Salad Freak!

 
Recipes from Salad Freak, by Jess Damuck 

In my B.C. (before children) life, I was a regular at the salad bar. I loved the different combinations I could create with all those colorful fruits, veggies, and proteins just a squeeze of the tongs away. With little kids to feed, I lost my salad game for a bit. It was pureed veggies for a while, then apple slices and the convenience of pre-packaged salad, until we finally settled on a regular rotation of raw veggies and ranch dip, roasted broccoli and Caesar salad.

Salad Freak is just what I needed to get my salad mojo back. The book is organized by season and each salad has a beautiful, mouthwatering picture- just the inspiration I need. The book also has a recipe for salad accompaniments like dressings, toppers, focaccia, even ricotta.

The first thing I made was a height-of-summer California Wedge. I love an old school wedge salad, and this was a zippier take on that. It keeps the iceberg lettuce but subs Green Goddess dressing made with avocado and buttermilk for the bleu cheese dressing. Add some feta, cherry tomatoes, a sprinkle of fresh mint, basil, dill and wow-- summer in one bite!  I swapped out the traditional bacon for some smoked almonds for a delicious and satisfying lunch.

There’s lots of explore in Salad Freak, and each recipe details produce, dairy, pantry and meat. Produce is always the star, with the support players enhancing flavor and adding contrasting texture, making each salad a special treat.

My Salad Freak adventure continues into Fall!

I’ve never considered celery the star player. I saw celery as purely the delivery mechanism for something yummier like onion dip, hummus or peanut butter. So, I was intrigued by the Celery and Grapes salad. The preparation method is really the secret to this delicious recipe. Stalks of celery are sliced coin-thin using a mandoline or, in my case, putting my newly sharped 6” chef’s knife to work. To that super crunchy, peppery base, juicy grapes are sliced and added for some sweetness, along with a layer of chopped smoked almonds, thin slices of mild and creamy Manchego cheese, and the delicate leaves from the tops of the celery stalk. A little splash of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkle of salt are the final touches. I served this salad at a dinner with friends, and it paired well with salmon and steak (I know- lucky me!). I am amazed how these few simple ingredients combine to make something so unusual and delicious. I’ve made this a few times since then-- it comes together super-fast for a single serving and pairs well with proteins like hardboiled eggs or leftover chicken.

I got another handy tip from Salad Freak in the “accompaniments” section in the back of the book. This one comes courtesy of Snoop Dog and is about cooking bacon (turkey bacon in our case).  I’ve always found cooking bacon tedious because I thought you had to lay each piece flat in the pan, no crowding allowed. This recipe directs you to just dump it all in the pan, piled up, and keep moving it around with a pair of tongs. I was amazed when the turkey bacon came out crispy (for turkey bacon) as promised!