Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with salad

Long live Ceasar!

Muirwylde — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 16:33:06 -0800

My salad wants to be dressed to impress. Save my Ceasar salads' soul, Mefites. Ceasar salad is so oOold school. Shake up my Ceasar salad dressing with some truly twisted, exotic, unexpected tastes and ingredients while remaining somewhat true to the modern interpretation consisting of egg, parmesan, olive oil, mayo, mustard, lemon, anchovy, Tabasco, and Worcestershire sauce. Thats 'modern' Ceasar to me. I know the 'original' was a far cry from this more or less standard list of ingredients in the current modern interpretation. Be wild... be creative! Lets rock Caesars world. I need a Ceasar dressing to impress my girl. Help me out. What unexpected twists can I add to Ceasar dressing to make my seriously foodie girl friend fall in love? (I mean with my salad, of course). With a little luck the sheer brilliance of your input will save my Ceasar and rock her foodie world.

Very mild salad dressing for watercress salad?

Ollie — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 07:14:43 -0800

Had a watercress and squash salad at the Aeronuovo restaurant at JFK. It was awesome. The dressing tasted like it had no vinegar or acid at all. I'd like to duplicate this salad at home. I think it was small triangles of squash sauteed in butter and maybe honey, over a bed of watercress that was dressed in OO and salt and paper. Toasted slivers of almonds. Does this sounds plausible? Has anyone had this salad? Even if you haven't had it, if you were going to make it at home, would you make it like this?

Cold nights, warm lentils, yes please!

anderjen — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:45:59 -0800

While visiting San Antonio last month, I ate at Liberty Bar on Metafilter's recommendation and fell deeply in love with their warm lentil salad. I would love to recreate it at home for a fantastic winter dinner. Please help me do so. The dish was very simple, ingredients-wise, but I need some assistance in figuring out what spices/seasonings to add, and in what order I should cook/assemble everything. I'm pretty sure I tasted cumin, but have no idea what else might have been in it. The menu describes it as "sautéed lentils with spinach, bacon, onion, and garlic."

It doesn't have to be an exact replica of the salad I had; I'm sure anything with the above ingredients would be delicious if you have other ideas on how I might put them to work.

Bonus question: I really wanted to try the warm chickpea salad as well, but could not persuade my dining companion to order it. It's listed as "sautéed chickpeas, carrot, celery, garlic, onion, spinach, and feta cheese." Any idea what spices I could use to recreate this?

Thanks for your help!

How to get a wooden salad bowl made

vogel — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 02:24:02 -0800

Which woods are good for making a salad bowl, and what preparation would the newly-made bowl need before being used? We need a new salad bowl and a friend is learning wood-turning. I am tempted to try to commission him to make us one, but I don't know what sort of wood to start with and how to treat it once the bowl is made. Maybe his wood-turning teacher would help with all this anyway, but I'd like to be better informed myself.

I suppose an alternative answer might be that it is too ambitious and I should just go and buy one! What do you think? Thanks!

Caesar Salad Dressing

frankly mister — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 19:31:35 -0800

Why I can't find an awesome Caesar Salad Dressing recipe? They all suck! So lately I've tried a number of homemade Caesar Salad Dressing recipes, and while one or two have been okay, on the whole they're far from the spectacular thing I've had at some restaurants. I love love love a great Caesar Salad, and being unable to replicate one at home is making me mad. I've tried recipes from How to Cook Everything, the Gourmet cookbook, America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook, Alton Brown's Good Eats, and a couple others that I can't recall. And none is spectacular dammit!

The romaine is fresh. I dry it to the max with a salad spinner, then put it back in the fridge for a little while. I don't over-toss the salad with the dressing. Etc. So that stuff's not an issue.

I'm convinced that the bomb diggity Caesar Dressings have a lot of stuff in it -- that is, not just olive oil, lemon juice, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and an egg or two, like the original ones had or whatever. There must be some Worcestershire, Dijon, garlic, buttermilk, anchovies or anchovy paste, and stuff like that. But I've tried ones with all that stuff, darnit, and the shit is not happenin'! Maybe the proportions need to be adjusted, but that's where I'd need your help.

So, please, if you know an aweeeesome Caesar Salad Dressing recipe -- not just a good one, an awweeeessomee one -- please, would you share it with me? I'll be so happy. Thanks!

