Salad as an art form is alive and well. It’s not a new concept, it’s simply revisited every few years. Its precursor was the plain old chef’s salad — in its day a dramatic departure from the plain old tossed green or wedge of iceberg with Russian dressing.
Then came salad bars and the salad bar mentality: pile it on but leave room for the cheese bread. But once a few creative and influential chefs bucked the mainstream by re-emphasizing salad architecture, others followed. Now we have designer greens, evolved vinaigrettes, clever crouton concepts and a plethora of toppings: grilled scallops, golden beets, rainbow carrots, poached eggs, creamy mozzarella and smokey bacon. Creating masterpieces from such ingredients that please the eye as much as the palate is part of the fun.
Long before poached eggs became an acceptable salad topper, I was making a spinach salad with a 5-minute egg. The spinach was dressed in a light vinaigrette, placed on individual serving plates and topped with a carefully peeled soft-cooked egg. The stark-white egg nestled atop the emerald leaves, punctuated by crispy bits of smokey bacon, toasted pine nuts and ebony-colored olives is a sight to behold; and the flavor combination is heavenly. When the diner breaks into the egg, the semi-firm yolk will run ever-so-slightly down through the salad.
Then there’s Papa Haydn West’s masterpiece from the late 1980s. This popular Portland, Oregon, eatery has always been at the front of the curve when it comes to culinary creations. And that includes producing fantastic salads back when much of the world hadn’t really figured it out yet. This one achieved a perfect merging of flavors, textures and color, and is so simple to assemble that it has become a classic favorite around our household.
It features a wonderful melange of sun dried tomatoes, fine-quality ham, chunks of mesquite-grilled chicken, capers and grated Gruyere. The vinaigrette is subtle but perfect, and then the whole affair is crowned with a dollop of pesto-laced mayonnaise.
It’s a salad that will please daring and reticent diners alike, and I offer it to you now, along with my rendition of the spinach salad with 5-minute egg.
But first a few tips:
Simple sautes of chicken, pork or beef, spiced up with fresh garlic and herbs, are a wonderful contrast to a bed of crunchy mixed greens and a light balsamic vinaigrette.
Zip up a bottled vinaigrette by whisking in some crumbled blue cheese; drizzle over a composed salad of mixed greens, sliced bell peppers, tomato and hard-cooked egg wedges, and crumbled bacon.
Experiment with a variety of pasta shapes, tossed with a creamy peppercorn or ranch-style dressing, some pickled pepperoncinis, sliced black olives, and chunks of grilled chicken.
For crunch beyond croutons, toss your salads with: toasted pine nuts, hazelnuts, almonds, or sesame seeds.
Marinate a selection of chopped vegetables (red peppers, mushrooms, onions, celery, carrots, cauliflower) in a mixture of red wine vinegar, soy sauce, and olive oil for several hours. Before serving, toss grilled prawns, chicken, or other meat, and serve at room temperature on a bed of greens with shredded cheese (I would choose a Gruyere).
Assemble a Southwest salad: brown some ground beef, seasoned with some taco-style seasonings; let cool, then layer in a bowl with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, diced avocados, chopped green onions, roasted corn kernels, shredded Monterey jack and/or cheddar, and lightly crushed tortilla chips. Toss with a vinaigrette that has been seasoned with some ground cumin, chili powder, and a hefty spoonful of salsa.
Spinach Salad with 5-Minute Egg
6 large eggs at room temperature (see note below)
1 pound fresh, young spinach leaves (“baby spinach”), washed, dried, and any tough stems removed; break larger pieces into bite-sized
1 cup pitted black olives
3 strips crisp-fried bacon, crumbled
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms that have been gently sauteed in a bit of the bacon grease
1/3 cup lightly toasted pine nuts
Tarragon Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
Garlic Butter Croutons (recipe follows)
Shredded Parmigiano Regiano cheese
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Using a slotted spoon, gently place the eggs into the pan and cook them for exactly 5 minutes. Do not let the water stop simmering. Remove the pan from heat, then using a slotted spoon, remove each egg to a pan filled with ice water to cool the eggs quickly and completely.
