Frequently Asked Questions about Salads
Source of Recipe
Grandpoohbah
Q. What is arugula?
A. Also called rocket, roquette, rugula and rucola, arugula is a slightly bitter,
aromatic salad green with a peppery mustard flavor. Though it has long been
extremely popular with Italians, American palates often find its flavor too assertive.
Arugula (which resembles radish leaves) can be found in specialty produce markets
and in some supermarkets. It's sold in small bunches with roots attached. The leaves
should be bright green and fresh looking. Arugula is very perishable and should be
tightly wrapped in a plastic bag and refrigerated for no more than 2 days. Its leaves
hold a tremendous amount of grit and must be thoroughly washed just before using.
Arugula makes a lively addition to salads, soups and sautéed vegetable dishes. It's a
rich source of iron as well as vitamins A and C.
Q. What is the secret to making a good, homemade vinaigrette?
A. Start with two parts oil for every one part vinegar. Taste, and adjust the
proportions to satisfy your taste buds. Extra-virgin olive oil, toasted sesame oil,
hazelnut oil, and walnut oil are all power-players in the world of taste, and you can
get by with using much less oil while still adding superior flavor if you choose a bold
one. To add that all-important zing to the dressing, try cider vinegar, balsamic
vinegar, white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, raspberry vinegar, or even lime or
lemon juice. Whatever you use as the basis of your dressing, be sure to round it out
with salt and pepper, and perhaps a dash of red pepper flakes, a little bit of crushed
garlic, a dab of mustard, or anything else you think will make your vinaigrette
distinctly divine.
Looking for salad dressing recipes?
Q. How can I prevent the fruit in my gelatin salad from sinking to the bottom of the
mold?
A. Add texture, flavor and visual appeal to any gelatin dessert by mixing in fruit,
vegetables, nuts or marshmallows. Some of these things like to float, and some like
to sink. However, it's possible to tame those morsels and make them stay put.
Patience is the key! You must wait until the gelatin is semi-firm - about the
consistency of cold egg whites -- before pushing in the fruit. It will stay right where
you put it, waiting in suspended animation to be slurped up by your enthusiastic
dinner guests.
Q. What kind of salad can I make in the winter?
A. When deciding upon what type of salad to make, it's best to use produce that is
as fresh and seasonal as possible. Whether your ingredients are picked from your
garden or bought from the market, foods that are harvested closest to home will offer
the best value for your money, palate, and health. A few seasonal salad ingredients to
look for in markets around your home include fruits such as apples, pears,
cranberries and grapes; or vegetables such as fennel, cabbage, cauliflower, and
broccoli.
Q. Can I grow my own sprouts?
A. To grow your own sprouts, all you need is a mason-type jar, a piece of
cheesecloth or other breathable fabric, and the seeds, beans, grains, or nuts you wish
to sprout. If you don't have a mason jar, any other jar will do; just make sure it's
totally clean first. Also, without a mason jar lid, you'll need a rubber band to hold the
cheesecloth tight over the jar. Seeds used for sprouting can be found at either a
grocery or health food store, or through an online distributor -- try a search for
'sprout seed' using your favorite search engine; this should bring up a bunch of online
sprouting seed retailers.
Q. I want to take pasta salad to a picnic. Is this safe?
A. Pasta salad made with dairy products, eggs, or any type of meat or seafood
should be kept well chilled until you are ready to eat it. Salads made with oil and
vinegar dressings and veggies can be served at room temperature.
Q. I often find myself adjusting recipes in order to make enough for my family, but it
doesn't quite work for some recipes. Do you have any advice for me?
A. Changing recipes in order to make more or less servings is called "recipe scaling."
Whenever you alter the amounts of ingredients for a given recipe, you may also need
to adjust the cooking temperature, cooking time, pan size and seasonings. But for
food chemistry reasons, recipe scaling simply does not work well for some dishes:
delicate foods such as soufflés, baked items requiring yeast such as breads, and
recipes for a single large item that is meant to be later divided into smaller portions
such as cakes, pies, breads and whole turkey.
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