Help me prevent my red lettuce from turning against me

Billegible — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 10:47:48 -0800

LettuceFilter: I love those big containers of mixed small lettuce leaves - the schmancy type like this. But the red lettuce always goes bad so quickly! What can I do? We don't have a car and it's a longish walk to the nearest grocery store, so the largest containers (~1-pound) are the most convenient. But then by the third day I end up spending half of my salad-making time just picking through it to eliminate the red lettuce that's starting to slime.
Is there a way to keep the red lettuce from turning so quickly?
Is there an easier way to search and destroy the lettuce that has started to turn?
Other tips and tricks and general advice for the salad-friendly?
This previous question is good, but my problem is just with the darn red lettuce, everything else is fine. Do I really need to treat the whole pound of mixed greens just to keep the red stuff happy, and would it really work on them?

If it's at all relevant, the quick'n'easy salad I usually make goes thusly:
-as much lettuce as I feel like
-shredded cheese to taste
-chopped fresh mushroom, tomato, cucumber
-dressing of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and salt to taste
Mix with clean hands, eat with gusto.

Lettuce out!

mkb — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 12:28:05 -0800

I joined a CSA program for the summer and or first pickup has so much lettuce I don't think I cold possibly eat it all this week. What can I do with it besides make salads and put it in sandwiches? Preserving counts! I just don't want to waste anything.

Another BBQ question

Ghidorah — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 07:02:24 -0800

Kind of a last minute request: I'm doing a bbq at my place tomorrow for my birthday, and I'm kind of stumped as to side dishes. I read about the bbq in the park question (and even commented in it), but I made potato salad at the last bbq, and it turns out these folks aren't much into potato salad (and, personally, I hate the stuff). I'm making burgers and chicken fajitas tomorrow. I'm trying to think of some cold sides to go with the grilled stuff.

Issues: I've got a 13" grill, so I can't do much on the grill aside from the burgers, the chicken, and the peppers/onions/mushrooms to go with them.

Corn would be nice, but here in Japan, it's freaking expensive. Does anyone have some suggestions for a decent side? I'll have chips and dip, some celery, things like that. Something salady would be nice, but a bit less normal would be good, too.

Oh, and, yeah, the bbq is tomorrow, so this is something I'd have to be able to throw together in the morning. As always, thanks everyone.

Give me your best vinaigrette recipes.

MaryDellamorte — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 17:38:13 -0800

I love a good vinaigrette, but I would like to make my own. What are you favorite recipes? I've never made it before, so some tips would be helpful also. Restrictions include no meat or dairy. Thanks!

Deadly Dressing?!?!

JoanArkham — Wed, 27 May 2009 18:26:45 -0800

Can I Eat It Filter: homemade salad dressing edition In an effort to not eat so much HFCS, I bought a salad dressing mixer similar to this. The first time I used it, I put it in the fridge after mixing and, of course, the oil solidified. The next time, I just left it on the counter, but Mr. Arkham was concerned. The dressing only contained olive oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, spices, and garlic. Think it's safe to keep out of the fridge? For how long? Will the garlic go bad? (I'm assuming any creamy dressings would need to be refrigerated, of course.)

And if commercial dressings are full of preservatives, why are they all "refrigerate after opening"?

Join me in the Quest for the Mexican Salad Dressing!

goodnewsfortheinsane — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 13:30:16 -0800

Help me recreate an awesome Mexican salad dressing! So I just had one of those pre-packaged salad kits, and it came with an awesome dressing. It was a Mexican chicken salad, and the dressing was a tangy, sort-of tomato-ey sort-of corn-y delight with quite a bit of a bite (but no apparent capsaicin heat). I think it or something similar would work brilliantly as a home-made dressing or cold sauce. The ingredients as listed on the packaging:

Water
Soya oil
Tomato purée
Vinegar
Sugar
Dextrose
Herbs and spices
Onion
Modified corn starch
Salt

I'll spare you the food acids and other additives, but suffice to say that, big surprise, MSG was in there (but none of its cousins in the E620-E630 range).

I believe the tomato purée refers to the concentrated kind; it definitely tasted like it (although Dutch tomatoes I feel are generally quite watery so I'm somewhat easily impressed with the concentrated and processed stuff). In fact, the overall taste held the middle between concentrated tomatoes and something corn-like, strongly reminiscent of tortilla chips (the non-cheese kind). Add a faint vinegary tang, and you're pretty much there.

It had about the consistency of common chili sauce (but as I said, no heat). It was very different from any salsa I've eaten, and completely smooth; without any onion or tomato chunks like in salsa or adobo.

Has anyone ever made anything like this? Any pointers? Thanks in advance, guys!

