Spring greens initiate a salad spectrum. Salads are healthy, refreshing, colorful and versatile. The preparation is fast and the selections are vast. There is an abundance of variety of greens including Boston Bibb, romaine, “Living Lettuce”, classic Iceberg, arugula, endive, cabbage varieties, spinach and “Artisan Lettuce” such as sweet gem, tango and oak. The addition of fruit enhances the color and the flavor. Add blueberries, sliced oranges, grapefruit (without the rind) and sliced pear for impact.
What fun it is to create a tossed kaleidoscope of flavors and textures. Radicchio adds a delightful pop of purple. Interesting textures can be enhanced by adding marinated artichokes, hearts of palm and water chestnuts. Cheese is impacting such as goat cheese, Parmesan cheese and tidbits of Swiss or Cheddar. Classic salads also include chicken salad, shrimp salad, egg salad and tuna salad. Here are some interesting alternative salad combinations:
Brussels Sprout Salad
Boil fresh Brussels sprouts just until cooked through in water with an abundance of butter. (Don’t overcook the Brussels sprouts.) Cut each in half. Place the Brussels sprouts onto your favorite greens. Top with crumbled bacon and nuts. I recommend poppyseed dressing.
Fennel Salad
Boil fresh fennel bulbs until tender. Slice the bulbs in half. Sear each in butter with a dash of honey. Place the cooked fennel bulbs onto your favorite greens. I recommend a honey vinaigrette dressing.
Smoked Salmon Salad
Form lovely rose and rose bud shapes by rolling slices of smoke salmon. Dust the centers of the salmon flowers with fresh cracked pepper. Decorate the roses with fresh whole basil leaves for an edible floral bouquet. Simple fresh lemon juice is my suggested topping, just prior to serving.
Beet Salad
There are many varieties of beets. If one is not using canned beets, allow for plenty of cooking time, so that the beets are tender. Let the beets sit overnight in a mixture of vinegar and sugar. When ready to serve, place the beet slices artfully on each plate with goat cheese between each beet slice. I suggest a Champagne vinaigrette dressing with walnut oil.
Classic Caprese
Utilize interesting tomato varieties. Place sliced Mozzarella cheese between each. I personally prefer Balsamic vinegar with an interesting infused oil as a topping.
Celebrate springtime with a salad spectrum fête! © Kelly McBride Loft