When cold, gently peel the eggs. Place the spinach leaves into a large salad bowl, along with the olives, bacon, mushrooms, and pine nuts. Toss with enough of the vinaigrette to evenly coat the greens, then arrange divide the mixture between six dinner plates. Place several of the croutons off to the side. Lay each of the eggs on top of the salad, in the center, then drizzle on an additional bit of the vinaigreet and sprinkle with the Parmigiano shreds. Serve.
NOTE: To make sure you end up with beautifully peeled eggs, use older eggs. They peel easier.
TARRAGON VINAIGRETTE: In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard, 1 egg yolk, 3 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar, ½ teaspoon salt, 1-½ teaspoons finely chopped fresh tarragon (or ½ teaspoon dried), ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper, and 1/8 teaspoon savory. Blend well with a wire whisk. Add 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil in a slow steady stream, until the dressing is thickened slightly. Adjust seasonings and set aside. If you’re making the dressing ahead of time, refrigerate, up to several days. Makes about 1 cup.
GARLIC BUTTER CROUTONS: Slice half a baguette into ¼-inch thick slices and spread them on a baking sheet. In a small cup combine 1/3 cup melted butter, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, ½ teaspoon minced garlic, 1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard and ¼ teaspoon salt. With a spoon or pastry brush, spread the butter mixture over each slice. Sprinkle the bread slices with a bit of shredded Parmesan.
Bake in a 375 degree oven for about 10 minutes, or until golden and slightly crunchy. Store unused croutons in plastic bag up to several days, or freeze for several months.
Papa Haydn’s West composed salad of mesquite broiled chicken, gruyere &sun dried tomatoes
3 chicken breast halves
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper
4 ounces Black Forest ham Julienne-cut to measure 1 cup (see note below)
1-½ cups grated Gruyere cheese
1 sweet red bell pepper, roasted and peeled as directed below, then diced
½ cup sun dried tomatoes (reserve oil for dressing), diced
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed
Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
Mixed greens (romaine lettuce, combined with some green leaf lettuce), broken into bite-sized pieces
Pesto mayonnaise (recipe follows)
Coat the chicken breasts with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Grill chicken over mesquite coals; chill until cool enough to handle.
Dice the chicken breasts into 3/8- to ½-inch pieces. In a large bowl, combine the cut-up chicken, ham, 1 cup of the cheese, bell pepper, sun dried tomatoes and capers. Toss with enough of the vinaigrette to make sure all ingredients are well coasted; chill for at least 30 minutes to blend flavors. Mixture can be made up to 3 hours ahead.
When ready to serve, arrange greens on individual plates. Distribute the chicken mixture evenly among the salads, arranging it attractively on top of the bed of greens; garnish with a sprinkling of the remaining ½-cup of Gruyere. The pesto mayonnaise may be served on the side (in individual ramekins), or you may place a dollop of it on each serving and pass the rest.
NOTE ON BLACK FOREST HAM: Have your deli person cut it slightly thicker than “deli-cut” for sandwiches. Then, to cut into Julienne, just stack up the slices and cut into the match-stick lengths and widths. This doesn’t have to be precise, trust me!
VINAIGRETTE: In small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice with ½- teaspoon salt, ½ — teaspoon Dijon-style mustard, freshly ground black pepper (to taste) and several dashes of Worcestershire sauce. Blend well with wire whisk. Continue whisking as you add ½ cup of olive oil. (Be sure and incorporate the olive oil that was packed with the sundried tomatoes; the flavor is wonderful, and blends beautifully with the salad.) Adjust seasonings. Can be made up to 2 or 3 days ahead, covered, and stored in the refrigerator. Makes about 2/3 cup.
PESTO MAYONNAISE: This basil-flavored dressing is 4 parts mayonnaise to 1 part pesto. For this recipe, combine ½ cup fine-quality mayonnaise with 2 tablespoons pesto. Commercially prepared pesto is fine; to make a small batch at home: Combine 1 cup of packed basil leaves in blender jar with 2 cloves garlic and 1 tablespoon chopped parsley; chop fine. Add 2 tablespoons lightly toasted pine nuts, 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, and ¼ teaspoon salt; blend. With machine running, slowly add ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil and blend until it forms a smooth paste.
