Lynn Smythe
Herbal Salad Bowl
January 2nd 2008 17:34
Fresh Salad Platter
'Twould tempt the dying anchorite to eat;
Back to the world he'd turn his fleeting soul,
And plunge his fingers in the salad bowl!
Serenely full the epicure would say,
Sydney Smith, A Receipt for a Salad, 1839
Hildegard von Bingen, in her book Physica, gives a recipe for making a salad "Whence, one who wishes to eat it should first temper it with dill, vinegar, or garlic, so that these suffuse in it a short time before it is eaten. Tempered in this way, lettuce strengthens the brain and furnishes good digestion."
Fresh Ingredients
Many people discover that freshly grown produce tastes far superior to that which is purchased in grocery stores. There's nothing like going out into your own garden and picking fresh tomatoes, carrots, lettuce and herbs and consuming them in a salad moments after they have been harvested. In lieu of having a garden of your own you can purchase your salad ingredients from a local farmer's market, road side farm stand or health food store. When I don't have enough variety of herbs and vegetables to choose from in my own garden I make a trip to my local health food store where all the produce they sell is organically grown.
The salad recipes in this article are hearty enough to be served as a meal along with rolls or breadsticks and an ice cold drink. Use smaller portions of these salads as a first course start to your next dinner party or family gathering.
Asian Salad with Ginger Teriyaki Dressing
Natural sesame seeds have a black or dark brown colored outer hull. The sesame seeds commonly sold in the supermarket have had this hull removed giving the seeds their characteristic light beige color. Sesame seeds are pressed to create sesame oil which is used in many Asian style dishes such as in the dressing for this salad.
For the Salad:
3 cups iceberg lettuce
3 cups romaine lettuce
1 cup red cabbage - shredded
One (10 ounce) can mandarin oranges - drained
1 cup slivered almonds
2 cups chow mein noodles
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Tear the lettuce into bite size pieces. Add the lettuce and all the remaining ingredients to a large salad bowl and toss well. Drizzle with 1/3 cup of the dressing and toss to coat well. Offer your guests extra dressing served on the side in a small bowl.
For the dressing:
1/3 cup teriyaki sauce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 clove garlic - minced
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
Add all the ingredients to a small bowl and whisk well until the sugar is thoroughly dissolved. Makes 1 cup of dressing. Leftover dressing can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
The entire article, Herbaceous Salad Bowl, can be found on the Associated Content website.
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Comment by Rosemary
Alpaca Notes - Tasmania
Everyone should have a herb garden. Freshly picked is always better.
Is it true that planting basil outside your door will deter flies or is that just an old wives tale?