What do I do with artichoke hearts?

otherwordlyglow — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 14:06:59 -0800

I have a can of artichoke hearts and would like some thoughts on using them in a green salad or another appetizer-y idea. I am an artichoke heart novice. Are canned artichokes straight out of the can any good in salads? I have some nice greens and homemade Caesar dressing already and was thinking about adding the artichoke to the salad for a dish at a dinner party. Do they just get rinsed and thrown in? Sauteed? Chopped up? If that sounds gross, what else can I do with the artichoke hearts that would be a quick and easy appetizer? Normally I'd just experiment and see what happened but since I'm making dinner for friends, I'd like to have a better idea of what would be yummy to others.

Vegetarian Caesar salad dressing

Morrigan — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 14:48:59 -0800

Can anyone recommend a good bottled vegetarian Caesar salad dressing? I used to love Caesar salad but every time I try a new anchovy-free version, it ends up in the trash. Making my own is, unfortunately, not a realistic option, as my culinary skills are on a level with a three year old's.

Looking for cold grain salad tips.

kmennie — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 07:04:44 -0800

How can I improve my cold grain/bean/wild rice/etc salads? They are either too vinegary or too bland, and generally not as good as it seems they should be. They also don't seem to last as long in the fridge as deli-made ones, and are generally just a bit more tired and blah than the stuff I get out of good delis and catering shops and so on.

I dump in too much vinegar and get predictable results (pool of liquid, overwhelming vinegariness), but skimping on the vinegar always leaves me thinking "This needs more vinegar." Apparently not, but what does it need? Salt? More oil?

Thoroughly reliable recipes and general hints appreciated.

Shouldn't eating a salad make me feel better?

Mavri — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 12:28:06 -0800

Why would eating a salad make me shaky and lightheaded? I've noticed from time to time that salads can make me feel weird. I had one about 1-2 hours ago, and right now my hands are shaking, I feel a little lightheaded, and my thinking is fuzzy. I would attribute it to hunger, but I just ate. Sounds like low blood sugar, but I just ate a healthy salad. It had leafy greens, some grilled chicken, fresh mozzarella, and oil & vinegar.

I usually eat very few vegetables. I don't know if that would make my body freak when it gets healthy greens. I've not noticed this reaction after eating other foods, only when I'm really hungry.

bean me!

Koko — Tue, 20 May 2008 07:55:10 -0800

I love beans! I want a few simple recipes for bean salads that will keep a few days in the fridge, and that I can take to work for lunch during the week. The simpler the better - short prep time, few ingredients. Things I hate which should not be in the bean salad:

canned green beans (frozen or fresh is ok; any other canned bean except lima is ok)
lima beans
onions (garlic is A-OK)
peppers of any kind (bell, jalapeno, etc.)
cumin
mushrooms

Recipes that have any of the above ingredients are ok if the ingredient can be left out without compromising the salad too much.

A black-or-red bean and couscous-or-rice salad would be ideal, but I'm having a hard time finding simple recipes for those.

I prefer using canned beans to dry beans (quicker prep, less chance of undercooked beans).

Suggestions for good cookbooks are also welcome.

Thanks!

A salad that enu would die for

Dasein — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 19:23:08 -0800

I have to make a salad for a Passover seder with a lot of people. Can anyone think of a good recipe for a salad that is kosher, filling (I'm thinking maybe nuts or beans), easy to make in large quantities, and delicious? Thanks for your help!

Salad? Shoot me.

cdadog — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 06:34:51 -0800

This salad so incredible that I considered becoming a vegetarian. Unfortunately, I can barely remember what was in it. A few years ago I attended a cookout where a vegetarian guest brought a chilled salad with a ton of ingredients, served from a trifle dish. I remember it included:

- glassine thread noodles
- strips of tofu
- there may have been broccoli tips
- black chewy thready stuff I suspect was seaweed
- baby carrot slivers
- dressing I can only describe as sour/savory (not hot, spicy or especially sweet)

You know how sometimes a bunch of stuff in a bowl is just that, how it’s not bad but the tastes or textures don’t really compliment each other? Not this. The flavors…ohhh…the way they melded was amazing. I ate an embarrassing amount of it, intending to pin down whoever brought it. Naturally, they got away, and the hostess couldn’t remember who brought what.

This has haunted me for years. I want this salad again. I neeeeed it. But I’m not that foodie intuitive, and the results of my forays into recipe experimentation are always disappointing. If anyone out there suspects he/she has made this kickass salad with the above items, would you please share?

the perfect spinach salad

Espoo2 — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 19:02:32 -0800

How do you make the perfect spinach salad? I'm becoming a big fan, and I'd love to hear how you build yours.

Help me start eating more salad!

Becko — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 08:50:13 -0800

Give me some salad dressing recipes! I am moving into my own apartment after living with my parents for the summer. I want to get back in the habit of cooking, and cook more than ever before!

