I’ve been really into salads lately, and during the summertime, there’s nothing better than eating healthy, light and fresh. Like with any dish we make often, it’s easy to get in an uninspired rut, always using the same ol’ ingredients, but sometimes all we need is a little outside perspective to change up our routines.
One of the best ways to gain that perspective is to visit your local farmers market. By meeting farmers and seeing what they bring to market, you get a window into what’s growing now and at its peak, and the summer months are abundant with so many Some Kinda Good fresh fruits and vegetables.
Watermelon, peaches, strawberries, squash, tomatoes, and sweet corn on the cob are all in season in June, and none of these ingredients are off limits when it comes to making salad. Salads can be interesting depending on the style of greens, the toppings and most definitely the dressing you choose, but there are some specific components that help basic salads rise above the rest.
Think of flavor of course, texture and color, much like you would when decorating a room. You can add fresh herbs from the garden to your salads too – basil, oregano and parsley taste great with all kinds of lettuces. And don’t forget to season your salads. I love to finish salad greens with a few cranks of freshly ground black pepper.
The other day, I made a dinner salad at home with mixed greens, creamy goat cheese, rosemary roasted pecans, dried cranberries, and fresh blueberries, topped with a cooked chicken breast and a side of crackers. I like to whip up quick vinaigrettes with olive oil, Dijon mustard and citrus juice, but in a pinch, a good quality bottled dressing will work.
Later that same week, we were on the way home from running errands, when I spotted fresh peaches at a roadside stand. I stopped off and bought a bushel, then came home and made a beautiful salad with peppery arugula, smoked chicken breast, peaches and pecans, and didn’t even miss the cheese.
As a private chef, I offer several salad variations on my menus, and at a recent bachelorette party, I served my toss salad with rainbow carrots to a sweet group of friends from all over the US.
They loved the presentation—bright red cherry tomatoes, strips of green cucumbers, purple and orange carrots with a yellow center, and fresh Parmesan shards over romaine lettuce with a champagne vinaigrette. It was bright and fresh, with a lemony tang from the homemade dressing.
No matter what kind of salad you make, be sure to wash your salad greens. Oftentimes when purchasing greens from the grocery store, they may be damp from the watering stations in the produce section. This actually creates an environment for foodborne illnesses to thrive, so washing your greens and spinning them dry is crucial for enjoying the most fresh, clean and safe greens.
So, get inspired and think outside your basic cheddar cheese and bagged croutons. Summer is here – let’s enjoy it one bite at a time.
Rebekah Faulk Lingenfelser is a private chef and the author of the best-selling memoir “Some Kinda Good.” Featured in Forbes, on Food Network and ABC, she writes about Southern, coastal cuisine, locally sourced and in season. Connect with her on social media by liking Some Kinda Good on Facebook, or follow @SKGFoodBlog on Instagram and Twitter.