thousand Island Dressing
CLASSICAL SALADS
ARCHIDUC
ARGENTUIL
AUGUSTIN
DEMI DEUIL
EVE
ELEANORA
FLORIDA
FRANCAISE
GAULOISE
INDIENNE
JAPONNAISE
LORETTE
LYONNAISE
MIMOSA
RACHEL..
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Chap 05 – Salads and Salad Dressing
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