I want to start eating a lot of salads, but I don't want to use store bought dressings. Can anyone give me good salad dressing recipes?

Two salads I absolutely love are Famous Dave's BBQ chicken salad, I believe it's a honey barbecue dressing of some sort, but it's a lot thinner than barbecue sauce.
The other dressing I'd love to make is the kind that is used at Panera on their Asian Sesame Chicken salad. It's a vinegarette of some kind, it's on the sweeter side.

I think I'd generally like to make dressings with an oil and vinegar base, but I'm open to other delicious options as well.
Also, if you can let me know if it goes well with another type of food, such as Italian or something.

2 hours now, 5 minute salads later?

anonymoose — Thu, 17 May 2007 14:54:16 -0800

SaladFilter: Help me find stuff I can prepare ahead of time, preferably won't spoil (/will survive freezing), and I can simply dump on top of mixed greens and create a delicious salad! I need to eat more salad, for vitamin, rather than low-calorie needs (so cheeses and things are cool). However, my salads all seem to require too much preparation time for too little taste payoff.

Given a significant time investment now, what can I make that would allow the following on a daily (or even twice a day) basis:

12:00pm: Get home.
12:01pm: Take mixed greens out of bag, stick in bowl
????
12:05pm: Yum! Tasty salad!

Meats and things are all fair game.

Help me re-create my ex's über secret family salad dressing recipe.

luminous phenomena — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 20:44:20 -0800

Contacting the ex is completely out of the question, but holy mother of croutons her salad dressing was fantastic. She is of Russian-German descent and grew up in the greater Chicago area. Her German grandmother gave her the recipe, supposedly. I have researched German salad dressing to no avail. While telling the truth was not her strength, I cannot find the recipe anywhere, which lends credence to the family recipe story. I have tried and failed to re-create it on my own, many times. The ingredients that I know are in the salad dressing are: aromat (which knowing now that it is MSG, means I will probably leave it out, but might hint at when the recipe was originally created) green onions, tarragon vinegar, one raw egg, fresh cracked black pepper, salt, sugar. I would guess there is garlic in it too, but I am not certain. After reading this post, I'm pretty sure it's not this. I don't remember dill being a strong flavor in the dressing. I've experimented with adding various spices and using olive oil/vegetable oil and cannot get it right. It looks a bit like Caesar salad dressing, but darker in color and less viscous. Does this sound familiar to anyone? Thanks in advance.

Help me show new coworkers that I can make some great food!

lil' ears — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 09:53:07 -0800

Saladfilter: I'm at a new job this year and the Christmas party is coming up next week... While they're catering the main course, everyone else was asked to bring a salad or dessert. So the pressure is on to bring a salad that is different than all the rest of salads!

Does anyone have a great salad recipe? Can be green salad, pasta, bean...anything delicious! (though I would like to keep it vegetarian if possible...or fish/shrimp)

What else should I put on my salad?

Aghast. — Tue, 08 Aug 2006 18:12:57 -0800

What else should I put on my salad? These days, I've often been making a salad that consists of mesclun greens, ripped up red plums, and chunks of fresh mozzarella. It's very delicious but I'd like to add some ingredients. What would go good on top of this/amongst this? My imagination is failing me.

Making salads palatable, and recommendations for strong-flavored healthy food?

WCityMike — Mon, 28 Feb 2005 14:24:38 -0800

How can I make salads more palatable? And any recommendations for healthy food with strong flavors? My diet is very often fast food, very often centering more heavily on meat than on vegetables. I'd like to change that, but I've usually looked at vegetables with all the enthusiasm of a neoconservative at a Village People concert.

As I think over the problem, I suppose a few questions come to mind.

Could anyone describe the taste of their favorite vegetables? I'm a fan of strong flavor, but there are certain flavors I don't like, and I'm not a fan of vegetables that are tasteless (i.e. celery), although I can deal with them. I'd also be interested in similar descriptions for dressings, particularly low-calorie dressings. (Adding heavy creamy dressings, which I find yucky anyway, would vastly increase the calorie count anyway.)

Does your local fast food chain produce a good salad? If so, what chain, and what do they sell?

What do you like to add to a salad to make it good for you?

And, to open it up to the non-salad people, do you like any particular widely available foods that are low-fat or healthy? (Example of what I'm looking for: "Yes, popsicles are great because they have a strong flavor but are usually very low-calorie when compared to ice cream." Multiple brand names available, locatable in almost any store. Example of what I'm not looking for: "Yes, Farfenugen Chocolate-Flavored Soy-Curdled Yak Milk, if frozen for a long enough time, makes a great replacement for chocolate topping." Specialty product nearly impossible to find.)