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Recipe Detail Page
Salad Bar
Holiday 2018
This is a superb first course for a holiday table because it is easy to make, looks beautiful and is much appreciated by friends and family when a heavier meal follows. A mélange of mixed greens and heaps of your favourite salad fixings allow people to make their own choices for their personal salad. Two very different dressings make it even more pleasurable for guests, who can pick the style they like. Use a large piece of wood or a cheese board or a large tile if you have one. You can use platters, but they are more work to clean afterwards. You can also place the lettuce in a large bowl but it doesn’t look as dramatic. If you are hosting a lot of people, then make two or three platters to go down the table. Here are some suggestions, but use your personal favourites to enhance the greens. Mixed lettuce such as escarole, little gem, romaine, Boston, frisée, shredded Brussels sprouts or kale as the base
ADD-INS
Belgian endive, sliced
Croutons
Pickled Radishes & Red Onion (recipe follows).
Grated Parmesan or a bowl of feta or goat cheese
Cucumber
Nuts
Seeds
PICKLED RADISHES & RED ONION
I am not a fan of really sour pickles so this combination of water and vinegar gives me just the texture and bite I like. You can up the sugar but I prefer to keep it low. Pickle anything from beets to baby turnips. Add other seasonings such as garlic, ginger, cumin seeds, peppercorns or bay leaves for different tastes.
1 cup (250 mL) water
1 cup (250 mL) rice, wine or apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp (15 mL) kosher salt
3 tbsp (45 mL) granulated sugar
2 star anise
1 tsp (5 mL) coriander seeds
1 tsp (5 mL) fennel seeds
1 tsp (5 mL) mustard seeds
1 dried Thai chili
6 radishes, sliced
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1. Bring water, vinegar, salt, sugar, star anise, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, mustard seeds and chili to a boil. Place radish and onion in a bowl. Pour over hot pickling spice and let it sit until cool. Pack in jars and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.
Makes about 1½ cups (375 mL)
