Let’s Spring for Salads
The change of seasons is our cue to move on from the comfort foods of winter.
It’s time to let go of the heavy, hearty foods of winter and welcome spring with lighter fare. For me, that means more salads, and spring offers some gorgeous vegetable choices to get us motivated.
If you are thinking that salad just means bunches of leafy greens cloaked in bottled dressing, think again— salads have moved on and up from a staid image of being one-dimensional. Think sweet spring snow peas, sturdy spinach, spicy arugula, ruby red radishes, stately stalks of asparagus, compact and meaty artichoke hearts, brilliant green fava beans, spring onions and beets—these are just some of the ingredients that can turn a salad into a work of culinary art.
Salads should have a mix of color and texture. Rice, legumes, pasta and proteins—such as chicken, seafood, eggs, tofu, steak, cheese and nuts—make a salad a complete balanced meal.
In addition to greens and vegetable salads, there are bound or molded salads—which are held together with some sort of thickener, such as mayonnaise or yogurt, or the shimmering gelatin-based ones.
Popular now are chopped salads— where the ingredients are all cut into uniform pieces.
Ever wonder where the word “salad” comes from? It’s derived from “sal,” the word for “salt.” In ancient times, salt was a valuable commodity and a form of currency. That’s where the expression “not worth its salt” comes from. Food historians believe that wild greens were eaten with salt, and so we have salad.
At one time, salads’ place in a meal was a course by itself, usually before the main dish. Although in European cultures like France and Italy, salad is the last course before dessert.
No matter what kind of salad you crave, the dressing should complement the ingredients, so the details are definitely in the dressing. Most popular are vinaigrette-based dressings made with olive or seed oils; some sort of acid, such as vinegar or citrus juices; salt; pepper; garlic; and onion. But the sky’s the limit: yogurt, poppyseed, buttermilk, honey mustard, herbs and cheese are some other popular ingredients for dressing.
Oriental Spring Salad SERVES 4
Lots of Asian flair and crunchy vegetables make up this light-tasting salad. Want to add a bit of protein? Chicken, salmon, cheese and legumes (such as chickpeas) are all good add-ins.
2 cups sugar snap peas
1 8-ounce can sliced water chestnuts, drained and well rinsed
¼ cup thinly sliced spring onions
4 radishes, sliced into thin rounds
½ cup mandarin orange segments
1 blood orange, peeled and cut into rounds (optional)
¼ cup sliced almonds
1/8 teaspoon poppy seeds
1. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium-size saucepan; add the sugar snap peas and boil for 2 minutes, uncovered. Drain and rinse under cold water, then blot dry with a towel.
2. Transfer the peas to a salad bowl and add the rest of the salad ingredients except for the almonds and poppy seeds. Toss gently to combine.
3. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently.
Add the almonds and toss again. Sprinkle the poppy seeds evenly over the top of the salad. Serve at once.
Recipe courtesy of Mary Ann Esposito
Dressing
2 tablespoons sunflower or grapeseed oil
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seed oil
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
½ teaspoon dry mustard
2 tablespoons honey
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 teaspoon grated ginger
¼ teaspoon Chinese five spice
½ teaspoon salt, or more to taste
1. In a small bowl, combine the dressing ingredients in the order given, and whisk until an emulsion is formed.
Turkey and Avocado Salad SERVES 4
Turkey salad gets a flavor boost from peppery arugula, spring peas and citrus served in an avocado boat.
1 pound cooked boneless turkey breast, cubed to make 2 cups
1 cup fresh peas
1 cup arugula leaves, torn into small pieces
2 ripe avocados Reserved lemon juice from the dressing
¼ cup sliced almonds
1. Combine the turkey, peas and arugula, and toss to combine well.
Pour the dressing over the turkey mixture and toss well. Set aside.
2. Cut the avocados in half and remove the pits. Use a large spoon and remove the avocado halves from their skins by inserting the spoon between the skin and the pulp, and following the contour of the halves. Place the halves in a bowl. Pour the remaining lemon juice from the dressing over the avocados and toss them gently to coat them well.
3. Arrange the avocado halves on each of 4 salad plates and divide the turkey mixture to fill the halves. Garnish with the almonds.
Recipe courtesy of Mary Ann Esposito
Dressing
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Juice and zest of 2 large lemons
1 teaspoon dry mustard
¼ cup honey
3 spring onions, cut into thin rings
1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
Ground black pepper, to taste
1. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, 4 tablespoons of lemon juice, plus the zest, dry mustard, honey, onions, salt and pepper.
2. Reserve the remaining lemon juice to use in the salad.
Lentil and Pasta Salad SERVES 4–6
Lentils are protein-packed, as tasty cool as they are warm and perfect in a pasta salad. In this case, red lentils (which add a nice pop of color) are combined with tuna.
1 tablespoon salt, plus more to taste
8 ounces whole-wheat penne pasta or other short-cut pasta
1 cup drained, cooked red lentils
8 ounces tuna, packed in oil, drained and crumbled
2 carrots, peeled and diced
10 cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 rib of celery, diced
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small bunch parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons capers in salt, rinsed well Pepper, to taste
1. Bring
4 quarts water to a boil in a pasta pot, add 1 tablespoon salt and the pasta; cook until the pasta is al dente. Drain the pasta and transfer it to a bowl. Combine the pasta with the remaining ingredients, seasoning it to taste with the salt and pepper.
2. Chill the pasta salad for a half hour before serving.
Recipe courtesy of Mary Ann Esposito
Rhubarb and Mixed Fruit Salad SERVES 4–6
Tart and fresh rhubarb rounds out the flavor of this spring fruit salad that can be served for dessert, as a healthy snack or a lunch, topped with a dollop of yogurt or cottage cheese.
2 cups thinly sliced fresh rhubarb
4 tablespoons maple syrup
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cups strawberries, washed and cut in half
1 blood or navel orange, peeled and sectioned
4 kiwi fruit, peeled, cut into
¼-inch thick rounds and then quartered
2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1. Combine the rhubarb, maple syrup and salt in a sauce pan. Cook over medium heat until the mixture softens into a sauce consistency. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and set aside to cool.
2. Place all the fruit in a medium-size bowl, and pour the lemon or lime juice over it; mix well. Stir in the ginger. Pour the rhubarb mixture over the fruits and stir gently.
Recipe courtesy of Mary Ann Esposito
Italian Chopped Salad SERVES 4
Chopped salads are in the spotlight, and as the name implies, the ingredients are chopped, sometimes so minutely that a forkful contains a bit of everything.
1 small bunch asparagus, stalks cut crosswise into thirds
1 small hearts of romaine, cut crosswise into thin strips
2 cups chopped radicchio
1 small red onion, peeled and diced
1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
1 cup pearl mozzarella balls
1 small zucchini, cut into
¼-inch dice
½ cup pitted whole or sliced brineor oil-cured green olives
1. Place the asparagus in a small pot of boiling water and blanche for 2 minutes. Drain and dry the asparagus.
2. In a salad bowl, arrange the salad ingredients (except for the dressing) in separate piles next to each other. Drizzle the dressing evenly over the top. Toss at the table. Serve.
3. For the dressing, whisk together ingredients in a small bowl.
Recipe courtesy of Mary Ann Esposito
Dressing
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons fresh minced parsley
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt, to taste
Ground black pepper, to taste
By Mary Ann Esposito | Photography by John W. Hession
