How To Make A Salad You Actually Want To Eat

As Halloween and the holidays approach, I tell myself that if I eat salads, that will balance out all the treats and goodies that the season brings. But the truth is that I don’t eat salads as much as I should and I envy those people who make a salad every day for lunch. My good friend and cookbook author Bob Blumer does just that. And every day, it’s a little different. I have often told him that I think he needs to write a book based on his salad days.

His secret is taking all the bits and bobs (pun intended) from his refrigerator and placing them on top of a fresh medley of baby greens. He lives in California, so he buys them fresh-off-the farmer each week, but I have had good luck using a number of the greens sold by Organic Girl and Earthbound Farm.  

On any given day, a base of greens is topped by leftover rotisserie chicken, avocado, pumpkin seeds or another favorite toasted nut, parmesan cheese grated finely with a Microplane, chopped dates or other dried fruit for sweetness, shaved onions and sometimes bacon, lots of freshly ground black pepper, kosher salt and a really flavorful vinaigrette chock full of strong Dijon mustard, good extra virgin-olive oil and sometimes grated garlic.  Making your own vinaigrette is the one non-negotiable. It makes all the difference in the finished salad. And, you can make a big batch and keep it in the refrigerator so it is always ready.

When I am at home and thinking about one of Bob’s salads, I start by taking all my possible salad components out of the refrigerator and onto my cutting board. I look at each one and determine whether or not, they will go into today’s salad. This is also a great way to practice zero-food waste. More times than not, a small amount of a leftover that is not enough for a meal is the perfect amount of an ingredient for a salad. I like boiled eggs in my salad and often add those. I make beer-can chicken about once a week and a salad is a great way to serve the leftovers. You get the drift.  After all these years, I have realized that there is a checklist to making a great salad. Number one, you have to include your favorite flavors and favorite ingredients—and this is personal. If you include an assortment of these ingredients, it is easy to make a salad that you look forward to enjoying and can’t wait to dig into.

Salad Checklist—_{mix and match to your own liking and make sure to include something salty, sweet, acidic, rich and fatty, crunchy and soft.}

Lettuce, cabbage, baby kale, spinach, arugula base

Protein like chicken, boiled eggs, olive-oil packed tuna, ham, leftover fried chicken, leftover steak

Avocado if you have a ripe one—it is generally my reason to eat a salad

Fresh ripe tomatoes or cherry tomatoes

Dried fruit like dates, apricots, dried cherries, for sweetness

Tart apples, sliced oranges, grapefruit, mango for a sweet-tart addition

Jicama, cucumbers, grated carrots, celery, sliced cabbage, cold roasted beets for crunch

Jarred heart of palm, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, relishes and chucky condiments

Toasted nuts such as pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, peanuts for texture

Favorite grated cheese including hard and/or creamy goat cheese, ricotta, cottage cheese, grated Parmesan, Pecorino, Grana Padano, aged cheddar, blue cheese, Manchego to add depth of flavor and body to the salad

Chopped or shaved onions, shallots, scallions for sharpness and flavor contrast

Bacon or crispy pancetta, crispy prosciutto for salty, meaty flavor

Classic Vinaigrette

A classic vinaigrette follows the proportions of 1 part acid (vinegar, lemon juice etc.) to 4 parts oil. You can take this recipe and switch up the vinegar and add flavorings to suit your palate such as citrus zest, chopped herbs, chopped shallot, pesto, black olive tapenade, maple syrup, etc. If making for a crowd, I generally use ¼ cup of vinegar to ¾ cup EVOO—add mustard and other flavorings to taste.

1          tablespoon red wine vinegar 

1-2       teaspoons strong Dijon mustard such as Maille, Amora or Grey Poupon

            Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

4          tablespoons best quality extra-virgin olive oil 

Mix the vinegar and mustard until well combined. Add a pinch of salt and a couple of grinds of black pepper. Slowly add the oil a little at a time, whisking continually until well incorporated (emulsified). Continue until all the oil is gone. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Bob’s Maple-Dijon Dressing

This is Bob Blumer’s house dressing—it is sharp and sweet and works well regardless of what you are dressing with it.

2          teaspoons Dijon mustard

1          tablespoon maple syrup

2          teaspoons balsamic vinegar

1          teaspoon lemon juice

3          tablespoons olive oil

 In a small bowl, whisk together mustard, maple syrup, vinegar and lemon juice. Slowly drizzle in olive oil, whisking constantly until emulsified. Taste and adjust if necessary. Store covered in the refrigerator