TO ROAST SWEET RED BELL PEPPER: Cut a slit in the pepper to allow steam to escape. If you have a gas burner, then you can skewer the pepper and roast it over the flame burner, turning it frequently until it is evenly blistered and darkly scorched. Or, place pepper on a cookie sheet and broil under the upper heating element, turning as the surface blisters and darkens. Place the roasted pepper in a plastic bag and chill in the freezer for up to 10 minutes, or until cool enough to handle. Remove from freezer; peel, then slice open the pepper, remove the seeds and dice.
Grilled chicken salad with quick aioli mayonnaise
Makes 4 servings.
This composed salad, with its lovely yellow and red peppers contrasting with the salad greens, is impressive and delicious to serve on these golden Autumn-Into-Winter evenings. The balsamic vinegar and olive oil bring out the rich flavors lurking within the seaonal vegetables, complimenting the chicken mixture in a subtle, fulfilling manner. If you have access to a truly
exquisite and crusty artisan bread, then by all means, slice it horizontally, toast it lightly, and serve along with this simple meal.
4 boned, skinless chicken breast halves
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1-¼ cups Quick Aioli with Stone Ground Mustard (recipe follows)
2 ribs celery, cut into 1-inch long pencil-thin strips
½ cup chopped green onions
6 cups mixed salad greens (including several leafy varieties, a bit of crunchy Romaine hearts, and some arugula), torn into bite-size pieces
1 red sweet bell pepper, seeded and sliced into rings
1 yellow sweet bell pepper, seeded and sliced into rings
½ cup shaved Parmesan
Balsamic vinegar
Extra-virgin olive oil
Brush each breast with some of the olive oil, then season both sides with salt and pepper. Grill over hot coals, turning once, until golden brown and thoroughly cooked; cool, then cut into ½-inch chunks (be sure and toss the chunks in any of the chicken juices that have accumulated on the cutting board). This can be done up to 48 hours ahead, covered, and refrigerated.
Combine the cooled chicken with enough of the Quick Aioli with Stone Ground Mustard to thoroughly moisten the chicken pieces, then stir in the celery, and green onions.
To serve, arrange one-fourth of the salad greens on each of 4 plates. Arrange pepper slices on top of the greens, sprinkle with a portion of the Parmesan, then drizzle vinegar and olive oil over each portion, along with additional seasoning of salt and pepper. Finally, spoon on the chicken salad mixture. Serve immediately.
Quick Aioli with Stone Ground Mustard
Makes a scant 1-¼ cups.
1 tablespoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice
3 medium-sized cloves of garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 cup good quality mayonnaise (I use Best Foods)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon stone ground mustard (I use Inglehoffer Original Stone Ground Mustard; see note)
Place the lemon juice and garlic cloves in a blender jar. Now add the mayonnaise and blend, turning the motor on and off and scraping the sides of the blender jar often, until the mixture is smooth and creamy. With the motor running, add the olive oil a teaspoon at a time, giving the sauce a chance to absorb one addition of the oil before adding the next. You may have to stop the motor and give the sauce a brief stir each time.
Scrape the sauce into a small container then stir in the mustard. The sauce will keep for weeks in the refrigerator (just like commercially made mayonnaise).
PESTO VARIATION: At the point when you stir in the stone ground mustard, also stir in 2 tablespoons of pesto (either home made or commercially prepared). Makes a scant 1-1/3 cups.
ROASTED RED PEPPER AND TOMATO VARIATION: At the point when you stir in the stone ground mustard, also stir in ½ of a roasted and peeled red pepper (commercially prepared roasted peppers are okay), and 2 tablespoons of canned tomato paste. Adjust the character of the sauce at this point by adding additional mustard if necessary, and a little more fresh lemon juice or red wine vinegar to taste.
NOTE ON STONE GROUND MUSTARD: The Inglehoffer Original Stone Ground Mustard is prepared by Beaverton Foods in Beaverton, Oregon. It’s widely distributed, so you shouldn’t have a problem finding it where most mustards are sold. It has a rich mustardy-whole grain character that I love. If unavailable, use another brand that describes itself as being a classic whole grain mustard (which will mean it isn’t too sweet or seasoned in an unusual way).
Jan Roberts-Dominguez is a Corvallis food writer, artist, and author of “Oregon Hazelnut Country, the Food, the Drink, the Spirit,” and four other cookbooks; janrd@proaxis.com; www.janrd.com.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
