Flexible Salad

by | Mar 25, 2020

Yields4 Servings
Total Time30 mins

Ingredients

For the Salad
 8 cups Lettuce or leafy greens of choice
 2 cups fresh, crunch vegetables: radishes, carrots, jicama, cucumbers, etc.
 1 cup fruit: apple, orange segments, berries, pomegranate seeds, etc.
 Fresh herbs: basil, mint, parsley, etc.
 2 tbsp Extras: nuts, seeds, dried fruit, cheese, avocado, olives, etc.
 1 Lemon
 1 Baguette
For the Dressing
 3 tbsp Oil: extra virgin olive oil, vegetable oil, possibly infused or flavored, or a combination of oils
 1 tbsp Acid: lemon or other citrus juice, vinegar of any flavor
 1 tsp Emulsifier (any of the following, or a combination): whole-grain or smooth Dijon mustard, egg yolks, honey, mayonnaise, tomato paste, miso paste, xanthan gum, lecithin, or dairy extracts or plain, whole milk yogurt
 1 tsp Sweetener: sugar, honey, agave syrup, maple syrup, molasses, stevia
 ¼ tsp Salt
 Freshly ground pepper
 ½ tsp Any of the following flavorings, or a combination: pressed or minced fresh garlic, fresh or dried herbs (use more if fresh, less if dried), minced anchovies, sesame or poppy seeds, red pepper flakes, other spices

Directions

1

Wash and dry leafy greens. Shred and place in large mixing bowl.

2

Thinly slice or matchstick vegetables and apple, if using. Add to mixing bowl with greens.

3

Roll clean, dry basil leaves or other herbs into a “cigar” and cut across the short direction to create ribbons of herb to sprinkle over salad.

4

Zest lemon, making sure to only use the yellow part of the peel. Sprinkle over mixing bowl.

5

Add protein and fruit.

6

Slice baguette. Set aside.

7

Make the salad dressing:

Combine acid, emulsifier, salt and pepper to taste in small, non-reactive bowl or screw-top container. Whisk or shake until mixture is milky in appearance and no lumps remain.

Place oil in a small measuring cup so that it is easy to pour. Whisking constantly, very slowly drizzle oil into acid mixture. If pools of oil are gathering on surface as you whisk, stop addition of oil and whisk mixture well to combine, then resume whisking in oil in slow stream. Vinaigrette should be glossy and lightly thickened, with no pools of oil on its surface. (Vinaigrette can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.)

8

Toss and serve salad: 1/4 c dressing should cover 8-10 c lightly packed greens, which is enough for 4 full-sized servings (our classroom servings should be more like 1 cup each). The vinaigrette should lightly coat the salad greens and there shouldn’t be so much dressing that it collects at the bottom of the bowl.

Ingredients

For the Salad
 8 cups Lettuce or leafy greens of choice
 2 cups fresh, crunch vegetables: radishes, carrots, jicama, cucumbers, etc.
 1 cup fruit: apple, orange segments, berries, pomegranate seeds, etc.
 Fresh herbs: basil, mint, parsley, etc.
 2 tbsp Extras: nuts, seeds, dried fruit, cheese, avocado, olives, etc.
 1 Lemon
 1 Baguette
For the Dressing
 3 tbsp Oil: extra virgin olive oil, vegetable oil, possibly infused or flavored, or a combination of oils
 1 tbsp Acid: lemon or other citrus juice, vinegar of any flavor
 1 tsp Emulsifier (any of the following, or a combination): whole-grain or smooth Dijon mustard, egg yolks, honey, mayonnaise, tomato paste, miso paste, xanthan gum, lecithin, or dairy extracts or plain, whole milk yogurt
 1 tsp Sweetener: sugar, honey, agave syrup, maple syrup, molasses, stevia
 ¼ tsp Salt
 Freshly ground pepper
 ½ tsp Any of the following flavorings, or a combination: pressed or minced fresh garlic, fresh or dried herbs (use more if fresh, less if dried), minced anchovies, sesame or poppy seeds, red pepper flakes, other spices

Directions

1

Wash and dry leafy greens. Shred and place in large mixing bowl.

2

Thinly slice or matchstick vegetables and apple, if using. Add to mixing bowl with greens.

3

Roll clean, dry basil leaves or other herbs into a “cigar” and cut across the short direction to create ribbons of herb to sprinkle over salad.

4

Zest lemon, making sure to only use the yellow part of the peel. Sprinkle over mixing bowl.

5

Add protein and fruit.

6

Slice baguette. Set aside.

7

Make the salad dressing:

Combine acid, emulsifier, salt and pepper to taste in small, non-reactive bowl or screw-top container. Whisk or shake until mixture is milky in appearance and no lumps remain.

Place oil in a small measuring cup so that it is easy to pour. Whisking constantly, very slowly drizzle oil into acid mixture. If pools of oil are gathering on surface as you whisk, stop addition of oil and whisk mixture well to combine, then resume whisking in oil in slow stream. Vinaigrette should be glossy and lightly thickened, with no pools of oil on its surface. (Vinaigrette can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.)

8

Toss and serve salad: 1/4 c dressing should cover 8-10 c lightly packed greens, which is enough for 4 full-sized servings (our classroom servings should be more like 1 cup each). The vinaigrette should lightly coat the salad greens and there shouldn’t be so much dressing that it collects at the bottom of the bowl.

Flexible Salad
IngredientsDirections