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contemplate
the protein (fish, shellfish, cheese, meat, chicken or tofu) to make your
salad a more substantial meal suitable for lunch or supper.
For example, pick up some freshly picked baby spinach, preferably from
a farmers market. Toss it with some croutons made with olive bread and
a Caesar style dressing. After plating, top the spinach with local shrimp
and shaved Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. This meal of salad will prove rich
and satisfying.
On a warm day where you don't want to turn on the stove. Take some leftover
cooked linguini, and head to the supermarket or to your favorite Internet
site to see what might go with it. Try this; small piece of pork tenderloin,
pesto, feta cheese, olives and cherry tomatoes.
Season the pork well, barbecue it and when it's nearly done, brush it
with a little pesto. Once cooked, let cool at room temperature. Toss some
of the linguine with some pesto, a splash of red wine vinegar, crumbled
feta cheese, olives, halved cherry tomatoes and season to taste. Mound
the linguini in spiral like fashion on plates with thinly sliced pork
arranged on top, then drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and garnish
with some fresh oregano leaves.
This main course salad will look as good as it will taste, your family
won't even realize there eating salad.
Those are just two recent examples of main course salads that dazzled.
And the reason they did was because the flavors, textures and colors are
rich and vibrant.
A major advantage of eating salad as a meal is that much of the preparation
can be done in advance when the kitchen is cool. For example, lettuce
can be chopped, dressings made, and meats or fish cooked.
When you dress your salad will depend on its ingredients.
Pasta, rice or potato based salads may benefit from having the dressing
flavors meld with them under chilled conditions for a few hours. More
delicate ingredients, such as tender salad greens, will need to be dressed
at the last minute.
Always consider food safety when preparing, storing and serving salads.
Keep salads and dressings well chilled before serving, and return uneaten
food to the fridge after the meal. This is especially important with meats,
poultry, eggs and fish and dairy products.
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