1 FRMCA Level 2, Chapter 4 Salads and Garnishing 2015 Summer Institutes Level 3

2 Session Objectives Identify various types of salad and explain how to prepare them. Identify proper procedures for cleaning salad greens. Differentiate among various oils and vinegars. Prepare vinaigrettes and other emulsions. Give examples of garnishes. Garnish various items, including plates, desserts, and soups. 9.1

3 Three keys to making a quality salad: Use fresh ingredients. Have all the ingredients blend together in harmony. Make sure the salad is aesthetically appealing. Preparing Salads 9.1

4 There are five main types of salad: 1. Green salad, of which there are two types: tossed and composed (also called mixed). 2. Vegetable salad, composed of cooked and/or raw vegetables. 3. Bound salad, which features cooked primary ingredients like meat, poultry, fish, egg, potato, pasta, or rice. Types of Salad 9.1

5 Types of Salad continued 4. Fruit salad is prepared with fruit using a slightly sweet or sweet/sour dressing to enhance the flavor. 5. Combination salad incorporates a combination of any of the four salad types. 9.1

6 Clean, fresh ingredients are key to preparing good-tasting, interesting, attractive salads. Always thoroughly wash greens, as dirt can lodge between leaves. –Use water a little warmer than the greens being washed. Dry washed greens thoroughly. –Water left on greens will not allow dressing to adhere to the leaves. Cleaning Salads 9.1

7 Storing Greens After the greens are clean, proper storage is essential to keep them fresh. Unopened commercial produce can be stored for two to three days. Rinsed and dried greens can be refrigerated for a few hours; sturdier greens, such as iceberg lettuce, can be held for as long as 24 hours. 9.1

8 Oils 9.3 CanolaLight in color and mild flavor CornLight golden color, nearly tasteless Cottonseed Soybean Safflower Bland, nearly tasteless OliveFruity flavor, greenish color PeanutMild, expensive, possible allergen WalnutDistinctive flavor, expensive, possible allergen

9 Vinegars 9.3 BalsamicWine vinegar, dark brown color, sweet taste CiderMade from apples, brown, sweet FlavoredFlavored with other products SherryMade from sherry wine SpecialtyMalt, rice vinegar, flavored with fruit White or DistilledDistilled and purified for neutral flavor Wine or ChampagneWhite or red in color

10 Salad Dressings Salad dressings are liquids or semiliquids used to flavor salads. Dressings act as a sauce that holds the salad together. Dressings can range from mayonnaise for potato-based salads to vinaigrettes for lettuce-based salads. Match dressings to salad ingredients. –Use tart or sour dressings for green salads and vegetable salads. –Use slightly sweetened dressings for fruit salads. –Mix some dressings with the ingredients ahead of time, such as for a “bound salad.” –Add some dressings at plating and service to bring an additional flavor aspect to the final product.

11 Vinaigrette: Made from oil and vinegar Emulsion: Mixture of ingredients that permanently stay together –An emulsifier binds dissimilar ingredients. Eggs, for example, are a good emulsifier. –Mayonnaise: The most stable and thickest emulsified dressing Vinaigrettes and Emulsions 9.3

12 Design Attractive Salads 1.Look at the plate or bowl as a picture frame. Select the right dish for the portion size. Keep the salad off the rim of the dish. 2.Maintain a good balance of colors. Three colors are usually enough. 3.Height makes a salad more attractive. 4.Always cut the ingredients neatly and uniformly. 5.Make sure every ingredient can be easily identified. 6.Finely chop items used as seasoning, such as onions. 7.Keep the arrangement of ingredients simple.

13 Garnishing: Why and How Proper garnish complements the main dish in color, flavor, and texture. Garnish should enhance the flavor of the dish. Preparation for garnishes is an essential part of the dish. Some garnishes can be prepared in bulk for use when plating and finishing both hot and cold items. Ideally, garnishes are an ingredient used in the dish. Garnishes must be easily edible.

14 Garnishing: Why and How continued Which garnish to use depends not only on the food being served, but also on how the food is laid out on the plate. The purpose of the plate presentation is to enhance the aesthetic appeal of the food. Garnishes used to add height to a plate or platter include: –Vegetable timbale: Various ingredients baked in a round mold –Dauphinoise: Potato baked with cream, garlic, and cheese, cut into rounds or triangles –Duchesse: Boiled and mashed potatoes, baked with butter and egg yolks

15 Fried parsley Fried leeks Cucumbers Mushroom caps Radishes Scallion bunches Pickles Frosted grapes Lemons Cucumber fans Common Garnishes 9.3

16 Garnishes do not have to be elaborate to be effective. Always avoid cluttering a plate. Garnishing Platters 9.3

17 Garnish desserts with: Fruit coulis in many varieties Whipped cream, flavored and unflavored Frosted mint leaves Chocolate work in the form of string work or formed pieces Spun sugar work Sweet sauces Garnishing Dessert 9.3

18 Garnishes for soups are classified into three groups: Garnishes in the soup are the actual ingredients Toppings: Place toppings on soup immediately before service to avoid melting or sinking to the bottom Accompaniments: Include crackers, melba toast, corn chips, breadsticks, cheese straws, whole-grain wafers, and gougères Garnishing Soups 9.3