| What is a salad?
According to the Random House Dictionary, it’s:
1. A usually cold dish consisting of vegetables, such as lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers, covered with a dressing and sometimes containing seafood, meat or eggs.
2. Any of various dishes consisting of foods, such as meat, seafood, eggs, pasta or fruit, prepared singly or combined, usually cut up, mixed with a dressing, and served cold: chicken salad; potato salad.
3. Any herb or green vegetable, such as lettuce, used for salads or eaten raw.
We propose a minimalist style of salad like this one, created by Chef Terrance Brennan of Picholine restaurant in New York City. All you need to create a salad work of art is your imagination and a stroll down the produce aisle.
|
|
Salad as art. Photo courtesy Chef Terrence
Brennan, TerranceBrennan.com. |
| In this “tomato salad,” Chef Brennan arranges halved red and yellow grape tomatoes topped with fresh herbs, cauliflower florets topped with a grilled scallop and a dehydrated tomato slice, cubes of cheese topped with bacon, oven-dried grape tomatoes (here’s a recipe), basil leaves and preserved strawberries (you can substitute fresh berries or other fruit).
With a pinch of sea salt, the tomatoes need no dressing. But you can drizzle olive oil or a vinaigrette on the dish, or serve a side ramekin of vinaigrette or pesto.
Inspired to create? Let us know your favorite combinations. |
