SALAD COMPONENTS

FoundationFoundationBodyBodyGarnishGarnishDressingDressing

SALAD COMPONENTSFoundationFoundation is the base ingredient of a

salad. Leafy greens such as romaine, bibb, Boston, or iceberg lettuce often serve as a salad’s foundation.

Used whole or cut into a chiffonade, the lettuce leaves provide a base for other salad ingredients. Specially prepared vegetables or fruits, such as a julienne of red pepper or a poached and sliced pear, sometimes function as a salad’s foundation.

SALAD COMPONENTSBodyBody - - main ingredients of a salad make up its body. The body creates the salad’s 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.

SALAD COMPONENTS GarnishGarnish - - 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.

SALAD COMPONENTS

DressingDressing - - is a sauce that 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

emulsion.Simple - oil and vinegar, flavored

oils.

Salad Greens A variety of greens are available for use in

salads. Although all are leafy vegetables, not all are green. More tender greens such as arugula and butterhead are preferred over greens such as collards and chard that require cooking to make them more palatable. Baby varieties of sturdier greens not usually used in salads, such as beet greens and mustard greens, also make excellent additions. Salad greens can be classified into two general categories: mild greens and flavor-adding greens.

Flavor-adding greens can be either spicy or bitter.

Types of Salad Greens

Traditional Greens:Traditional Greens: Have a mild Have a mild flavor; can be used by flavor; can be used by themselves or combined with themselves or combined with other greens.other greens.

Flavor-Adding Greens:Flavor-Adding Greens: Classified as Classified as greens although they may be greens although they may be red, yellow, brown, or white.red, yellow, brown, or white.

Herbs & Other Specialty ItemsRadicchio:Radicchio: A cabbage like plant A cabbage like plant

with a slightly bitter, red leaf; with a slightly bitter, red leaf; adds color and flavor to fresh adds color and flavor to fresh salads.salads.

Mesclun:Mesclun: A popular mix of baby A popular mix of baby leaves of lettuces and other leaves of lettuces and other more flavorful greens.more flavorful greens.

Edible Flowers:Edible Flowers: Add unusual Add unusual flavors, dashes of bright color, flavors, dashes of bright color, and interesting textures to and interesting textures to salads.salads.

Salad GreensSalad GreensOAK LEAFOAK LEAF LOLLO ROSSOLOLLO ROSSO

GREEN ICEGREEN ICE

ROMAINE OR COS LETTUCEROMAINE OR COS LETTUCE

Salad GreensSalad GreensBUTTERHEAD LETTUCE

ESCAROLE

LOOSE-LEAF LETTUCESPINACH

Salad GreensSalad GreensMIZUNA

DANDELION

SORREL

ARUGULA

Salad GreensSalad Greens

TREVISO RADICCHIO RADICCHIO

BELGIAN ENDIVE ICEBERG LETTUCE

Salad GreensSalad GreensFRISÉE

CURLY ENDIVE

Boston lettuce

Bibb or limestone lettuce

Salad GreensSalad Greens

MÂCHETAT-SOI

CRESSMESCLUN

Cleaning Greens

Salad DressingsA dressing is both a sauce and a seasoning. As such, it should complement the flavors and textures of the salad ingredients, not dominate them.

Salad Dressing

EMULSIONEMULSION – – A mixture of two unmixable ingredients.

Vinaigrette DressingsVinaigrette Dressings (Temporary Emulsions)

is a temporary emulsion of oil and vinegar. The mixture is temporary because oil and vinegar have a natural tendency to separate.

Salad DressingSalad DressingSimple Dressings -Simple Dressings - The simplest salad The simplest salad

dressings are not emulsions or blended dressings are not emulsions or blended mixtures. They are simple liquids that mixtures. They are simple liquids that contribute moisture and flavor to salads.contribute moisture and flavor to salads.

Lemon juiceLemon juice - - on its own, freshly squeezed on its own, freshly squeezed lemon juice is an acidic dressing that gives a lemon juice is an acidic dressing that gives a tang to salad.tang to salad.

Olive oilOlive oil - - more flavorful than vegetable more flavorful than vegetable oils, olive oil is a fruity, aromatic dressing oils, olive oil is a fruity, aromatic dressing when used alone on a salad.when used alone on a salad.

Flavored vinegarsFlavored vinegars - - vinegars flavored with vinegars flavored with fruit, herbs, or garlic are popular dressings fruit, herbs, or garlic are popular dressings because they add vivid flavor to salads but no because they add vivid flavor to salads but no fat.fat.

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. Cut or tear the greens into bite-size pieces.

Storing GreensKeep greens in their original Keep greens in their original

packaging.packaging.Store greens 3 to 4 degrees Store greens 3 to 4 degrees

above freezing.above freezing.Keep greens away from Keep greens away from

ripening fruits.ripening fruits.

TYPE OF SALADSTYPE OF SALADS(By Serving)(By Serving)

Appetizer Salad Appetizer Salad – Served as the first dish – Served as the first dish of the course or before the entrée.of the course or before the entrée.

Accompaniment Salad Accompaniment Salad – Served with the – Served with the main dish or entrée. Usually made from, main dish or entrée. Usually made from, pasta, legumes and potatoes.pasta, legumes and potatoes.

Main-course Salad Main-course Salad – Served as a main – Served as a main dish.dish.

Separate Course Salad Separate Course Salad – Served after the – Served after the main dish.main dish.

Dessert Salad Dessert Salad – Served as a dessert – Served as a dessert usually contains fruit and syrup.usually contains fruit and syrup.

TYPES OF SALAD(By method of preparation)

Simple Salad / Green Salads Simple Salad / Green Salads – – leafy leafy greensgreens

Composed Salads Composed Salads –– are made by are made by carefully arranging items on a plate, carefully arranging items on a plate, rather than tossing them together. rather than tossing them together.

Tossed SaladTossed Salad – The salad that the chef – The salad that the chef would combine all ingredients in the would combine all ingredients in the bowl with the dressing.bowl with the dressing.