Module 5- Salads and Salad Dressings
I. Objectives
1. Identify and describe five different salad types, and select appropriate
recipes for use as an appetizer, accompaniment, main course, separate
course, or dessert salad.
2. Judge the quality of fruits and complete the pre-preparation procedures
for fruit.
3. Identify the four basic parts of a salad.
4. Prepare and arrange salads that achieve maximum eye appeal.
5. Set up an efficient system for producing salads in quantity.
6. Identify the major salad dressing ingredients.
II. Lesson Proper
Part 1- Salads and Salad Dressings
Before refrigeration, the pantry was where food products
were kept before going into the kitchen.
It was especially suited to production of cold foods.
It was called Garde Manger.
Garde manger chefs have to master a wide range of
cooking techniques and have artistic judgment.
The Salad
The definition of a salad: A single food or a mixture of foods
accompanied or bound by a dressing
A salad can contain meat, grains, nuts, or cheese and
contain no lettuce
It can be an appetizer, entrée, side dish or dessert
The color, texture, and flavor should compliment each
other
Appetizer Salads
Many establishments serve salads as a first course.
Takes pressure off the kitchen
Satisfies the customer with something to eat, quickly
Appetizer salads should stimulate the appetite with
tangy, flavorful dressings and look good.
Appetizer salads should not be too filling
Attractive arrangements and garnish are important.
Accompaniment Salads
Salads served with the main course
Serve the same function of other side dishes
(vegetables and starches)
Must be harmonious with the rest of the meal
Light and flavorful, not too rich
Heavy salads with macaroni or potatoes are less
appropriate
Main-Course Salads
Cold salad plates are popular with luncheon and diet-
conscious customers.
They should be large enough to be a full meal and contain
sufficient protein.
They should offer variety and a balanced meal in terms of
flavors, textures, and color.
Separate-Course Salads
The European version of a salad.
A refreshing salad after a wonderful entrée to cleanse the
palate and get ready for the dessert.
It should be in no way filling.
Dessert Salads
Usually sweet and may contain fruits, sweetened gelatin,
nuts, and cream.
Salad Greens
Lettuce
Bibb or limestone
Boston
Iceberg
Leaf
Romaine
Escarole
Chicory or Curly Endive
Frisée
Belgian Endive
Radicchio
Chinese Cabbage or Celery Cabbage
Spinach
Dandelion Greens
Watercress
Arugula
Mesclun
Tatsoi
Mâche
Microgreens or Baby lettuces
o Brune d’Hiver
o Lola Rosa
o Red Sails
o Pirate
Sprouts
Edible flowers
Fresh Herbs
Mache
Vegetables Raw
Avocado
Bean Sprouts
Broccoli
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celeriac
Celery
Cucumbers
Vegetables, Cooked, Pickled, and Canned
Artichoke hearts
Asparagus
Beans
Beets
Carrots
Corn
Cucumber pickles
Hearts of palm
Starches
Dried beans
Potatoes
Macaroni Products
Grains
Bread (croutons)
Mangoes
Melons
Nectarines
Oranges
Papayas
Peaches
Pears
Persimmons
Pineapple
Plums
Pomegranates
Prickly pears
Prunes
Raisins
Meats – All
Poultry – All
Fish and Shellfish
Salami, prosciutto
Bacon
Eggs, hard-cooked
Cheese, cottage
Cheese, aged or cures
Miscellaneous Salad Ingredients
Gelatin (plain or flavored)
Nuts - all varieties
Arrangement and Presentation
The Structure of a Salad
There are Four basic parts of a salad:
Base or underliner
Body
Garnish
Dressing
Use a cold plate
Keep the salad off the rim
Strike a good balance of colors
Height keeps a salad attractive
Cut ingredients neatly
Make salad ingredients identifiable
Keep it simple
Preparing Salad Greens
Washing
Draining
Crisping
Tearing and cutting
Mixing
Plating
Garnishing
Dressing (immediately before service)
Vegetable Salads
Vegetable salads are those whose main ingredient are
vegetables other than lettuce or other leafy greens.
Some vegetables can be raw like celery, cucumbers,
radishes, tomatoes, and green peppers
Sometimes cooked pasta or a protein item is used along
with cheese. Remember height makes the salads
interesting.
Bound salads are mixtures of foods that are held together
with a thick dressing, such as a mayonnaise type.
Popular choices for cooked salads are:
Principles:
The history of gelatin salads started with aspics, the highly
ornamented appetizers and elaborate pieces made with fish stocks in
natural gelatin. Aspics are part of classical cuisine and part of modern
buffet work.
Purified granular gelatin and gelatin sheets are available for use in
the pantry
You need to know how to prepare these salads using unflavored
gelatin with fruit juices and other ingredients for flavor.
Composed Salads
Composed salads are made by arranging two or more elements
attractively on a plate.
Guidelines:
Observe the guidelines for each of the salad components, such
as greens, vegetables, cooked salads, and fruit salads
Prepare each component separately
Arrangements may be plated in advance if the components will
hold well
Prepare and add hot or warm components immediately before
serving
Observe general guidelines of salad arrangement and
presentation
Salad Bars and Buffet Service
Salad bars have become standard fixtures in restaurants
They are popular with operators and customers. Customers like them
because they can select from a large number of items and choose
exactly what they want.
