Five Springtime Salads
May 10, 2012
•Le Cordon Bleu
•Miami
• 0 Comments
Five Springtime Salads
Now that winter has finally loosened its frigid grasp on most of the country, it’s time to celebrate with the brilliant, beautiful and colorful foods of spring. One of the best springtime foods is salad.
While making dressings and cutting are the primary skills needed, salads are a wonderful culinary art in their own right. They give you the chance to show off your creativity by mixing unique springtime produce and making delicious homemade dressings.
Thanks to its warm climate and long growing seasons, salads have always been a Florida culinary tradition. Just right for any occasion – potlucks, picnic, holidays, birthdays – the salad is the perfect springtime food. Let’s take a look at a few.
Spinach Poppy Seed and Mandarin Salad
While the biggest flavor of this refreshing salad is the earthy taste of spinach, it is complimented with the fruitiness of dark and golden raisins, strawberries, and mandarin oranges. Slivered almonds add texture and the delicious homemade poppy seed dressing brings all of the flavors together.
Avocado Wedge Salad
A take on the traditional wedge salad, this salad carries a distinctly Latin twist, a well-known Florida culinary tradition. A quartered head of iceberg lettuce is paired with fresh avocado slices, diced tomatoes, cucumbers, and onion. The dressing, made of avocado, salsa, and sour cream, bring a luxuriant richness to this festive salad.
Citrus and Fennel Salad
If spring means freshness and simplicity, then this salad is the perfect springtime salad. Made with oranges, grapefruit, fennel, basil, walnuts, and olive oil this salad is a perfect companion to fish or poultry. Adding some goat or feta cheese will add a layer of flavor – and calories so it’s up to you.
Mango and Roasted Cashew Salad
This rich and flavorful salad has a hint of Thailand to it. Made with mangos, roasted cashews, and mint, its simplicity is belied by its complex flavors. The dressing is made of white wine, ginger, and maple crystals. We’ve found that a couple of tablespoons of light oil, canola or olive, marries the flavors even better than the white wine alone.
Asian Broccoli Slaw Salad
Ramen noodles probably aren’t your first thought when it comes to springtime salads, but this Asian-inspired dish sheds a whole new light on that dorm room staple. Broccoli slaw (shredded carrots and broccoli) are combined with sliced almonds and ramen noodles to create the crunchy base. Vinegar, the ramen spice pack, and sugar lend the sweet and sour punch that holds it all together.
Poppy Seed Dressing Recipe
Homemade dressings are one of the best parts of springtime salads. Use this poppy seed dressing with the spinach salad from above or on any other favorite salad. And remember using homemade instead of bottled dressing is what really elevates salad making to a culinary art.
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup white sugar
- ½ cup white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dry, ground mustard
- 2 tablespoons grated white onion
- 1 cup vegetable or canola oil
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
Prepartion:
- Place all ingredients except oil and poppy seeds in a food processor or blender and pulse for 20 seconds
- Turn food processor blender to high and slowly pour in oil
- Stir in poppy seeds before serving
This article is presented by Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Miami. Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Miami offers culinary arts and pâtisserie and baking training programs in the Miami, Florida area. To learn more about the class offerings, please visit Chefs.edu/Miami for more information.
Find disclosures on graduation rates, student financial obligations and more at www.chefs.edu/disclosures. Le Cordon Bleu® and the Le Cordon Bleu logo are registered trademarks of Career Education Corporation. Le Cordon Bleu cannot guarantee employment or salary. Credits earned are unlikely to transfer.