The Salad Issue

The Fenton household usually has a side salad for dinner, and during the summer often makes salad a main course, Nicoise salad being the favorite. But at this time of year, there are two or three basic versions, which are now being modified due to less frequent shopping trips.

The first thing to consider, is the salad dressing. I use only olive oil, vinegar, dijon mustard (but not always), salt and pepper. Growing up in California, I had salad for dinner most nights, and not just iceberg lettuce. We also had romaine, red leaf, and butter (Boston) lettuce in our salads, along with green onions, tomatoes, radishes, and cucumbers. Salad dressing was olive oil (no extra virgin back then) and red wine vinegar—never any bottled dressing in our house.

I still occasionally make salad dressing the same way when I am in a hurry, lightly coating the salad with oil and then adding vinegar, usually red wine, to taste along with salt (a bit of Malden is nice) and ground pepper. For prepared dressing, I put a scant tablespoon or generous teaspoon of mustard in a jar and mix it thoroughly with about 2 tablespoons of vinegar and a big pinch of salt. Often I mix a couple kinds of vinegar, red + sherry +balsamic for example. Then I add olive oil approximately three times the amount of the vinegar and shake the mixture well. I taste, then add more of whatever it needs—vinegars vary in strength! After tossing the salad—not too much, you don’t want to drown it—I add more salt and ground pepper.

Winter Salad #1

I like to use at least 5 different types of lettuce (or other greens) in my salad, so the first version includes endive and radicchio and 3 or more of the following: arugula, romaine, red leaf, Boston, escarole (especially now as it keeps well and is useful in soups too), frisee, watercress...you get the idea. To the lettuce mix I add chopped apple (about ¼ for two), thinly sliced fennel, chopped nuts (usually walnuts) and dried cranberries. If I have some blueberries, I might through those in as well, and in California I also substituted the firm persimmons for the apple. To this salad I add a good sized hunk of blue cheese, usually the inexpensive Gorgonzola sold at Costco, but stilton is great too.

Heads of lettuce keep much better than the mixes, so I don’t usually buy mixed lettuce unless I am having a big dinner party. However, this winter I have made one exception: I have occasionally bought power greens, which are also useful for soups and stir-fries. For this particular salad I sometimes add a bit of Seka Hill Elderberry Balsamic Vinegar—you can find it if you live in California!

Winter Salad #2 uses a similar mix of lettuces, but I don’t find it absolutely necessary to use the endive. To the lettuce I add whatever of the following I have on hand: scallion or shallot, cherry tomatoes, fennel, cucumber (English ones seem best in the winter. Look for unusual ones in the summer!), avocado, radishes (and don’t forget the greens), celery, carrots, artichoke hearts, you get the idea. I like to have at least 3 or 4 additions. However, according to Marcella Hazan you should not mix carrots and cucumbers in the same salad! This salad also usually gets cheese, as I love it in salad. Sometimes blue, as above, but also parmesan, goat cheese, ricotta salata, or other odd bits.

Other Ideas? Well, I do like a caesar salad, or a variation on one. For me this means croutons, parmesan cheese, anchovies, lemon juice instead of vinegar. For lettuce, in addition to romaine I might use radicchio and escarole and I have also been finding red romaine recently. Baby kale or thinly sliced kale will also work. I do use raw egg in my caesar salad, but if you want to avoid that, you can try making a dressing with lemon juice, mayonaise, and olive oil.

I will have more on salad when spring and summer arrive: Greek salad, asparagus salad, tomatoes and mozzarella, gazpacho salad and more. But for now, especially with pandemic related shortages, stick to things like radicchio, romaine, endive (wrap in paper towels!), escarole, kale and other hearty greens. The picture shows my collection of vinegar and one night's salad. I try to always use California Olive oil, though not a lot is available here. Olive Ranch is good, though.