To be successful with salad bars you should keep a few points in
mind :
o Keep salad bar attractive and well stocked
o Keep the components simple but attractive
o Provide a variety of condiments for the customers to select from:
Simple ingredients
Prepared salads
Salad Bars and Buffet Service
Arrange the salad bar using the following format (see p. 720)
Plates
Mixed greens
Condiments (the expensive last)
Dressings
Crackers, breads, ect., if desired
Make sure you adhere to the health code
Choose the right size plates and serving pieces to allow for some
portion control.
Salad Dressings
Salad dressings are liquids or semi liquids used to flavor salads
The basic salad dressings can be divided into three categories:
Oil and vinegar dressings
Mayonnaise-based dressings
Cooked dressings
Because the flavors of most salad dressings are not modified by
cooking, the quality of the dressings depends on the quality of the
ingredients
Most dressings are an oil and acid like vinegar or citrus juices
Oils
Kinds
Corn oil
Cottonseed, soybean, canola and safflower oil
Peanut oil
Olive oil
Walnut oil
Quality Factors
All purpose oils have a mild, sweet flavor
Winterized oil should be used for dressings that will be
refrigerated
Salad Dressing Ingredients
Vinegar
Cider Vinegar
White or distilled vinegar
Wine vinegar
Flavored vinegars
Sherry Vinegar
Balsamic vinegar
Others specialty vinegars
Malt
Rice
Fruit flavored like raspberry
Lemon Juice
Fresh lemon juice may be used in place of vinegar in some
preparations
Egg yolk
An essential ingredient in mayonnaise
Seasoning and Flavoring
Nearly any spice or herb can be used in salad dressings
Dried herbs and spices need extra time to release their flavors
Most salad dressings should be made 2-3 hours before serving
Other ingredients added for flavoring are mustard, catsup,
Worcestershire sauce and various types of cheese
Remember if you use a Roquefort cheese dressing it has to be made
with Roquefort cheese
Emulsions in Salad Dressings
Temporary Emulsions
Simple oil and vinegar dressings are called temporary
emulsions because they will always separate after shaking
The negative side of temporary emulsions are they have to be
shaken or stirred before each use
Permanent Emulsions
Mayonnaise is a mixture of oil and vinegar but the two are
bound together by egg yolks which act as a emulsifier
Commercial emulsifiers are gums, starches, and gelatins
Oil and Vinegar Dressings
Basic vinaigrette or basic French dressing is a mixture of oil, vinegar,
and seasonings
FYI, the thickened, sweet tomato-based dressing often served as
“French Dressing” is unknown in France
The ratio of oil and vinegar in basic vinaigrette is 3 parts oil to 1 part
vinegar
Some chefs use a 2 to 1 ratio, others 4 to 1 ratio. The more vinegar
or acid used the more tart the dressing will be.
Emulsified Dressings
Mayonnaise is the most important emulsified dressing. It can be
served by itself or added to make a new dressing
Emulsified French Dressing is similar to basic French dressing,
except egg yolk has been added to keep the oil and vinegar from
separating.
Mayonnaise
You can make your own mayonnaise but remember it is not as stable
as commercially produced mayonnaise and would not have as long a
shelf life
The general ingredients are pasteurized egg yolk, oil, vinegar, and
seasonings
Other Salad Dressings
Cooked salad dressing is similar to mayonnaise, but it has a more tart
flavor. It is made with little or no oil and thickened with a starch
thickener.
CEASAR SALAD
INGREDIENTS WEIGHTS PROCEDURES
Romanie Lettuce 2 heads Place Romaine lettuce in a large salad bowl.
Olive oil ¾c Pour about ½ cup of the olive oil all over the
Romaine. Toss gently usong a rolling motion.
Salt ½t Add salt and pepper and toss slightly.
Pepper ½t
Lemon 1 large Squeeze lemon juice over the salad and the
(halved) worcestershire sauce. Add the remaining ¼
Worcestershire 6 – 8 drops cup olive oil.
Sauce
Parmesan cheese ¼c Add the cheese and toss again until the
leaves are well coated.
Loaf bread 4 slices Add the croutons last and toss lightly.
for croutons Arrnage individual leaves on a dinner plate,
stem side out. Serve immediately.
POTATO SALAD
Items Weight Procedures
Potatoes 2-3 pcs Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Add potatoes and cook until tender but still
Salt To taste firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, cool, peel and
chop.
Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with
cold water. Bring water to a boil; cover,
Egg 1 piece remove from heat, and let eggs stand in hot
water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot
water, cool, peel and chop.
Chopped celery 2T In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, eggs,
celery, onion, relish, celery, apple mustard,
Chopped onion ½ piece pepper and mayonnaise. Mix together well
and refrigerate until chilled.
Chopped Sweet 2T
pickled relish
mustard ½T
Ground black pep- To taste
per
Mayonnaise ¼c
Chopped apple 1 piece Toast until crispy. Chop and topped to the
salad.
Bacon 2 strips