There's nothing like a nice crisp, even sweet, salad on these hot summer days. Putting strawberries, orange sections, dried cranberries (preferably unsweetened), and candied pecans on a salad is nothing new to me.
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A couple weeks ago I made a salad with some of these things (and yellow bell peppers), but the unique part was the greens. Instead of packing the dressing with dried herbs, I put fresh herbs right in the salad, many from my window garden. I mixed my own fresh romaine, finely chopped chives, tarragon, and a few other herbs, with store bought Italian parsley and baby greens.
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I used some of the juice that came out of the oranges when I sectioned them to start a dressing. A basic salad dressing needs some fat, acid, and salt. Acid can be fresh lemon juice or some type of vinegar; salt can be any kind of salt crystals, soy or tamari sauce; and fat is usually at least half olive oil. I also like Dijon mustard and something sweet, like orange juice, honey, date syrup, etc. If you taste it, use a piece of lettuce or vegetable. It should be strong, and tasting on a spoon or your finger won't give you an accurate idea. If you dress the salad, always start with less than you think you will need.
A couple weeks ago I made a salad with some of these things (and yellow bell peppers), but the unique part was the greens. Instead of packing the dressing with dried herbs, I put fresh herbs right in the salad, many from my window garden. I mixed my own fresh romaine, finely chopped chives, tarragon, and a few other herbs, with store bought Italian parsley and baby greens. 
I used some of the juice that came out of the oranges when I sectioned them to start a dressing. A basic salad dressing needs some fat, acid, and salt. Acid can be fresh lemon juice or some type of vinegar; salt can be any kind of salt crystals, soy or tamari sauce; and fat is usually at least half olive oil. I also like Dijon mustard and something sweet, like orange juice, honey, date syrup, etc. If you taste it, use a piece of lettuce or vegetable. It should be strong, and tasting on a spoon or your finger won't give you an accurate idea. If you dress the salad, always start with less than you think you will need.
Great technique - putting herbs right in the salad must really pack it with flavor.
ReplyDeleteTaste it on a vegetable! Simple and brilliant.
ReplyDeleteI love your blog. I was helping a friend set up her cooking blog yesterday, and she kept asking me about various food blogs and if I read them. I said, no! I only read Cooking Outside the Blog. Keep it up.