1. SALADS AND DRESSINGS

2. SALADS ON THE MENU Appetizer Salads Good lead in for more substantial foods Easy way to keep diners satisfied while main course is being prepared Main Course Salad Gaining in popularity Cooked chicken or seafood, for example, is added to greens for a lighter entrée. Can have hot and cold elements on the same plate.

3. TYPES OF SALADS – SIMPLE SALAD Greens and various raw vegetables Mixture of flavors, colors, and textures

4. COMPOSED OR PLATED SALAD Assembled in a particular arrangement Base – usually a bed of lettuce as a backdrop Body – main ingredient Dressing Garnish

5. BOUND AND MARINATED SALADS Any combination of complementary ingredients – vegetables, meats, pasta, seafood, cheese, grains Mixed with a thick mayonnaise = bound Mixed with a vinaigrette = marinated

6. COMMON SALAD GREENS Iceberg Lettuce Most popular Long shelf life Mild, sweet flavor

7. COMMON SALAD GREENS Romaine Lettuce Crisp and sturdy Elongated shape

8. COMMON SALAD GREENS Escarole (Broad Leaf Endive) Loose Relatively crisp Flat leaves, curly edges Slight bitter flavor

9. COMMON SALAD GREENS Curly Endive (Curly Chicory) Narrow leaves with curly edge Bitter Used as part of a mixture to provide contrasting flavor and texture

10. COMMON SALAD GREENS Belgian Endive Tightly packed 5 inches long White with yellow tips Bitter w/slight sweetness Often used as garnish or filled and served as a cold appetizer

11. COMMON SALAD GREENS Red and Green Leaf Lettuce Large, ruffled leaves Tender Mild flavor Versatile

12. COMMON SALAD GREENS Boston Lettuce (Butterhead) Loose head Delicate, cupped shaped leaves Used as salad base and in salads

13. COMMON SALAD GREENS Spinach Fibrous stems should be removed Not crunchy, almost leathery

14. COMMON SALAD GREENS Watercress Thick stems should be removed Peppery flavor Used as garnish for meats, but also mixed in salads

15. COMMON SALAD GREENS Radicchio Red with white stems Bitter flavor Small amounts are added to mixed greens for colorful accent

16. COMMON SALAD GREENS Mesclun Sometimes referred to as spring mix, or field greens Is a mixture of baby lettuces Often purchased cut, washed, and mixed.

17. COMMON SALAD GREENS Sprouts Seeds or beans which are soaked in water, begin to grown little sprouts Alfalfa, bean, and radishes are a few Grown in high moisture, high temp environment, perfect for bacterial growth

18. PREPARING SALAD GREENS Cutting Trim wilted or discolored leaves Cut into bite sized pieces Can cut with a knife, if large amounts are needed Washing Must run under cold water Water bath is no longer sufficient Drying Wet greens become soggy over time Dressings are diluted, and don’t stick well to wet greens Best method is salad spinner

19. SALAD DRESSINGS Simple Vinaigrettes Oil and vinegar Ratio is one part vinegar; three parts oil Doesn’t stay blended for long, important to stir immediately before serving

20. SALAD DRESSINGS Emulsified Dressings Mixture of two liquids that don’t naturally mix, with an emulsifier Egg yolks, mustard are good emulsifiers Add oil gradually to other ingredients while constantly whipping. Proteins keep droplets from separating

21. OILS Neutral Oils Soy bean oil Corn oil Sunflower oil Safflower oil Canola oil Peanut oil (hot pressed) Flavored Oils Olive oil Nut oils (walnut, hazelnut, macadamia) Sesame oil Peanut oil (roasted) Infused oils (chili, herb)

22. EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL Health benefits Choose extra virgin olive oil First pressing of the olives without heat Fruitier, mellower flavor (heat destroys delicate flavor) More expensive

23. FLAVORED VINEGARS Wine vinegars (red wine, white wine, champagne, sherry) Apple cider vinegar Fruit vinegars (raspberry, apricot, blueberry, peach) Malt vinegar Rice vinegar Infused vinegar

24. SALAD PREPARATION Thoroughly wash all ingredients Keep salad ingredients well chilled Keep dressings containing eggs or dairy at or below 41° F Chill salad plated before plating to avoid wilting greens Use gloves or tongs to handle ingredients because they are ready to eat foods Mix tossed salads with dressing just before service Don’t overdress salads, use only enough dressing to lightly coat the greens.