Summertime salads are straight-forward. Cooks just pick up what looks good at the farmer's market, chop some vegetables, and toss them into a bowl with a simple dressing.
"Whatever grows together, goes together," someone told us this summer. In the warmer months, that line is right on: tender wild asparagus shows up alongside ramps and the first tender lettuce leaves, sweet corn meets up with perfect tomatoes and crunchy cukes.
In the winter, cooks can't be so carefree. Winter salads take a bit of planning and recipes can be especially helpful. We're wondering what salads you're spinning right now. Share some eat-your-veggies inspiration in the comments.
Winter salad suggestions are after the jump ...
Sara Kate suggests Beet Box salad. This recipe was inspired by Little Giant, a restaurant on Manhattan's Lower East Side
Faith and I find that fruits often step into our salad bowls this time of year. Faith's favorite winter salads are Rainbow Chard Salad with Raisins and Walnuts and Fennel, Orange and Shallot Salad.
Over the weekend I made a salad with mixed baby greens, pomegranate, pistachios, dressed with olive oil and Trader Joe's California Grapefruit Vinegar. (TJ's grapefruit is excellent and just $1.99!). I served it with goat cheese medallions rolled in chopped dried cherries. And I can't wait to make the Bulgur, Celery and Pomegranate Salad from 101cookbooks, as seen in the picture at the top of this post.
Need more salad inspiration? Oprah magazine has a stash of salad recipes for all seasons.
(photo: Heidi Swanson, 101cookbooks.com)
recent cravings led me to create the following salad 2 weekends ago:
serves 2
baby spinach, as much as you like for the base of a salad
1 can hearts of palm, chopped
2 MacIntosh or MacCoun apples, skin on, cored & chopped
1/4lb aged very sharp cheese (we used gouda), sliced & crumbled
1/4lb very peppery hard salami, thinly sliced and chiffonaded
craisins
scallions, chopped
parsley, to garnish
dressing:
extra virgin olive oil
balsamic vinegar
whole grain Dijon mustard
salt & pepper
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that sounds so good!
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Pomegranate, pistachios and grapefruit vinaigrette sounds like an amazing combination. I am a big fan of nuts in salad. My winter favorite is minimalist: escarole or frisee, toasted pine nuts or walnuts, and a strong vinaigrette with plenty of dijon mustard. Leftover cold roasted vegetables (cauliflower, squash, sweet potatoes, regular potatoes) are good in there too.
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